Job is the topic today. As I read chapter 3, I could relate. Job curses the day he was born. He wishes that he was never born. He doesn't feel like he can take the pain one more day. I've also had these experiences in my life - wishing that God would not make me endure one more day on this earth. These are the experiences that grow our faith the most. The experiences when we can rely on nothing else but God. He is always faithful and compassionate but especially when we hurt.

Earlier in the book, his attitude was different. In one swift blow, he found out that all of his livestock and children were killed. I was surprised at his response. He fell to the ground in worship and said "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised." WOW! I can't say my reaction would be the same. His sadness and grief does come, as you read above, but to immediately worship before anything else is a great inspiration to me.

Next, he is covered in sores from head to toe and his wife encourages him to "curse God and die". Satan was able to use her to tempt Job to give up. Thankfully again, he had an amazing response - "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" Let me repeat that SHALL WE ACCEPT GOOD FROM GOD AND NOT TROUBLE? It's time to get over our pity party, it's time to trust in the One who is trusthworthy and it's time to worship no matter what our circumstances are. Praise God for His faithfulness!

Have a great day worshipping
Christie

I was reading in Daniel 8 this morning - I read about the vision that Daniel received and in verse 15 he sought to understand it and God provided an angel to explain it. I was just thinking about something similar yesterday. There are many times when I worry, debate, or think over something on my own and not even think to ask God for understanding. For example, I shared with you the other day about how I had to make a decision between going to visit my grampa in the hospital or go to our small group study. They are both very important to me and I thought about the decision for most of the day until it finally hit me that I needed to pray about it and ask God what He wanted me to do. DUH! It wasn't but a few minutes after I prayed that I received a phone call from our pastor telling me that our small group study was cancelled for that evening. So God gave me the answer - go to the hospital. God will provide the answers and wisdom that we need, but we need to be intentional about asking for it. I want to get better at praying for God's will immediately instead of waiting until I can't decide what to do. I encourage you to do the same.

Have a great day seeking God's wisdom
Christie

We studied the book of Jonah last night in our Bible study group. I explained, that it was "my" story. I too, was alot like Jonah. I knew what it was the God was calling me to do - to speak publicly about what He had accomplished in my life. But for many years, I pushed every opportunity away, believing that I could not face the challenge. I pushed His calling down deep in my heart until I had almost forgot it was there. I had experienced panic attacks since I was 15 and did not think that I could physically or emotionally deal with the anxiety and fear that public speaking would bring on. It wasn't until I was pushed (many times) by a friend and affirmed by God, that I finally accepted my calling and made the decision to step out and trust God. Once I made that commitment, God has been so faithful in providing the strength and peace that I need to fulfill His calling for me.

I want to encourage you today, to say "yes" to God. You do not need to be qualified or confident in yourself - but confident that all things are possible with our God! Say yes and let God do the rest. Fear should never be your guide!!!!

Have a great day standing strong in our Savior
Christie

It's another beautiful morning in Chenoa IL. It has been so good to have sunshine for a few days, but it sounds like the rain is coming - we'll enjoy it while we can. My family and I spent alot of time outdoors over the weekend. We had softball games, birthday parties, and lots of weeding and flower planting to do. I'm tired today, but it's a good tired - a tired that makes me know I worked hard. I had asked you last week to be praying for my grandpa and I appreciate all your prayers. Please continue to pray as he has seen 10 different doctors and we still have no answers. He has stumped them all. He has been in the hospital for 2 weeks and Medicare stopped paying after 10. My heart hurts as I continue to watch him and my grandma wait but I
continue to remind myself that our God is in control and I will trust in Him.

Praise God today for His faithfulness and goodness
Christie

Good morning my bloggy friends! Hope this post finds you doing well. I can't help but be perky when the sun is shining and looking forward to a beautiful warm day. I was reading in Amos today about how Amos had the job of warning about God's wrath to those who had fallen away. They continued with their religious rituals, but had forgotten God's ways of goodness, mercy and compassion. This reminded me of how many times I allow my busyness or own agenda to get in the way of truly loving others. I see my compassion level less than they used to be and that scares me. I prayed today that God will teach me to feel the way towards others like He does. Here's a post I took from our pastor's blog that really convicts me and I hope it makes you think too:

“If I talk a lot about God and the Bible and the Church, but I fail to ask about your needs and then help you, I’m simply making a lot of empty religious noise.
If I graduate from theological seminary and know all the answers to questions you’ll never even think of asking, and if I have all the degrees to prove it and if I say I believe in God with all my heart, and soul and strength, and claim to have incredible answers to my prayers to show it, but I fail to take the time to find out where you’re at and what makes you laugh and why you cry, I’m nothing.
If I sell an extra car and some of my books to raise money for some poor starving kids somewhere, and if I give my life for God’s service and burn out after pouring everything I have into the work, but do it all without ever once thinking about the people, the real hurting people-the moms and dads and sons and daughters and orphans and widows and the lonely and hurting-if I pour my life into the Kingdom but forget to make it relevant to those here on earth, my energy is wasted, and so is my life.
Here is what love is like--genuine love. God’s kind of love. It’s patient. It can wait. It helps others, even if they never find out who did it. Love doesn’t look for greener pastures or dream of how things could be better if I just got rid of all my current commitments. Love doesn’t boast. It doesn’t try to build itself up to be something it isn’t. Love doesn’t act in a loose, immoral way. It doesn’t seek to take, but it willingly gives. Love doesn’t lose its cool. It doesn’t turn on and off. Love doesn’t think about how bad the other person is, and certainly doesn’t think of how it could get back at someone. Love is grieved deeply (as God is) over the evil in this world, but it rejoices over truth.
Love comes and sits with you when you’re feeling down and finds out what is wrong. It empathizes with you and believes in you. Love knows you’ll come through just as God planned, and love sticks right beside you all the way. Love doesn’t give up, or quit, or diminish or go home. Love keeps on keeping on, even when everything goes wrong and the feelings leave and the other person doesn’t seem as special anymore. Love succeeds 100 percent of the time. That, my friend, is what real love is!”

Have a great day learning to love like Jesus
Christie

It hit me yesterday that I told you all about our move to the country, but didn't show you any pictures of our new home once we got here.
Here's the house

There's about 5 acres, but alot is covered by an old pig farm that is coming down this summer. Part of the front yard


Part of the back yard, our garage and shed



I thought I'd better start out in the room that looks lived in the most - our daughter's. In her defense, our son's doesn't look much better but I had a baby sleeping in his when I took the pictures. Don't worry, I did make her clean it last night.



Here's my favorite room in the house. It's a four-seasons room that looks out over the back yard. It has officially become my writing room because it is so peaceful.




Here's another favorite - a large eat-in kitchen. For those of you who know me well, know that most of my entertaining is done here. I love to feed people, maybe it's because I love to eat too!








Here's the dining room. Yes, I know it's missing something! I would like to have all the furniture be a dark cherry wood. I was so excited to find the corner cabinet at a garage sale for $50! If any of you would like to donate a cherry wood table for my naked dining room, feel free!





Now on to the living room. It is a beautiful room that we haven't seen much of since we moved. Life seems to be running at a hundred miles an hour lately so there hasn't been much time to sit down. I would like to use it someday.

It has worked out well that I can have my daycare in the finished basement. God knew exactly what we needed and provided it all. We continued to be humbled by His faithfulness and sweet blessings.

Thanks for stopping by

Have a great day

Christie

Malachi 1:6 "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is My respect?" says the Lord of hosts to you

WOW! As I read this verse this morning, it hit hard. How true this continues to be even in our day and age. It is so cool how God's Word applies forever. Think and chew on this question today and then make any changes in your life to show honor and respect to our Lord.

Have a great day
Christie