Heading Home

Today was the final day of our visit with Brandon and Casey. Sadly we loaded all the suitcases into the car and are making our way to West Virginia to take my mom and step dad home. We will be heading back to Virginia on Friday. It has been a very busy week but we have had a great time.

Family is so important and the older I get the more I believe in that statement.

We didn't have an extravagant vacation but it was memorable. We ate at some great restaurants, cooked out, went to the Fair, found some incredible bargains at the mall, enjoyed a Springfield Pineapple Whip at a roadside stand and laughed until our sides hurt. Bobby and Brandon played some little one on one basketball which is something they haven't done for years. I think they actually played HORSE and Bobby won one game!! Was that planned???? I only see my mom once or twice a year so this has been a treat for us to spend time with her as well. Good quality time. Things we so often take for granted when our children are next door or down the street. You really learn to appreciate the value of family when your family is 1000 miles away.

Blessings and hugs!

Enjoying Our Vacation

We are having a great time in MO. The weather has been hot but our days have been really full. Mom, Casey and I went to the mall yesterday and came away with a few bargains. I am also shopping for Victoria's birthday. She turns 2 on Friday! Can't believe it.

Last night Brandon and Casey took us to the Ozark Fair. We had a great time. Can't believe how quickly this week is passing. Tomorrow begins the journey back to Virginia.

Blessings and hugs!!

We Need Our Quiet Time With God

We are in MO and having a wonderful time chillin' with Brandon and Casey, my mom and step dad. The weather is HOT and HOT!!!!! Us gals are heading to the mall this morning and then we are off to the Ozark Fair this evening.

Vacations are awesome. It is so soothing to remove yourselves from the everyday hustle and bustle of life and RELAX! Oh wait.... did I actually use that term.... RELAX????! Yes I did and Yes I am!! :-)

I am an early morning person and I got up at 6:30 a.m. this morning to begin my day. Sleeping in even on vacation is a total waste of time for me. I enjoy my quiet time when everyone else is sleeping.

Very early in the morning while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed (Mark 1:35).

This scripture is a great lesson for me and my personal devotional life. If Jesus thought it was important to go away by Himself to pray and spend quiet time with His Father, how much more important is it for you and I to do the same? There is just something about solitude with Jesus.

It feels great to clear my mind and listen for the voice of God. I am so thankful today for all that He has done for me and my family. He is such an awesome and incredible God.

Blessings and hugs!

Are We Listening?

I have been incredibly busy at work this week trying to prepare for a week out of the office. I am seriously looking forward to a week of vacation.

"Be still, and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

This is such a great and powerful passage. I could avoid so much stress if only I would learn to apply this incredible scripture to my life!

God wants to do such a great work in our lives but often times we miss the mark because we are simply not listening. He speaks but busyness and the everyday struggles of our lives crowds out the voice of God. This has really been on my heart this past week. How much more I could be for the Kingdom of God if only I would let go and let God...........

You recognize the scenario I am sure. All of us have things in our lives that bring much stress to the table. How do you process that stress in your life? Are you a worrier? Do you carry an attitude because you are so overwhelmed with the heavy baggage? Or, can you honestly say today that you completely hand it ALL over to our Heavenly Father and allow Him to take care of the problem? I want to give it completely to Him but many times I don't choose that route. And many times, because I have allowed the bundles of baggage in this life to overcrowd my thought process, I totally missed the voice of God big time.

God's Word is absolute truth. We preach that. Why are we not living it? That is the question I have been asking myself these past two weeks. I need to come to that place in my relationship with Christ that I can fully trust Him with every need represented in my life. There isn't a magic formula or an easy solution. It is a daily process of growing my relationship with Him by reading, studying and meditating on God's Word. It comes from spending quality time daily with Hm in prayer. And the relationship will be cultivated by trusting Him with my life even when circumstances appear overwhelming and bleak.

Our Heavenly Father loves us. He created each of us in such a marvelous way. He has an awesome plan for our lives. He will protect us and He will take care of our needs. Maybe not all of our wants but our needs. If He cares for every sparrow who falls from the sky how much more will He care for you and I?

We are leaving tomorrow for vacation. Bobby and I are traveling to West Virginia to pick up my mom and step dad and then leaving Sunday for Missouri. We are spending a few days with Casey and Brandon in their Burgess Hall apartment at Evangel University. I am seriously looking forward to some chill time. I have two classes to complete by the end of August for my ministerial credentials and hope to work on those while traveling. I will also try to blog a few times while we are away.

Have an incredible weekend! Blessings and hugs!

Blogger Award Nomination

I feel so blessed. Teresa nominated me for this Blog Award and I am truly touched. Thank you so much Teresa. You are a blessing! I will pass this along to seven other ladies who definitely deserve the recognition.

Once an award is received, the rules are as follows:

1. Put the logo on your blog

2. Add a link to the person who awarded you

3. Nominate at least seven other blogs

4. Add links to those blogs

5. Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs

My nominees are:

* Kim - Season's of My Heart

* Rachelle - Seek First His Kingdom

* Tiffany - Tea With Tiffany

* Laurie - Women Taking A Stand

* Deanna - Lifetime Intimate Portrait

* Susan - Forever His

* Tara - Destiny Driven

I could have passed this on to many more. Please visit each one of these special ladies. You will be blessed!

Blessings and hugs!

Life is Busy

The past week has been a whirlwind. I have missed blogging.

Brandon and Casey have been home for two weeks and ministering in various locations. Last week Brandon preached a three night revival at a local church. In addition to that our church hosted the annual "Sports Camp". Trying to be everywhere at the some time just doesn't work.

Our "Sports Camp" was an incredible success. Kudos to all those who made it happen. The revival services were awesome. It was a great time of renewal for me personally. For such a young evangelist Brandon has been given an incredible gift from God. The Lord is truly using him in a magnificent way.

This week is Family Camp in the Potomac District. Monday night Brandon and his dad tag teamed in speaking and it was a night to surely remember. Our choir sang and the praise team led worship. It was like one big family affair. It was awesome! God showed up and it was just an incredible evening. God is so faithful!

Blessings and hugs!

Season's of Life

Brandon and Casey are home on the east coast for two weeks and it has been wonderful spending time with them. Casey's parents along with Bobby and I are sharing them for this short time. In addition to that Brandon is speaking and traveling often while they are here so our time with them is limited.

I never imagined how difficult it would be to let go and let God when it came to my children. As we get older we are always facing new challenges and must learn to adjust to the new and sometimes challenging seasons of our lives. There is no way you can possibly prepare yourself for the many emotions that you will face.

For any young mothers who may be reading this blog I encourage you to savor every moment with your family. I remember those stressful days when Brooke and Brandon were in their teen years. I miss those ballgames and family outings. Time passes so quickly and one day you look around to realize that your kids are grown, they have their own families and now you are a Grammy. Take advantage of every moment with your children while they are still home. The house doesn't always have to be spotless. It will always be there but they won't . You will have the rest of your lives to make sure your home is neat and tidy.

Brandon is preaching a revival this weekend at a local church. Next week Family Camp in the Potomac District begins. Bobby and Brandon are preaching a dual sermon Monday evening. Our choir and praise team will be leading worship. This is our annual outing for the choir and following the service we always have dinner at a local restaurant before returning back to Virginia. Many of our choir members will take a day or two of vacation since it will be early morning before we return. Tuesday Bobby and I will celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary! WOW! He obviously robbed the cradle! Back to work on Wednesday and then we are leaving for a week of vacation on Saturday!!! YIPPEE! Much needed for both of us.........

Blessings and hugs!

God Is With Us

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37 (NIV)

When facing trials and the fiery darts of Satan we often tend to think that we are the only people who are dealing with such challenges. All of us face discouragement and the enemies of darkness each week. Some trials are stronger than others but we are each treading storms of some magnitude in our lives.

Facing trials encourages us as Christians to exercise our faith. We should not pray away those trials. We need to ask God to manifest His power and love in us so we can respond with Christlike character when the enemy is pounding on our doors. Remember - people can only intimidate us if we allow them to use that tool. God is bigger than anything this world and the demons of hell can offer. No matter how much discouragement you and I have been dealing with this week, our God is well aware of the circumstances. It may not be today or tomorrow but in HIS timing the Lord will resolve the issues that we are struggling with in a beautiful way. If we trust God and completely hand it over to Him the enemy will be defeated. During these trials God is building our character and integrity. He is solidifying our foundation. The Lord is making us stronger for the bigger storms that are brewing in the seas of life. He continues to groom you and I for the work He has for our lives.

The Message says it all: With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture. Romans 8:37

PRAISE GOD, HALLELUJAH AND AMEN!

God is our hope and our strength today, tomorrow and forever. He is our safety, our comfort and our encouragement. He loves His children and He always protects us. If we dread life and fear people how can we possibly say we are trusting God with our lives? If God is for you, who can be against you?

Blessings and hugs!

Friends

"The Christian life is a pilgrimage. At times the road is difficult ad we get lonely. Sometimes we may get discouraged and consider abandoning the journey. It is at such times that God will place a friend alongside us. One of God's most precious gifts to us is friends who encourage us and lovingly challenge us to 'keep going.' "

~ By Henry T. Blackaby & Richard Bkackaby ~

from their devotional book, Experiencing God

One of the most severe epidemics of our time is loneliness. Though most of us are surrounded by people, we live in a society of loneliness. Everyone, from small children to aging seniors experience feelings of isolation, rejection and seclusion. We often think of single people who live alone as being lonely, but some of the loneliest people I have encountered have been married with a house full of children.

In one of the Barna Reports by Christian pollster George Barna, it states that one of the leading trends in our society post 2000 is a movement away from meaningful friendships. We are becoming more and more like a closed society. People are often spending their days moving through a crowd of strangers and coming home to an isolated or artificial existence.

We all need friends, but few understand the basics about forming quality friendships. A true friend is someone whom we enjoy mutual affection, interests and respect for. The best friends are those who are helpers in times of trouble. Those who are our advocates when we find ourselves in need are the kind of friends that are worth their weight in gold. Solomon once wrote, "A brother is born for times of adversity, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother - that is God our closest companion."

The word "friend" is so misused in our society today that it has lost its true definition. A true friend loves even when it's absolutely uncomfortable. A friend is a friend even when it hurts. A friend never leaves you flat when everyone else has. When adversity strikes, a true friend is there with you. A friend loves you when you are grumpy and when you have gained a little weight and turned slightly gray. A true friend will pray for you and respect your privacy when you are going through a trial but not able to openly discuss the details.

Friendships are very important. There are times when we need that network of people who can pray with us and encourage us. But one thing I have discovered over the years is so true. To have friends I must also be a friend. If we expect love, trust, honesty and encouragement we must also offer the same to those who we consider our friends. Cultivating friendships requires investment of our time. It requires patience and sincere interest in other's lives.

God is our friend and encourager. There are times, as a pastor's wife, that I may not have the freedom to unload the particulars of my trials on my friends. I can call out to God at that moment and He will give me comfort and peace in the midst of the stormy seas. He always understands what we are going through. We are never alone when we have a relationship with Christ.

Visit Bonnie at Ink it Blog for more In "other" Words posts today.

Blessings!

Big God - Big Plans

If we could understand everything God does, then He'd have to be a small God ~ small enough to fit in our little minds.
~Randy Alcorn~

Nothing about God is small. As Christians we are to think big, dream big and pray big. When we do anything less we are placing God in a confined box limiting the completion of His will in our lives.

For I know the plans I have for you, "declares the Lord," plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

God's desire is to give you and I the very best. In fact, in many cases God is more anxious to pour His blessings on us than we are to receive them. A.W. Tozer said, "If we yearned after God even as much as a cow yearns for her calf, we would be the worshiping and effective believers God wants us to be. If we longed for God as a bride looks forward to the return of her husband, we would be a far greater force for God than we are now." [A.W. Tozer in Men Who Met God. Christianity Today, Vol. 30, no. 15.]

God has raised us up to succeed and not to fail in life. If we will simply align ourselves with God's will for our lives, we will discover that He is absolutely on our side! He is a big God with big plans but our stinkin' thinkin' keeps Him a small God with small plans for our lives.

Are you in a rut today in your spiritual life? Do you feel your life is stagnant or just going nowhere? Your relationship with God which encompasses your prayer life, worship habits and personal devotion will determine your rate of success in your spiritual life. God is always with us whether we are in the valley or on the mountaintop. "Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou has holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory." Psalms 73:23-24 (KJV)

How can we possibly question whether God is a big God or a small God? Look around you today at the beauty of the earth He created. How could a small God ever accomplish such a task? Look at the lives of people you know who have experienced a total life change when they accepted Christ as their personal Savior. How could a small God deliver someone from the pits of addiction?

God is everywhere all the time. His power can be felt anywhere at anytime. His love can be experienced anywhere all the time. Is that the work of a small God?

God in all His awesomeness is incredible! His plans for you and I are vast. We limit what He wants to do in us. Thinking small produces small results. Thinking big allows God to work in our lives in an enormous way.

My God is a big God and I am so thankful for that today. He has performed numerous miracles in my life and family. I am a work in progress and this journey is exciting! I am so grateful today for His forgiveness and His love.

Seek Him today with big plans and big expectations for your life. We cannot see the big plan but God can. He longs for you to completely trust Him with your future. He has everything completely in control. That is why He is a big God.

Susan at Forever His is hosting IOW today. Visit her site to read other posts on this topic.

Blessings to you today as you seek God's plan for your lives!