Concerning Courtship...

COURTSHIP 101

Prerequisites

1. Parents raise daughters to be maidens of virtue and sons to be Godly spiritual leaders in the fear and admonition of the Lord.

2. Daughters and sons vow to remain pure in spirit, mind and body all their lives.

3. Daughters and sons trust the Lord to bring their future mate into their lives at just the right moment. Therefore, they have no need to look for their mate before they are in the season of life when they are prepared to be married, but instead pray throughout their childhood and single years for their future mate.


Courtship

1. Young man feels led by the Holy Spirit to ask the father of a young maiden of virtue who has "caught his eye" if he can have permission to court her after first having asked his own father's permission (to be certain that he is in the season of life when he is prepared to be married).

2. If the girl's father feels that the young lady is in the season of life where she is prepared to be married, and if he feels that the young man might be worthy of his daughter's hand in marriage, he tells the young man that he will need to answer a lot of questions first.  (If one of these two aren't true, then the father lets the potential suitor know and the courtship ends before it ever begins.)  

3. Young man says, "Yes sir! Whatever you say, sir!" and then answers the questions  prayerfully and honestly.  We feel it is best to provide the questions in writing so that the young man has the opportunity to pray and really think about the answers.

4. Once the father is satisfied that the young man is suitable and daughter is ready, he asks daughter if she is willing to be courted by this young man.  If she isn't, then the father communicates this to the potential suitor for her.  (Remember, he is her protector.)

5. If daughter says yes, then the father gives permission to the young man.  It is completely appropriate if the daughter has more questions to be answered before committing to the courtship.  The courtship itself is quite serious because you only go into it with marriage in mind.

6. The father, mother and daughter agree on courtship guidelines and asks if the young man is willing to go by those guidelines -- such as what is and is not acceptable like holding hands or not, being alone or not, etc. (In our case we chose to do niether.)

7. The daughter and the young man spend time together in the presence of their families and also with their families in order for everyone to get to know each other completely.

8. The young man leads the daughter in Bible study and prayer throughout courtship so that they may begin to grow into one spiritually.  (A word of caution:  if the young man is not spiritually mature enough to lead in Bible study, then he should not even be considered as a potential suitor.  However, if the girl's father sees enough potential in him, he could invest time in discipling and training this young man before turning him away completely.  Even if he doesn't see him as a potential suitor for his daughter, he could still disciple and train him for the Lord.)

9. The young man and daughter continually pray for wisdom and guidance as they hopefully become close friends but do their best to not become emotionally attached until everyone involved is sure that this relationship is the Lord's will for their lives.  This will be different for each couple.  The fathers and mothers need to pay close attention and help guide the sons and daughters.  The fathers are still in charge at this point and have the final say-so on everything.  

10. Once the young man feels led to ask for the daughter's hand in marriage, he first asks permission from his own father because his father should know more about whether he is ready for marriage. Once given permission, he then asks the father of the daughter for permission to ask her. Once given permission to ask, he asks the daughter to marry him. Engagement or betrothal follows. Times of courtship and engagement are different for everyone. It's more about God's will and direction and the couple's preparedness than a particular time frame...

During courtship they focus on spiritual matters but abstain from being physical and do their best to abstain from a deep emotional attachment. During engagement they can begin focusing on a deep emotional attachment as well as other important plans for their future life together. After marriage is obviously when the physical attachment enters into the relationship.

Of course courtship and engagement are different for everyone. Sometimes parents won't participate and it's just the young couple's decision to court on their own. Also, each father and each couple set different guidelines according to their desires, beliefs and situations. These guidelines are based more on what we have felt led to do.

The season of courtship is a time for deepening the courting couple's friendship and for focusing on becoming one spiritually.  A few ways to do so might be to read and study God's word together, pray together, share testimonies with each other of what God has done/is doing in your life, ask each other questions in order to learn more about the other person (such as their life growing up, their thoughts and beliefs, their favorite activities, interests, etc.), spend lots of time with each other's families... Okay, I think you get the idea! 

Also, one of the most important things to realize is that every courtship is different.  There are no "rights" and no "wrongs".  It's less about do's and don'ts and much more about honoring our Father in heaven.  As long as the young man and young lady and both of their families make Jesus Christ the number one priority in all these things, that is what truly matters.  The bottom line is: Who are you striving to please and to serve?  Yourself?  Your peers?  Or is the purpose of your relationship to please the Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of heaven and earth?   The answer to this question is what truly makes a pivotal difference!

"Choose this day whom you will serve. 

... But as for me and my house,
we will serve the LORD!"

Joshua 24:15

Have a very blessed week, everyone! :)

Choosing Courtship

 

My family was introduced to the idea of courtship quite a few years ago through the stories and testimonies of other Christian couples.  During that time we all agreed it was definitely the route to go and through the years found several good resources concerning the topic.  Some of my favorite books include I Kissed Dating Goodbye by Joshua Harris along with his other book Boy Meets Girl (Say Hello to Courtship) and Before You Meet Prince Charming by Sarah Mally.  On my 13th birthday I made the committment to remain physically, emotionally, and spiritually pure not only for my future husband, but for my parents and most importantly for my Lord Jesus Christ.  As a teenager I always knew I would never have a "boyfriend".  Rather, I would wait until the season of life when I was ready to be married before any kind of relationship would ever begin. On my 16th birthday I decided to have dinner with my parents in order to spend that time further discussing what all we believed exactly in regards to courtship.  It was at that time that I made the committment to steadfastly pray for my future husband, with the realization that God intends for a prospective wife of noble character to bring her husband good, not harm, all the days of her life. (Proverbs 31:12)  Since then I have remained content in fulfilling the callings God has placed on my life by serving my family at home.  I've always known and trusted that if it was the Lord's will for me to someday marry, then He alone would be responsible for writing my love story.  This was something I determined to leave in His hands in order to avoid involving my own self at all.  I even prayed for Him to make me completely "oblivious" and "unaware" of the young man who would someday become my husband until just the appropriate time.  I didn't want to deal with the struggles of fantasizing over 'every Godly guy' that came my way prior to that, and it was important to me that my love not be awakened until it so desired. (Song of Solomon 2:7, 3:5, 8:4)  In other words, it's been my prayer that the Lord would keep my heart guarded and that He would prevent me from ever prematurely romanticizing in any kind of way.  ...And that prayer still stands today! ;-)

"Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you:

do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires."

Song of Solomon 8:4

I'm 6,484 Days Old (Yes, You Read That Right!)

I was thinking the other day about what I should post next on my blog.  I always want to write thought-provoking, encouraging, spiritual things that will benefit those who are reading, yet have fun and make it interesting too. =)  SoOoOo...  as I began thinking and praying about it several verses came to mind that had to do with the concept of "numbering our days".  I felt like I should write a post around those verses with the thought that each and every day is precious and should not be wasted.  Then the Lord gave me the idea to actually calculate how many days have gone by since the day I was born. 

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Thus this post begins...
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Man's days are determined;

you have decreed the number of his months

and have set limits he cannot exceed.

Job 14:5

Isn't it comforting to know that our days were ordained for us before one of them came to be? (Psalm 139)  The thought that God has pre-determined each and every day we will live out on this earth is mind-blowing for sure!  Nothing can keep us from reaching the very last day He has determined for us.  Nothing will allow us to live a day beyond that date.  Basically, because we serve an infallible God, in a sense our days are infallible!  

Show me, O LORD, my life's end

and the number of my days;

let me know how fleeting is my life.

Psalm 39:4

After reading that verse I can't help but wonder: What kind of situation would prompt such a request?  It sounds to me like David was in need of divine inspiration.  Reading through the entire chapter it becomes obvious that he was a bit unsettled.  Crying out to God, he asked to be shown the number of his days.  Now, I think that if I knew the exact number of my days, I might be motivated to live life a bit differently--with a new perspective and carefully making the most of every opportunity with what I had left!  I have a feeling David needed that kind of inspiration.  Many times, not until someone is given some kind of terminal diagnosis do they realize how fleeting life really is.  It'll make you think twice about things you would have completely overlooked in the past.  Why is that? 

It's so easy to go through a day without taking the time to thank, praise, and worship God for who He is.  With the many distractions this world holds, it's unfortunately become quite easy to forget about Him entirely.  Sadly, we have to make an effort to keep our minds stayed upon Him because that's not something that comes naturally to us.  If we truly realized how significant and holy He is, I don't think we'd have time for anything else!  Think about it.  The only reason you woke up today is because He wanted it to happen.  The only reason you are breathing your next breath is because He's making it happen.  He is 100% responsible for sustaining us through every moment.  Without Him, let's face it, we wouldn't be here right now. 

How great is God—beyond our understanding!

The number of his years is past finding out.

Job 36:26

On the opposite end of the spectrum, God's days are without number.  He is the beginning and the end, eternally existent.  That's not a God we should be able to forget. 

Does a maiden forget her jewelry,

a bride her wedding ornaments?

Yet my people have forgotten me,

days without number. 

Jeremiah 2:32

We don't want to be a people remembered for forgetting God. 

So... let's make every day count!

 

Today I am



days old.

It's a brand new day the Lord has made.

I'm rejoicing right now...

and I'm glad in it! :)

Teach us to number our days aright,

that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

{Psalm 90:12}

Patient Endurance

As I'm nearing the end of my Bible-in-a-year plan, I'm reading a lot of the book of Revelation. This particular book of the Bible is a mind-boggler for sure. It's amazing how much depth this book contains. It definitely requires reading with a discerning spirit! One phrase that has especially stood out to me these last couple of days is the words "patient endurance". Several times John tells us in the book of Revelation, "This calls for patient endurance." It was an eye-opener that got my mind going as I began to think about the many trials and tribulations that are now present, and those that are soon to come. Obviously, having patient endurance is a real key and plays a significant role in these things because the Lord repeatedly reminds us that we must patiently endure. Here is a quick excerpt from 2 Corinthians that gives an example of that which produces this "patient endurance":

"For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer." 2 Corinthians 1:5-7

However great or small, sufferings in this life will come.  Anyone who claims Christ Jesus as their Savior will in some way suffer for His name.  But thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  (1 Corinthians 15:57)

"This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus." Revelation 14:12
 

It's my prayer that the Lord will provide me with the ability to endure patiently through all the things he has planned for my life. Without His help I know it is impossible... but with God ALL things are possible! ;)

PRAISE THE LORD ALL THE EARTH!

How Great is Our God!!!

Praise the Lord! Mom and Dad are home! Daddy ended up spending one week at the rehabilitation center after he was released from the hospital. Mom said she saw more and more improvement each day he was there. He's still not communicating at 100% yet, but we are so thankful he's doing so much better. When he left in an ambulance almost 3 weeks ago, he was completely rigid and stiff. His body would not bend and he was completely non-responsive. But now, he's walking with very little assistance and his understanding has improved tremendously! Thank you, God!

Of course, we're really glad to have them home once more. Hopefully this will never happen again! Please pray that his symptoms will not progress, but that they will be completely resolved--and soon!! But most importantly, pray for the Lord's will to be done in our lives, because His will is best.

Now onto another note...

Would you like to see a picture of Dad's "battle scars" from the brain biopsy?!? Well first I have to tell you something.

After Dad was first diagnosed with "an inoperable brain tumor" in May of 2009, someone shared an amazing YouTube video with us. It was about laminin. Laminin is a protein molecule responsible for literally holding our bodies together. (There are a lot of other fancy, technical terms I could use, but let's just stick with that short explanation for now. ;) To understand how amazing this really is you have to see a picture of it for yourself! Here is a scientific diagram of laminin:




Isn't that amazing?! God designed the stuff that holds our bodies together in the perfect shape of a cross. (Also notice the three separate chains that intertwine, representing the three ways God manifests Himself to us as Father, Son, & Holy Spirit.) Wow! What makes this even more amazing is that God Himself confirms this to be true in Colossians chapter 1, where it says: "In Him all things hold together." ... He means it literally! Dad went on to preach a sermon highlighting this subject at three different churches last year. He was invited to speak at others but never had the opportunity to do so.
So now, would you like to see the picture his scar?
First...
You have to see an actual microscopic image of laminin:

And now...

Here is a picture of the scar that's left on Daddy's head:

Laminin!
Do you see the resemblance? (You can click to enlarge the picture if you want.) Maybe it's not so noticeable to everyone, but when we first saw it we felt like this was God's way of giving our family a permanent, outward, physical sign and reminder of His omnipresence in every situation! Thank you, Lord!

.....

Anyway... I know this made for a pretty lengthy post, but I just had to share! If you'd like to see the amazing 9-minute video I mentioned, click HERE. You won't regret taking the time to watch it! ;) ~Have a blessed week, everyone!

.....

"For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross."

Colossians 1:16-20

PRAISE THE LORD ALL THE EARTH. :)

Top 2 Photos: courtesy of Google Images

Today is Tuesday...

And that might mean...

Taking out the trash... Cleaning your bedroom...

Flying a kite... Washing the dishes...

A thunderstorm... Or the sun shining...

Doing a puzzle...

Playing with your siblings... Watching a movie...

You're late for work...

Reading a Psalm... Singing a song...

Making phone calls... And washing the cars...

...Or in this case...

Writing another blog post. :)

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Whatever your Tuesday may be...

Remember, it's another day in your race,

and God made it.

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So... Run! :)

Picture Credit: Google Images

Today is Monday...

And that might mean...

...Going back to work... Getting back to school...

Mowing your neighbor's lawn... A dark and stormy day...

...A bright and sunny sky... Being with your friends...

...Drinking hot cocoa... Swimming in the lake...

...A trip to the movies... A day at the park...

...Lots and lots of chores... Lots and lots of lemonade...
...A ride to the hospital... Writing an essay...

...Listening to music... Visiting your grandparents...
...Babysitting for free... Eating out at Pizza Hut...

...Washing your car... Waking up early...

...Going to bed late... Bathing the dog and cat...

...Bible study at 7... Maybe a small cat-nap before dinner...

...Or even writing a blog post. :)

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Whatever your Monday may be...

Remember, it's God's day and He made it!

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So... Rejoice! :)

Hope Not Forgotten

This morning we had a wonderful church service. The message was about Jesus Christ, our one and only hope. Unfortunately, there are so many people in this world feeling completely hopeless for a number of reasons. One of our jobs, as Christians, is to share the hope of Jesus Christ with others!

I know that none of us want to get our hopes raised only to have them dashed to pieces. An example of this can be found in 2 Kings 4:28 which says, "Did I ask you for a son, my lord?" she said. "Didn't I tell you, 'Don't raise my hopes?'" The story goes on and the woman's son is raised to life again... but my point is that none of us want to be let down. We all want someting to believe in. Sometimes people are afraid to give themselves completely over to a belief, because of the fear that it might not be the truth--that it might not work out.

Praise the Lord that we have hope in a God that will not fail us, in a God that is the one and only Truth and Way! In a world full of hopelessness and failure we are to turn to God and trust Him. He is our only hope! We shouldn't forget that we have a reason for living and that God has a purpose for our lives here on earth.

As a Christian, I can say with full confidence that I know where my hope lies. My life and my trust are in a God that is unfathomable, the Creator and sustainer of the entire universe! My hope is in the blood of Jesus Christ, the perfect sacrificial Lamb of God! My hope lies in the promises given by God in His holy word! My hope is in Christ, and Christ alone!

A hope not forgotten. :)

"Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh?

Can reeds thrive without water?

While still growing and uncut,

they wither more quickly than grass.

Such is the destiny of all who forget God;

so perishes the hope of the godless."

Job 8:11-14

The Name of the Lord Be Praised!

Psalm 50:1

"The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets."

Hello, everyone!

We have had one of the busiest and craziest weeks. As many of you may know, we found out that Dad now has a third lesion on his brainstem. (Directly between the last two.) It was Sunday a couple of weeks ago that his symptoms started coming back. Each day they continued to progress and get worse. We called his doctor and they scheduled an MRI for that Thursday, which is when the third lesion was revealed. They quickly decided to schedule another kind of MRI for that same day hoping it might give a conclusive answer as to if this is Lymphoma or MS we're dealing with. Of course, it didn't. They decided to put off giving him steroids so they could get some testing done without having to worry about the steroids affecting any results. The soonest they could schedule anything was that Monday. Therefore, he had to endure all of his symptoms through the weekend, until Monday got here. When Monday FINALLY arrived, he had his fourth lumbar puncture (the first w/o steroids), lots of blood work, and chest, abdomen, & pelvic x-rays. By the time all the tests were done it was too late for him to go to the doctor's office for any steroids. He had to wait another day. Then we got a call that a nurse would be coming to our house the next day to give him the IV and steroids. PRAISE GOD! We could not wait. On Tuesday it happened to be raining non-stop and the streets and our driveway were flooded. Me and Mom were so anxious that the nurse wouldn't be able to make it. Then Mom turned around to me and said, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6, 7) Soon, the nurse did arrive (the rain still pouring!) and we were all so thankful! Wednesday he woke up feeling a little better, (his headaches were gone) and another nurse came to give him more steroids that afternoon. (The doctor ordered him 5 days worth.) He was able to go to church (only using a cane) that evening. By yesterday (Thursday) he was actually not doing very well. His walking appeared to be a little worse but that was because he was feeling really dizzy. (Mom said that maybe that could be caused by the swelling going down around the lesion. So we didn't worry too much about that.) In the afternoon they had to leave for some more tests. (I honestly don't remember what all he had done!) And now, today the nurse has already come and he is feeling quite a bit better. Tomorrow will be his last day for steroids. We haven't heard from the doctor about any test results yet.

Anyway... all that being said, we are very thankful to the Lord for getting us through this last week. It is His sustaining strength and amazing grace that helped us through it all, and we praise his glorious name for watching over us! We are also very grateful for the continued prayers! We still don't know what exactly is in Dad's brain, but God most definitely does! :) His plan is still perfect and He is still worthy! May the name of the Lord be praised!

Psalm 113:3

From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised."

PRAISE THE LORD ALL THE EARTH! :)

God's Amazing Grace

"...He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9, 10

Amazing Grace

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me

I once was lost but now am found

Was blind but now I see

T'was grace that taught my heart to fear

And grace my fears relieved

How precious did that grace appear

The hour I first believed

Through many dangers, toils, and snares

I have already come

T'was grace that brought me safe thus far

And grace will lead me home

The Lord has promised good to me

His word my hope secures

He will my shield and portion be

As long as life endures

When we've been there thousand years

Bright shining as the sun

We've no less days to sing God's praise

Than when we first begun

AMAZING GRACE HOW SWEET THE SOUND

THAT SAVED A WRETCH LIKE ME

I ONCE WAS LOST BUT NOW AM FOUND

WAS BLIND BUT NOW I SEE!

This is such a beautiful hymn with a whole lot of meaning. I just love to sing this song! Praise the Lord for His amazing grace. It truly is... amazing.

PRAISE THE LORD ALL THE EARTH! :)

Painting by Judy Gibson

Hymn by John Newton

Relishing in the Sweetness of God's Word

The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.
They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.
By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

PSALM 19:9b-11

I thank the Lord for one of my most treasured possessions: my Bible! It is truly amazing how much God accomplishes through His word. Not only in what is written inside of it, but also by us reading it ourselves and applying it to our lives today. Through reading and studying our Bibles we are searching the mind of our great God!

Reading the Bible should be a daily habit--something we do naturally. Unfortunatley, that's not always the case. It can be easy to find excuses or reasons that keep us from doing one of the very things God created us to do. By passing up opportunities to dig into Scripture, we are missing out on more than we realize, I'm sure! From it we gain wisdom and understanding, knowledge and depth of insight. He uses it to teach us and to open our eyes to truth.

Nothing can explain better the word of God, than the Word itself! That being said, here is a really good verse that comes to mind: 2 Timothy 3:16, 17 - "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." The Bible is the very breath of God, and He uses it to breath life into us! It is filled with teaching, encouragement, answers, comfort, strength, help, love, songs, prayers, truth, prophecy, and so much more. Whatever the circumstance may be, God always has something to speak to us through His holy word!

Anyway, I just thought I'd write a quick post about one of the greatest treasures in life. I encourage you to dig into and relish in the sweetness of God's word! It is rewarding and the spiritual benefits are great!

The Bible truly is one of the best gifts God has given us. Thank you, dear Lord, for such a precious gift!

"How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" PSALM 119:103

Waiting on the Lord

It's been almost two weeks since I last posted! Wow, time sure does fly! Since I haven't posted in so long I thought I'd just give a quick mini-update from the past couple of weeks. I haven't really blogged much about my Dad and his recent medical mystery (lol!). So I thought I'd give a brief update on the situation as it is now...

As most of you should know, my Dad went in for an MRI on July 9th, and the tumor (or whatever it really is) showed no change in size or anything. We found that to be quite frustrating, as we really hoped to finally get some answers. Still, we are also VERY thankful that there was no new growth! We do trust completely in God's timing and realize He has a purpose in all of this waiting. . . we just haven't completely figured out what that purpose is yet! :) His next scheduled MRI is four months away. He has still had no spasms since June 19th! That is one of the greatest reliefs. Now he's been getting tired very easily and yes, he still has his double vision among a few other "minor" things. All in all, though, things are going okay right now.

We've found that one of the greatest challenges in all of this is the waiting... who'd of thought it! ;) If it were up to us, we'd know exactly what was in Dad's brain and already be treating it, but apparently God has other plans! While we're not entirely sure as to what those plans are or what all they entail, we are grateful and praising God that he has it all under control. One of the greatest comforts is having the knowledge that He knows exactly every detail of our situation and He knows what is best for our family. And I believe He is doing and will do that very thing! Yes, the waiting can become exhausting and quite frustrating to say the least, but it's verses like this one that sustain us with the strength and hope to continue on: "And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised." (Hebrews 6:15) That's a simple verse, but there sure is a lot we can learn from it!

I know we all go through times in our life when we are forced to "wait". While each circumstance may be different, there is one truth that remains the same through them all: God has called us to "Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD." Another thing: When the waiting is over and we've done our part we can be sure God will fulfill His promises to us, just like with His servant Abraham. Psalm 105:42"For he remembered his holy promise given to his servant Abraham." Psalm 145:13"Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made." It's important that we wait patiently on the Lord. Now, I know that's a lot easier said than done, but it's still very true. The Lord has a purpose in all things and we are called to trust in Him alone.

I just want to encourage others and say that we serve a faithful God! I know that He is doing a mighty work in our family right now and I'm looking forward to the time we can see that work complete! But it's not completed yet and we must be faithful to do our part, just as He is faithful in doing His. So, whatever you may be going through right now, whatever you may be waiting on, I encourage you to do it. . . patiently. You will reap the benefits!


Psalm 37:7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him...

Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.

Romans 8:25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

2 Corinthians 1:20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.

Psalm 119:116 Sustain me according to your promise, and I will live......"

Galatians 3:29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

PRAISE THE LORD ALL THE EARTH!

God Holds All Things Together

When my Dad was in the hospital a few weeks ago, a man he'd never met before came and visited him and showed him an awesome online video. After Dad saw it, he knew he had to use the message in part of his next sermon! :) When my parents got home they showed it to us girls. It was astounding. I immediately wanted to tell everyone I knew about it and shout it to the world! I was so thrilled! Sadly, I couldn't because then people would already know it before he preached about it... oh well! I had to wait, and it sure was hard!

SO... now that he preached last Sunday evening at our church, and this Sunday morning at our old church... I have to post about laminin! :) If you haven't already seen this or heard of it then you'll really want to watch! (DON'T FORGET TO SILENCE MY PLAYLIST FIRST!)



12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?
13 Who has understood the mind [d] of the LORD, or instructed him as his counselor?
14 Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge or showed him the path of understanding?
15 Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.
16 Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires, nor its animals enough for burnt offerings.
17 Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing.
18 To whom, then, will you compare God? What image will you compare him to?
19 As for an idol, a craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for it.
20 A man too poor to present such an offering selects wood that will not rot. He looks for a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that will not topple.
21 Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
22 He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
23 He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
24 No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.
25 "To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One.
26 Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.

Is that not completely amazing?! I have to tell you it gives me goose bumps just thinking about how big of a God we serve! And yet He is still so intimately aquainted with each and every one of us!

I hope this video in some way helped to inspire and encourage you, as it did me. Our God truly is an awesome God! Praise His holy name!

Be Thou My Vision

Quite a few weeks ago I sang this song for the first time at our church's women's conference. That night one of the ladies asked me if I would mind singing it for the church the next morning during service. I told her I'd be happy to, but unfortunately I woke up the next morning with a very sore throat and a sinus infection. So, obviously, I stayed home sick. Then a couple of weeks later she asked me a week ahead of time if I would mind singing it that next Sunday. Again, I of course told her I would. That happened to be the weekend my Dad went into the hospital. Therefore, us girls did not go to church and instead visited my parents at the hospital that morning. I felt bad about missing and not being able to sing it, but I knew that even though that might have been Satan's way of keeping that from happening, it was God's way of making it happen at just the right time! (I've been learning a lot about that lately!) So... this morning at church the same lady asked me "Can I put you on the spot?" . . .I knew what was coming! :)

Yes! I finally sang it! Haha! And what a blessing it turned out to be! That morning in class we discussed Hebrews 12:12-13 in great depth, which says, "Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed." We spent a lot of time discussing the fact that we are called, as children of God, to fix our gaze straight ahead and walk on the narrow path, not turning to the right or to the left. In many ways, this song applies! I was also astonished at how well the sermon fit with the song as well. I don't know why. God ALWAYS works things out that way, to where you know at the end that He had it all perfectly planned! Yet, I continue to stand amazed!

Another thing Dad mentioned in class was Job 4:1-4 which quotes, "Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied: 'If someone ventures a word with you, will you be impatient? But who can keep from speaking? Think how you have instructed many, how you have strengthened feeble hands. Your words have supported those who stumbled; you have strengthened faltering knees.'" It is obvious that Job's friends recognized that in him. They realized that God used him to encourage and uplift many others during their times of distress and trouble. The question that arises for myself from that is "Can people say the same thing of me? Do I do that for my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ as well?" I pray with all my heart it's true!

Therefore, I just want to encourage you today to trust completely in God's promises. He does work all things toward the good of those who love Him and who have been called according to His purpose. And He is forever faithful. I praise the Lord that His faithfulness does not depend upon my own! (Then we'd all be in trouble... LOL!)

And now, after having mentioned ALL of that, I will post these meaninful lyrics:

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart

Naught be all else to me save that Thou art

Thou my best thought by day or by night

Waking or sleeping Thy presence my light

Be Thou my wisdom and Thou my true word

I ever with Thee and Thou with me Lord

Thou my great Father, I Thy true son

Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise

Thou mine inheritance--now and always

Thou and Thou only, first in my heart

High King of heaven, my Treasure, Thou art

High King of heaven, my victory won

May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's Son!

Heart of my own heart whatever befall

Still be my vision, O Ruler of all

Unfortunately, Satan tries so hard to distract us from keeping our eyes fixed straight ahead. He is very crafty and tries to replace our true Vision with other temporal and fleshly things of this world. We must be careful NOT to let him deceive us! Sometimes, he may have us feeling so downhearted and unhappy through the trials we may be facing, that we lose sight of our one true Vision, Jesus Christ our Lord. We may begin to seek out other material things and forsake our desire to live each day for God. I pray we never allow the evil one to prevail and triumph over Christ as number one in our lives. Christ is first! May God pour out his blessings upon us, and give us peace in the midst of such a chaotic world. Each day may we wake up with a hearfelt submission to our Lord, to make a concious note that we are alive to serve and glorify Him. May we be a pleasing aroma to God our Savior!

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, still be my vision, O Ruler of all!

Choosing to Remember in a World That Forgets

Last night we had a Good Friday service with our church. It was very nice. Our pastor preached about how man's helplessness, God's sovereign grace, and the cross were all predestined before the creation of the world. It was a really good sermon, but there was one thing that impacted me more than anything else: Remembrance.

Our most important ordinance that Christ gave before His crucifixion was The Lord's Supper, which has been continued since then. Why? Because Christ commands us to do it in remembrance of Him. I don't know why this affected me the way it did. It's something I've known all my life and have been raised in. It's just that the spiritual condition of the world today is continually declining. By partaking in The Lord's Supper we are choosing to remember something the world encourages us to forget. Last night my Dad, sister #2, me, and another couple from church went to Wal-Mart for the purpose of witnessing to people about Christ. I was very shocked by how many people did not know the true reason for celebrating the holiday widely known as Easter. It just goes to prove that Christ is not being remembered the way He should be, as our Savior.

So, I encourage you to do something today that goes against the nature of this world. Remember. Remember the holy birth of Jesus. Remember the perfect, sinless life He lived. Remember the truths that He spoke. Remember the prayers He prayed. Remember the lives He changed. Remember the miracles He performed. Remember the love that He showed. Remember the parables He taught. Remember the bread He broke. Remember the wine he drank. Remember the road He took to Calvary. Remember the cross on which He was hanged. Remember the wrath that He bore. Remember the life that He gave. Remember the grace He so freely gives. Remember the helpless state of man, how lost we would be without the redemptive work of Christ. Remember His glorious resurrection and the empty tomb! And remember, He's coming back!

Life Through the Spirit

Last month was filled with much activity and excitement for our family for sure. There was nothing significant really to make note of, we just had so much going on. Now that a new month has started I am excited to see what God has in store for us each day. I wanted to take the opportunity right quick to share what's been on my heart the last few weeks.

I just started a personal Bible study a couple of weeks ago on the fruit of the Spirit, and it's been very encouraging and spiritually uplifting. The entire study is based around the theme of living life in the Spirit--living beyond yourself. It's amazing to think that God's Spirit has been present since the creation of this world: "Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the water." (Gen. 1:2, emphasis mine!) It gives me chills to think about that! :)

I'm so thankful that God has given us His Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 lists many ways that the Spirit meets the needs of the church and individual believers. Many different gifts are given which include: the message of wisdom; message of knowledge; faith; gifts of healing; miraculous powers; prophecy; distinguishing between spirits; speaking in different kinds of tongues; and interpretation of tongues. The Holy Spirit manifests itself in us and develops fruit in the lives of believers! "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." (Galatians 5:22)

One of the things that has been so inspiring and eye-opening to me is the fact that we have so much power living inside of us, as born-again believers in Jesus Christ! The thing is, we can sometimes quench this power. Therefore, we have to be very careful to see and recognize when this is happening, and do something about it! :) The Bible warns us of this in 1 Thessalonians 5:19: "Do not put out the Spirit's fire..." Ephesians 4:30 says, "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." It then goes on to list ways in which we can prevent this: "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another even as God in Christ forgave you." (Eph. 4:31, 32)

What greater encouragement could we receive than to know that the Spirit of the living God is inside each of us!? I just want to encourage all readers to continue living each day for the Lord, allowing His Holy Spirit to comfort, lead and guide you in all truth! Life in the Spirit is definitely exciting! May I never hinder the working of the Holy Spirit in my life. At one point, the study had me write my own paraphrase of 1 John 4:4 which says, "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." My paraphrase? "With Christ in you there is always hope and sure victory over evil. We are a new creation, able to overcome. The Lord reigns over all and is greater than the most severe evil. He will overcome. Praise God!"

Our God is in the Business of Completing What He Starts!

You might have guessed it; my Dad preached last night. This is my interpretation of the sermon just from memory and checking my notes. Yes, I always take notes during sermons! Don't you? :)


"You were bought at a price." 1 Corinthians 6:20

Alright, you know how when you buy something really expensive like, say, a Wii (for lack of a better example), just to realize the game console doesn't come with a second remote? So, then not only do you have to go buy another remote, but you have to buy a whole other game in order to get the remote to come with it. ...Or we can use another example. Think about buying a digital camera. You can't just buy the camera and... vwwala! You have a camera! No, you have to buy the memory card, the battery, and so on. Anyway, my point is not to bash Wii games and digital cameras! My point is that the world is full of these different examples, yet it's all very contrary to the character of God.


Scripture is full of examples where God did something and carried it out to completion. Let's think about it. There's the Israelites. The Lord didn't just choose to use a few of them when He called them out of Egypt. He had Moses lead ALL of them out of Egypt. Then think about when God parted the Red Sea. He let them walk across on DRY ground. Not just damp or muddy, but dry! Here's another example: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. When they were thrown into the fiery furnace they didn't come out with even a minor burn. They weren't harmed at all, even when the guards who came anywhere near the furnace fell over dead just from the heat! Another: Daniel in the lions' den. God didn't just dull the lions' teeth, or only keep them from pouncing on Daniel! :) He shut their mouths. There are still many, many more examples that I'm sure you know, and then there's the biggest example of all: Christ hanging on the cross. His last words? "It is finished!"


God finishes what He starts! The Bible mentions Him as the Author and Finisher of our faith. When we were bought at a price, God didn't just buy one little part of us and leave the other for our own sinful pleasure. He bought the whole package! Let's look at Hebrews 7:25a: "Therefore, He is able to save completely those who come to God through him..." God's desire is to have you--completely! The problem that we so often find ourselves with today, is the fact that we may not be giving God our complete "package". We may not have completely submitted our all to Him. Which, at times, we may not even realize we're doing! I am very guilty of this myself. The thing is, we have to be careful to examine ourselves. What is it we are witholding from God and how do we bring whatever it is under the submission of Christ? I believe it is by simply giving it to God through prayer, and then allowing Him to take control of that thing. Just think about what God can do with a Church that is completely submissive to the will of the Lord and has given every aspect of their lives over to Him! With man it is impossible, but with God ALL things are possible!


"Let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." (James 1:4)


I want to encourage you to sing this song to the Lord right now! It's a familiar hymn, I'm sure. If you don't know how it goes, then you can simply say it as a prayer unto God. I suggest singing all the verses first, and the chorus at the end.

All to Jesus I surrender

All to Him I freely give

I will ever love and trust Him

In His presence daily live

All to Jesus I surrender

Humbly at His feet I bow

Worldly pleasures all forsaken

Take me, Jesus, take me now

All to Jesus I surrender

Make me, Savior, wholly Thine

Let me feel the Holy Spirit

Truly know Thy pow'r divine

All to Jesus I surrender

Lord I give myself to Thee

Fill me with Thy love and power

Let Thy blessing fall on me

I surrender all!

I surrender all!

All to Thee, my blessed Savior!

I surrender all!

(Repeat as necessary! :))

Now, we are left with this promise: "Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)

Our God is in the Business of Breathing Life Into Dead Things!

"The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. And He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" Ezekiel 37:1-3a

As we all know, so many times it can be easy for our spiritual lives to "dry up". A couple of weeks ago my Dad preached a sermon about this type of thing, as an encouragement not to become a lifeless, dry, dead bone! :) (He actually brought a bone he found out in the pasture that he trips over each time he feeds the chickens to use as an example! He felt like that was confirmation that the Lord wanted him to speak on this topic!) Anyway, he mentioned how many times we find ourselves becoming discouraged and downhearted by our daily "duties", tasks, or things we know we need to get accomplished but we just don't feel the desire to do it, which then has a major effect on our spiritual lives and relationships with the Lord. We may begin feeling like "we just have to" as opposed to "I want to" in a lot of situations. He quoted the verse in Psalm 51:12b which says, "Sustain me with a willing spirit." What a wonderful prayer we can pray! That the Lord would sustain us with willing spirits to accomplish His purposes through us. So many times in the Bible examples are given where God breathes life back into something lifeless. There are at least 10 examples of resurrections in Scripture, some including Lazarus, Jairus' daughter, and Jesus, of course! Though, there are many more. It's amazing that God chooses to use us to help accomplish His will. It's not in our own strength or capabilities that we can boast, because it is God's strength in us that helps to fulfill His mighty plan. The children's lesson at church tonight was on "Be Still and Know That I am Your Strength--a Way to Accomplish God's Will". That's really an awesome realization! When we're feeling upset, discouraged, or just plain lifeless, we can call on the Lord to comfort and protect us. He will strengthen us in ways we never thought possible. And it's all for His glorification! So... when you're feeling alone, depressed, or "burnt out" in life or a certain area in your life, be sure to seek the Lord and pray for His strength to be made perfect in you. He is a faithful God! And secondly, you may ask yourself this question: Can these bones live? I pray you will find this answer:

"The hand of the LORD came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. 2 Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. 3 And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”So I answered, “O Lord GOD, You know.” 4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. 6 I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.”’” 7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them. 9 Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”’” 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army. 11 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. 13 Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. 14 I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it,” says the LORD.’” Ezekiel 37:3b-14

(I can't help but notice that God chose to use the man to prophesy to these bones, in a situation where He was fully able of handling it all on His own. Just remember, He takes pleasure in using His servants! May we be filled with willing spirits!)

God's Sovereignty

My God is sovereign in all things. It took me awhile to be able to fully grasp what that means, and even now I know that I will never be capable of comprehending that message to its fullest extent. It's one of those things that you can't just hear and completely accept without actually experiencing it. It feels like I have been on a roller coaster ride of emotions, feelings, and situations over the past couple of years. Sometimes I feel very spiritually uplifted and joyful, and next I'm the lowest of the low. But one thing I do know is that my faith in Christ and my relationship with him has grown tremendously through it all. I've found that when I'm in deepest sorrow or I feel this sense of desperation, that's when I feel the closest to God. It's not something that can be explained, you just have to live it. Come near to God, and he will come near to you! (James 4:8)

God's Providence

Do we really understand what all that includes? In our class at church on Wednesday evenings we've been studying the entirety (or trying to!) of God's everlasting providence. It's an amazing thing to study up on and if you haven't I encourage you to do so. We've discussed his providence over things such as our salvation, nature, animals, man's heart, timing, leadership, nations, people, places, things, and evil. Yes, God's providence over evil. That's been a tough one to understand... but it's true! He is sovereign and he is in control of all things including evil. And as strange as it sounds, it's comforting to know that he is the one who creates and causes all of it! "Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?" -Lamentations 3:38 "I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things." -Isaiah 45:7 You see! But the thing I have to say gets me the most is his perfect timing. It truly is perfect! Just looking back on any day, you can see where one delay or one moment sooner and everything would have been a disaster! It's mind boggling to me! He is so intricate and cares so deeply about each detail of our lives. I do believe that everything that happens in my life has a purpose and all works towards his glory. I'm so thankful to have a God so caring and so close as a friend. I cannot describe to you the love I have for my Savior when thinking about such things! My love continues to grow!