It's been a while....

It has been a while since I have been able to sit down and have a clear train of thought to write. Life has been occurring around here at breakneck speed. I mean that both figuratively and literally. My step dad fell 13 feet from a building about a month ago and life has been turned upside down for our family. I am happy to report that he is recovering and is expected to eventually be back to an almost "normal" life. :0)

In this rush from hospital to home and back trying to care for all the people I love, writing isn't the only thing that has been missing. It has been a while since I have settled down enough in my soul to receive from God as well. Running on empty would describe my gas guzzling SUV and my soul. I think it's time to slow down and get connected to the source of all my peace and joy. Trying to conjure up Christmas spirit without a close connection to that Savior who's birth we celebrate is like having a birthday party without the person who's having the birthday. POINTLESS!

Praying that both you and I will take time today to get cozy with the Life-giver, God Almighty. Let Him speak a word of cheer and true joy into our day. I am SO ready for it myself and I hope you are too!

Scripture for reflection: John 15:1-11

1 I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.

3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.

5 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.

7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.

9 Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.

10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.

11 These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.



I'm So Excited!!

TODAY IS THE DAY!!!

I have been anxiously awaiting the word that a piece I wrote about the winnings I received would be published on the website (in)courage. They are a fabulous group of women on the web with a God-sized dream to create a community of sisterhood with a safe atmosphere to be and share our real selves. This group, sponsored by DaySpring, is who I won $500 from. Half I had the privilege if giving away.

Go to (in)courage today to hear the whole story. Meanwhile I will be home doing the happy dance!

Rick & Bubba's Big Honkin' Book of Grub

This is not a cookbook. That fact turned me off from the beginning. This is, in fact, a book about food. More accurately, a book about what Rick and Bubba think about food. There are about 20 recipes in the book and many funny quips about everything from barbecue to peanut butter.

Although I LOVE Rick and Bubba on the radio, reading their funny lines just doesn't have the same effect to me. It was funny but not my cup of "sweet tea." That said, I think some of the recipes included look YUMMY! I also love that they included a rundown of their favorite restaurants. Overall, if you like Rick and Bubba you will find this book at least amusing and maybe hilarious. Just don't buy it thinking it is a recipe book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Not Enough

"You are not enough," Satan hisses quietly in our ears. We may be trying to discipline our children, or do something pleasing for our husband, or even lay our lives out at the feet of Jesus. We can hear Satan's whispers, "You are not enough." We know in our hearts it's true. It is part of our greatest source of fear. We are not all that people think we are, and one day we will be found out for the lacking phony we really are. Our children will find out we don't have all the answers. Our husband will find out that homemaking isn't joyful at all to us. Our church will find out that {gasp} we aren't perfect like they are. So the enemy has us cornered. "You are not enough! No need to even try."

There is some truth to Satan's statement. We are not enough....... in our flesh.  Romans 8:8 says, "Those who are in the flesh cannot please God." Also Romans 3:10 says, "None is righteous, no, not one."

What are we to do then? Satan says you are not enough and God says you are not enough. The logical action would be to give up as Satan suggests. Thank goodness God doesn't work on logic! Keep reading in Romans 8. Verse 9 says "You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him."

The truth of the matter is that we are not enough on our own. As a mother, a wife, even as a child of God, I am not enough on my own, operating out of a fleshly mind, heart, and logic. If I have surrendered myself to the blood and sovereignty of Christ, that is a different story all together. Romans 8:26 says "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness." and verse 37 says"No, in all these things [ tribulation, distress, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword; v.35] we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."

As Satan whispers "You are not enough, just give up," God in my spirit says, "On your own, you are not enough, but you, my daughter, are not alone. You are mine, bought with the price of the blood of my precious Son, Jesus. I have given you my Spirit and if you will heed the Spirit at work in you, you are more than enough! You are more than a conqueror, you are an overcomer!" Therefore, I must press on to take hold of that which God has called me to be: not perfect but my best in Him. First John 5:5 "Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he (she) who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."(NIV)

I believe! ~ Do You?

(Scripture quoted from the ESV except where noted; itallics and additions mine)

Review of Do You Know Who I Am?

I just finished Angela Thomas’s new book, Do You Know Who I Am? : And Other Brave Questions Women Ask. It, like the other books I have read by Angela, was life changing. The premise of the book is to state up front the questions that most women struggle with at some point in their walk with God. For each question asked, we are given “God’s response.” Taking God’s naming of Himself to Moses as I AM, Angela lays out God’s I AM response to each of our questions to Him. The answer to our question of “Do You Know Who I Am?” lies in whether or not we know who God is.

This book is well written and easy to read. Angela’s storytelling abilities make the stories of her life and the scripture references come alive to the reader. Her line of reasoning comes through clearly, as each question is asked and then answered. Each chapter could stand alone separately so the reader could pick up the book and begin at any question that is tugging at their heart.

I would highly recommend this book to any woman seeking a deeper relationship the God of Heaven. As we long to know Him and be known by Him, this book is a very useful tool to see that process and understand both our and God’s position. He most definitely knows who we are. Let us learn through studies such as this who He is.

I was provided with a complementary copy of the book for review.

Love in Action

If you came here today from (in)courage, WELCOME! So glad you came. I pray the Lord speaks to you as loudly as He spoke these words to me. God Bless!

Zechariah 7:9-10 (New International Version)

9 "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. 10 Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.'

This passage from Zechariah follows the Lord’s questioning of the Israelites feasting and fasting days. It seems that they were only living to themselves, not to God. They had hardened their hearts and stopped up their ears so that they didn‘t hear the Lord‘s pleas for them to return to Him. I find that we are not so much different than they are. How often do I choose to look out at the widow or the orphan? What have I done to ensure that there is justice (correct order) in my society? When have I shown love, mercy and compassion in action to anyone (1Jn 3:16-24, James 1:27)?

Instead I have chosen to turn off the news because the degradation of society disturbs me and I don’t want to see it. I choose not to hear the cries of those who have no one to care for them. I declare that there is nothing that just one person can accomplish so I sit on my hands and wait on another to move. I am too lazy to step out of my comfortable sheltered life to actually love on anyone. At times even my own family must feel neglected by my lack of action on their behalf. Forgive me Lord!


I hope that you don’t find yourself as guilty as I did upon reading these verses. But if you have, there is forgiveness in Christ. I pray that mine is a true repentance. A 180 degree turn that will point me to Love in Action. How will anyone ever know that Jesus will work for them if they never see Him working in us? It is said that we are the hands and feet of Jesus. When I read my bible, Jesus is always moving with love and compassion to help others or teaching with passion and conviction so that sinners might repent. May you and I truly have the hands and feet of Jesus in this world TODAY!

More on Encouragement...

Guess what! I just won $500!! I get the privilege of giving half of it to a deserving charity. I am praying hard about who to choose. I won the money from a giveaway sponsored by (in)courage and Dayspring card company. (see yesterday's post) I often enter giveaways but am rarely the winner. To be honest, I never even considered winning this time. I was just excited about sharing encouraging words. I guess God knew I needed a little encouragement today. Thanks so much to all involved at (in)courage and Dayspring. Head on over to (in)courage to check out the great and encouraging words over there.