This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
Life is worth living just because God created this day just for us.
No matter what you are facing today or how you are feeling - God is in control and He is good all the time.
Praise God for His faithfulness!
Have a great day
Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Everyone loves a good sale, Right? We'll let me tell you about a great one:
Did you sleep in on Black Friday? Did you drag yourself out of bed, but still miss out on some awesome deals because you were standing in line too long at one store? Do you still have shopping to do, but dread the crowds, traffic, and cost? Let Hearts at Home help!
Their Black Friday sale has been extended to the week of December 7-11. Shop in the convenience of your own home and receive an unprecedented 25% off all of Hearts books and merchandise. They have great gifts for everyone in your family.
Find gifts for friends, teachers, bible study leaders, bus drivers, and everyone else on your list. You may even find something for yourself. This is a great time to stock up on all those Hearts at Home books you’ve been wanting to read.
Let your family know how much you would love a Hearts at Home gift certificate so you can use it for your Hearts at Home conference registration and/or Mom’s Night Out tickets.
Go to Heartshoppe.com, choose your gifts, and enter code “HEARTGIFT” upon checkout. You will receive 25% off your total purchase (before tax and shipping).
I also want to fill you in on a couple of other great opportunities!
Be sure to check out Jill Savage's blog this month (she is the founder and CEO of Hearts at Home). She is doing one giveaway A DAY through Christmas.
And, if you stop by the Hearts at Home blog December 8 - 11, you will have an opportunity to win a Heart's at Home prayer journal. The prayer journal is a brand new resource from Hearts at Home.
Merry Christmas from Hearts at Home!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
As I read about the birth of Moses in Exodus 2:1-10 the other day, God spoke to my heart. In order to keep Moses alive after the order for all baby boys to be killed, Moses’ mother laid him in a waterproof basket in the Nile hoping that Pharaoh’s daughter would see him during her bath and take him in. Moses mother had to have been ecstatic when Pharaoh’s daughter did find him and requested her to take Moses and nurse him after she had found him in the river. What joy must have filled her heart. Sadness was not far away because verse 10 says that when Moses was old enough, Pharaoh’s daughter took him as her son. That meant that the excitement was over for Moses’ mother. Although I’m sure that she was very happy that her son’s life had been spared, her heart had to have been breaking as she let him go to be the son of this other woman.
Our ways are not God’s ways. God knows the bigger plan and the future – we do not. Moses’ mother had the choice, would she lose her faith because of her pain or would she give her hurt to God and receive His unmeasurable peace.
There are many people without jobs right now, and those who no longer have a home due to foreclosure. I attended a orphan benefit recently that opened my eyes to just how many children have no parents. I also became aware of how many have no home or food. We lose precious loved ones in sickness and death. Marriages and families fall apart. Children are being abused and abducted.
Yes, hard things happen but God does not leave or forsake us.
Rejoice in God; be full of Thanksgiving to Him! God is not asking us to rejoice in every circumstance we are in but to rejoice in Him and who He is. If we never received any additional blessing from God but the sacrifice of Jesus when He hung on the cross to die for us – He is worthy of our praise. Philippians 4:6 tells us not to be anxious but to pray. Prayer is our lifeline to peace. If you want peace – get into the habit of prayer. Times of intently focused prayer each day are very important, but just as important are those prayers like “help me, Lord”, “go before me, Lord”, forgive me, Lord”, or “I can’t do this on my own, Lord” that are continuous throughout our day.
Have a great day
Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie
Our ways are not God’s ways. God knows the bigger plan and the future – we do not. Moses’ mother had the choice, would she lose her faith because of her pain or would she give her hurt to God and receive His unmeasurable peace.
There are many people without jobs right now, and those who no longer have a home due to foreclosure. I attended a orphan benefit recently that opened my eyes to just how many children have no parents. I also became aware of how many have no home or food. We lose precious loved ones in sickness and death. Marriages and families fall apart. Children are being abused and abducted.
Yes, hard things happen but God does not leave or forsake us.
Rejoice in God; be full of Thanksgiving to Him! God is not asking us to rejoice in every circumstance we are in but to rejoice in Him and who He is. If we never received any additional blessing from God but the sacrifice of Jesus when He hung on the cross to die for us – He is worthy of our praise. Philippians 4:6 tells us not to be anxious but to pray. Prayer is our lifeline to peace. If you want peace – get into the habit of prayer. Times of intently focused prayer each day are very important, but just as important are those prayers like “help me, Lord”, “go before me, Lord”, forgive me, Lord”, or “I can’t do this on my own, Lord” that are continuous throughout our day.
Have a great day
Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Thank you, thank you for all of you that have been praying for me and my struggles with my current class. Monday night's session went really well and I could feel your prayers. I learned something really cool that I hadn't thought about before. We were discussing the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin in Luke 15 and the parable of the sower in Matthew 13.
Our professor asked what is humanly absurd about these parables. As I looked I realized that if I had one hundred sheep that would make me money, I wouldn't leave 99 of them to find one because I would risk losing the 99.
If I had a coin so valuable to me (assuming that I was poor and really needed it)that I would search high and low to find it, when I did find it I wouldn't invite all my friends and neighbors over for a party and spend the money.
If I was a farmer and wanted to make the most on my crops I would be careful where I spread my seeds and definitely wouldn't spread them where they could land on rocks or thistles.
In human terms, each parable seems crazy but in God's eyes they make total sense which is why Jesus shared them.
If we run away from God, He is willing to search for and seek us because of His amazing love.
When we have gone away but through God's seeking we come back, God doesn't hold a grudge but rejoices in being in communion with us.
God spreads His love seed everywhere, He does not discriminate, but it is our choice as to what kind of soil we are going to be.
Some things about God may seem absurd and confusing to us but we can always be assured that His way is the best way and putting aside our own understanding opens the door to a life lived in faithfulness.
Have a great day
Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie
Our professor asked what is humanly absurd about these parables. As I looked I realized that if I had one hundred sheep that would make me money, I wouldn't leave 99 of them to find one because I would risk losing the 99.
If I had a coin so valuable to me (assuming that I was poor and really needed it)that I would search high and low to find it, when I did find it I wouldn't invite all my friends and neighbors over for a party and spend the money.
If I was a farmer and wanted to make the most on my crops I would be careful where I spread my seeds and definitely wouldn't spread them where they could land on rocks or thistles.
In human terms, each parable seems crazy but in God's eyes they make total sense which is why Jesus shared them.
If we run away from God, He is willing to search for and seek us because of His amazing love.
When we have gone away but through God's seeking we come back, God doesn't hold a grudge but rejoices in being in communion with us.
God spreads His love seed everywhere, He does not discriminate, but it is our choice as to what kind of soil we are going to be.
Some things about God may seem absurd and confusing to us but we can always be assured that His way is the best way and putting aside our own understanding opens the door to a life lived in faithfulness.
Have a great day
Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Yes, yes, I know - slacker is the only word to describe me since it has been over a week since I posted! I think this may be the longest I have went without posting since I started blogging but lack of time and internet issues kept getting in my way. Well, that is almost true - true, except for Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday where I pretty much planted myself on a couch. I think this was the best long weekend that my family and I have enjoyed in a long time because guess what we did - NOTHING! Yep, that is what I said - NOTHING! With two kids in sports, work, school, Bible studies, and housework, my life is in RUN mode all the time. It was very weird just sitting around and I felt guilty at times but I pushed it all aside and hung out with my family. We played board games, watched movies, took naps, played basketball and ate. The only thing we didn't do together was watch football - I am outnumbered 3 to 1 in watching football so I still sat on the couch with them but got some homework done to keep me awake (at least for a little while).
I now feel rejuvenated and ready for my week.
Hope you were able to enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family too
Have a great day
Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie
I now feel rejuvenated and ready for my week.
Hope you were able to enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family too
Have a great day
Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie
Monday, November 23, 2009
Thank you - thank you for your prayers over me as I spoke at Clinton Presbyterian church yesterday. It was an amazing morning of worship and God filled me with His words and peace. I continue to praise Him for His faithfulness!
My friend Tammy, had a sweet friend and mentor, Jean. Although their ages were quite far apart, they loved spending time together. As the years brought Jean into the nursing home with medical issues, Tammy continued to be a faithful friend and visit her every day. She told me of the encouragement, teaching and love she received from her mentor. One thing that stood out to Tammy was that Jean continued to praise God even through very difficult and trying times. Jean missed her family that wasn’t able to visit often and yet she would lift up her hands to God and exclaim “and yet I will praise Thee”. When she lost her sight and could only be reminded of the Word of God with her ears, she lifted up her hands to God and exclaimed “and yet I will praise Thee” as a cassette player became her new Bible. In the hospital, when Tammy sat by her bed during kidney dialysis and she would become ill and vomit, before raising her head from the bucket, the words slipped from her lips once again, “and yet will I praise Thee”. As I stood with Tammy and watched Jean slip into the hands of God, we knew that she had been preparing herself for the worship she would be involved in for all eternity and we whispered, and yet will we praise thee.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
This is a command. God’s will is that we gratefully acknowledge His hand in all circumstances, not for all circumstances. Circumstances change; God does not. Continuous prayer causes us to be open to God in all situations and we have the opportunity to talk to God about all situations. Do not be afraid to pour your heart out to Him. He is always listening and wants to hear and connect with you.
Have a great day!
Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie
My friend Tammy, had a sweet friend and mentor, Jean. Although their ages were quite far apart, they loved spending time together. As the years brought Jean into the nursing home with medical issues, Tammy continued to be a faithful friend and visit her every day. She told me of the encouragement, teaching and love she received from her mentor. One thing that stood out to Tammy was that Jean continued to praise God even through very difficult and trying times. Jean missed her family that wasn’t able to visit often and yet she would lift up her hands to God and exclaim “and yet I will praise Thee”. When she lost her sight and could only be reminded of the Word of God with her ears, she lifted up her hands to God and exclaimed “and yet I will praise Thee” as a cassette player became her new Bible. In the hospital, when Tammy sat by her bed during kidney dialysis and she would become ill and vomit, before raising her head from the bucket, the words slipped from her lips once again, “and yet will I praise Thee”. As I stood with Tammy and watched Jean slip into the hands of God, we knew that she had been preparing herself for the worship she would be involved in for all eternity and we whispered, and yet will we praise thee.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
This is a command. God’s will is that we gratefully acknowledge His hand in all circumstances, not for all circumstances. Circumstances change; God does not. Continuous prayer causes us to be open to God in all situations and we have the opportunity to talk to God about all situations. Do not be afraid to pour your heart out to Him. He is always listening and wants to hear and connect with you.
Have a great day!
Living fearlessly in Christ
Christie
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