Intentional Gratitude - Not Just Saying Thank You

At the beginning of this year I made a commitment to myself to be intentional with my gratitude. A commitment to not just tell people I appreciated them but to show them.

Some people, of course know they have been an influence to you or others but sometimes people make a huge impact in and on our lives and they may never even realize it.

The first person I was intentional with my gratitude about was my Aunt. An awesome Christian woman that loves The Lord first and then her family. It was because of this Aunt that I first came to know Jesus. I have mentioned before that I did not grow up in a Christian home. I grew up with parents who believed in God but we were not taken to church by them regularly. My parents never prayed with us in fact I have never seen or heard them pray to this day. They may do it but I have not been witness of it. They didn't do devotions with us and discuss the Word with us but you know what this particular Aunt of mine did.

To continue reading please hop on over to The Purposeful Mom where I am contributing today.

Do You Have A Vision For Your Home?

Over the summer while watching my teenage son do one of his weed eating jobs I noticed something that was very interesting to me. Instead of starting in one spot and working his way up the hill, down the hill or across the entire area so there was no mistaking where he had already been - he skipped around from one place to the next making it hard for me to even tell where he already mowed.  He mowed a patch here and a patch there. He was inconsistent. He had no real rhyme or reason for his mowing.  He had no plan for how he would accomplish this job.  No focus, no vision. 

 

Watching him got me to thinking and then The Lord spoke to my heart about the inconstancy in my own life. How I tend to start projects and not finish. How I get in a good routine of cleaning my house, or making menus, or having my quiet time with God only to allow something else to find its way in and move my attention elsewhere.  It is easy in today's world to quickly have our attention drawn from what we are supposed to be doing onto something else.

Habakkuk 2:2 says And the Lord answered me and said, Write the vision and engrave it so plainly upon tablets that everyone who passes may [be able to] read [it easily and quickly] as he hastens by.

Write your plan and run with it!

We can take this verse and apply it to our own lives.  Pray and ask God to speak to your heart about the direction He wants you and your family to go.  Then write your vision for your family.  What are your hopes, dreams and goals you want to accomplish?  What do you want your children to learn? 

We can take it in a different direction as well - write your vision or plan for keeping your house in order.  Do you have a daily and weekly plan for house work?  If not - stop flying by the seat of your pants, get out a piece of paper and jot down the things that you would like to accomplish each week.  Write out your vision.  If you are anything like me my daily and weekly plans for keeping my house change often but I think that's ok.  We have to adapt to each changing season as the needs and responsibilities of our family change.

The important thing is to pray and ask God to give you vision and purpose for your life and then do it. 

What about you? 

Do you have a Vision For Your Home?

This is Who I Am. Servant, Wife, Mom.

Recently I have been doing much thinking about who I am.  What is my role in the world.  We all know that as seasons of life change so do many of the roles we play.  As wives, mothers and homemakers sometimes we feel that our jobs are not as important as those of others.  We need to always be quick to recognize this as an attack from the devil to try and make us down play the importance of our role in our family.  We are important.  Our jobs are important.  Whether you are a stay at home Mom or you work outside of your home - it doesn't matter, you are important.  This is Who I Am.

I'm a child of God. Not just any god but a child of the Most High God. Without Him I am nothing, without Him I can do nothing. I love Him because He first loved me. He is the giver of life and of all things good. I am blessed to be a recipient of His grace, of His mercy and of His gifts.  I am His servant, placed here to share His love with others. 

I am a submitted wife in training. God placed with me my man. He's not perfect. I'm not perfect. Our marriage is not perfect. BUT with God as our Spiritual Leader we have tackled many hard situations together and always end up stronger at the end of the thing. Our love for each other grows stronger each day because of the love of God that is at work in each of our own hearts. I say in training because I'm not there yet. I strive to be the godly submitted Proverbs 31, Titus 2 woman of the Bible but I am human and I fail at it miserably a lot of days.

I am a Mom. I am not super mom but I love my boys and I am doing my very best to be a good steward over these amazing lives God has placed in my care. I am following Proverbs 22:6 and training them in the way they should go and I am praying that when they are old they will not depart from this teaching and training. I am trusting God to help me mold and shape their hearts for His Glory. This job is tough and its definitely not for the faint at heart but I wouldn't trade it. It's challenging most of the time but it's rewarding ALL of the time.

Who are you?  How do you see yourself?  Do you recognize your importance?

Why We Choose Not to Celebrate Halloween

Last year I did a 4 part series on why our family chooses not to celebrate Halloween.  I have combined the 4 part series here in this one post in case you didn't get a chance to read it before.  If you would like to read the original posts and the comments from last year, just click here.  I would love to hear your thoughts but please be nice even if you disagree with me.

This post is about why we don't celebrate Halloween.

I want to begin by saying I realize that this can tend to be a bit of a touchy subject to some and this is not a post putting you down if you do choose to celebrate. I am not judging or condemning anyone, this is what is good for our family and the decision we have made for us.

When I was a child Halloween was one of the two days a year that we got a large amount of candy in our house (Easter being the other). We would usually at last minute dress up in some cheap or homemade costume (believe me none of them were fancy or store bought) and my dad would load my brothers and me and sometimes a few cousins in the back of his truck and he would drive up the road only stopping at the houses of people we knew (we lived out in the country and knew most of our neighbors so there were a lot of stops) and we would get our bags filled with candy. We would always take time to stop at an older couples house that my family was friends with where they would not only give us candy but would serve us hot chocolate as well to help warm us up from the cold. Yes, I went trick or treating as a child and yes, I turned out alright. However, our world around us has changed drastically since I was a child where we knew most all of our neighbors and our family knew their family before them for generations back. It was a time of fun in the community. Growing up in a primarily non-Christian home we thought nothing more of Halloween than a day to dress up and get candy.

Is The Bible Just Another Book?

Recently I won an amazing give away from my friend Jessica's blog "Our Family For His Glory".   The give away was done at the end of a Summer long Bible study I did with her going through the book of Ephesians.  It was her desire to give away some things that would be a blessing to the recipient and would encourage and help you in your walk with The Lord. Everything in the give away was amazing but my favorite thing of all was a new Study Bible.

And I got to thinking about my Bible;  this new one and the older ones that I have.  Some of them are plain while others are just so pretty to look at like the new one I just received.  There is just something about a new Bible. The smell that I can't describe other than to say "new Bible" smell, the way the pages stick together, the shiny page ends whether silver or gold. We are so blessed to live in a country where we can own as many bibles as our hearts desire and checkbook can afford. Bibles can be bought for as cheap as $1.00 at your local Dollar Tree all the way up to pretty much any amount you are willing to spend.

But the Bible, any Bible from the cheapest to the most expensive, from the most beautiful to the most plain is just a book. Yes, you heard me right.  It is just a book like any other.  It has a front and back cover, it has pages with words on them in between these covers just like your favorite novel or magazine. It's just a book and left sitting on your shelf or coffee table it holds no special meaning or value at all. It's just a book mass produced in factories like any other regular book.


Psalm 119:11, one of my favorite verses says I have hidden your word in my heart so that I might not sin against you.

When does the Bible, Gods written word to us become something special? When we read it, when we meditate on it, when we memorize it and when we hide it in our heart. Then it becomes alive and active according to Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

We need to have Gods word hidden in our hearts so that we are always ready with an answer when asked the question of why we have this hope inside us.  I Peter 3:15  But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect...

You can't have the promises of the Bible operating in your life if you never spend time reading and getting to know what those promises are.

Your children will only want to know this Jesus you speak of when they see you reading your Bible and getting to know the God of the Bible.  You will be a great witness when others can see the promises of God at work in your life.  Jesus said that every tree is known by it's fruit, if you do not spend time in the Word each day your fruit isn't going to be very good. 

Don't allow your Bible to be just another book.  Pick it up, dust it off and dig in!  Not sure how?  Here are a few ideas to help get you started.

Pray. 

Determine a time in your day that would be best for you. Personally I like early.  It's nice to start your day with God.  Now I will admit early doesn't always happen but it is my favorite time of the day. 

Decide where you want to read.  Find a cozy spot (not too cozy, you don't want to fall asleep) but a nice spot to sit with your coffee or favorite drink of choice.

Start small. Remember something is better than nothing. Read one verse a day.  Feeling like you want to do more than just one verse?   Read a chapter in the book of Proverbs each day.

Feeling really adventurous?  Pull out a notebook and take notes or journal.

Once you get your routine started for reading your Bible each day - add in a Bible study.  There are many free online Bible studies out there. 

Everyone Has A Purpose

My boys have played soccer since they were very small.  Through the years they have both played probably every position possible on a variety of different teams.  One thing that was always important to them was getting to be up front so they could score a goal.  Of course everyone wants to make a goal, that is the person on the team that is up front and gets much praise but we often forget that it takes the whole team to achieve the actual goal. 

It's much the same way in the body of Christ.  Everyone has a part to play.  And that part is very important.  I Corinthians 12 says that God places each one us in the body of Christ where it is pleasing to him.

I Corinthians 12:27-31
²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. ²⁸ And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰ Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues^[d]? Do all interpret? ³¹ Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.

Not everyone is called to be a pastor. Not everyone is called to be a miracle worker or prophet but we all have a purpose and a calling.  We can't all have the spot light on us. In fact many of us are very far from the spot light among the sticky floors, dirty faced little ones, sinks full of dishes and piles of laundry we have. We all can make a difference though. I have prayed before, Lord what is my purpose? How am I supposed to share Jesus with anyone when I am home all day long alone with just my babies?  Then, one day I got my answer. I am making a difference in the life of a child, my child and prayerfully in the lives of all the other children they come in contact with.  Also, I pray that this blog will make a difference in some small way in your life. 

Jesus said in Mark 16:15  He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.  No, we can't all have the spot light on us but we are all called to take the gospel to lost and hurting.  We are all called to share Jesus.

Do you ever feel like you are not making a difference?  Remember we all have a part, we all have a purpose. I encourage you to pray and ask God to show you what your part is for this season of life you are in.

Free Online Bible Studies

Reading your Bible everyday is important.  Having a Bible study to do helps you to be able to dig a little deeper into the Word which is also important.  I love doing Bible Studies whether it is studying a particular book of the Bible, a passage or set of passages or sometimes using another book as a suppliment to my Bible reading.  All are good just don't ever let another book take the place of actually reading THE WORD.   

In an effort to make finding a good Bible study easy for you I have put together a list of online free Bible studies that I have either done myself or have downloaded to do in the future.  If you are looking for a good Bible study check out some of these.

I have provided the links either to the page with the list of Bible studies, the link to the individual Bible studies or both.  If you should have any trouble accessing any of these leave a comment or email me and I will do my best to help figure it out. 

Time Warp Wife

Ruth, Esther and Phillipians

 

Women Living Well

Proverbs 31 Woman - One Virtue at a Time  (EBook)

Reading Plan, Study Guide, Blog Posts and Video's from Good Morning Girls

Our Family For His Glory

Conquering Ephesians

 

Diving into Phillipians

 

Colossians Family Time

Good Morning Girls

 

Anything 

 

Colossians

 

Book of I John

 

Advent

 

Ministry of Motherhood

 

Ephesians

 

James

 

Living Like Jesus - Luke 1-8

 

Living and Leading Like Jesus - Luke 9 - 16

 

Loving Like Jesus - Luke 17 - 24

 

Now it's your turn.  First of all, have you done any of these Bible studies? 

 

I am sure there are plenty of other free Bible studies out there.  Do you know of any?  If so leave a comment with the link so others can check them out. 

Our Country Remembers - September 11, 2001

Yesterday our Country paused to remember. Everyone old enough to remember the tragic events of September 11, 2001 more than likely remembers exactly where they were, what they were doing and who they were with when it happened.

I was at church on Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001. I was in the nursery watching babies because we were having special services that week. My husband had called my mother in law from work to tell her what had happened just as she was about to leave for church herself. I had to be there early so he was unable to call me but she stopped in the nursery to tell me. At the time we only knew about the first plane and in my young 23 year old mind I remember thinking to myself "if its something big it will be on the news when I get home". I had no idea what I was going to see when I did get home and turned on the television.

Everyone has a story to tell. Many of us knew people that were directly affected by that day. Some of us lost family members, friends and loved ones. All were shaken. I was shaken. Right down to my core. Life as I knew it changed. Up until that day I was young naive mother that knew there was evil in the world but never expected it to hit so close to home. None of us did. That day changed me.

I had a nearly 1 year old baby and a 3 year old toddler. Life was scary, uncertain, and felt turned upside down. Reality hit me hard when my 3 year old asked me in his sweet little voice "mommy, why are airplanes flying into those buildings?". I knew at that moment I was watching way too much coverage on television though I think that was true for many of us. It's hard to walk away when you don't understand the why of what happened and your're scared because you have no idea the who of what happened. And it is very hard to try and explain to a 3 year old what it is you are watching. Even at 3 he knew that was not normal - for airplanes to fly into a building.

Knowing that I had 2 young children that depended on me for safety came alive that day like never before. I mean most mommies realize their kids are totally dependant on them, as did I but after 9-11-01 it felt different. Through the years since that horrific day I have come to realize that while I am to protect my children and look out for their well-being I can't protect them from everything. I can't keep them from every possible evil there is in this sin filled world. I can't be with them every minute of every day (though I wish I could) making decisions for them all the time.

But God Can. God can be with me, my husband and my boys as well as you and your loved ones each and every day if we will just put our trust in Him. The Bible says that He would never leave us or forsake us. He will be with us in times of trouble.

Deuteronomy 31:6 says Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

One of my favorite Chapters in the Bible and I quote from it often is Psalm 91. The Amplified Version is my favorite because it is really descriptive and brings it to life. If we will make God Our God and will depend on Him all of these wonderful provisions of Protection will follow us every day of our life. Verse 15 is one of my favorites - He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. No, I can't be with my boys everyday but we pray together each morning for their Angels to go with them and for God to watch over them and keep them safe and I have to depend on God to do what He said He would do.

Psalm 91

¹ He who ^[a]dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand].

² I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust!

³ For [then] He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.

⁴ [Then] He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings shall you trust and find refuge; His truth and His faithfulness are a shield and a buckler.

⁵ You shall not be afraid of the terror of the night, nor of the arrow (the evil plots and slanders of the wicked) that flies by day,

⁶ Nor of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor of the destruction and sudden death that surprise and lay waste at noonday.

⁷ A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come near you.

⁸ Only a spectator shall you be [yourself inaccessible in the secret place of the Most High] as you witness the reward of the wicked.

⁹ Because you have made the Lord your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place,

¹⁰ There shall no evil befall you, nor any plague or calamity come near your tent.

¹¹ For He will give His angels [especial] charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways [of obedience and service].

¹² They shall bear you up on their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone.

¹³ You shall tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the serpent shall you trample underfoot.

¹⁴ Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he knows and understands My name [has a personal knowledge of My mercy, love, and kindness—trusts and relies on Me, knowing I will never forsake him, no, never].

¹⁵ He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.

¹⁶ With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation.

Dealing With Discontentment

Content means to be satisfied, to be happy with what you have, gratified.  So the opposite of that would be dissatisfied and bitter.  

Have you ever been around someone that is negative?  Not about everything, not all the time but it seems that no matter how good things are going for them they will always find something to be unhappy and grumble about.  One of the definitions for grumble or grumbling is to have a "discontented disposition. 

You got a raise and while you are happy with the raise, you are discontented because it should have been more.  You buy a house but it's not big enough.  You got a great deal on used car but the neighbor down the street just bought brand new.  You get the picture. 

I firmly believe that this is a spirit of discontentment straight from the devil.  It is a lie he feeds us, sinners and Christians alike that if we only have more, buy more, give more, do more, build bigger that we will be happy and satisfied.  Only once you do these things you find that you are still bitter, still envious, still not happy and far from being satisfied.

There is a fine line between discontentment and envy and coveting. 

You will never find happiness or contentment in things!  No matter how much you have or how nice your things are.  They are things.  True Happiness comes from a close relationship with Our Heavenly Father. 

I do not think there is anything wrong with having desires, hopes and dreams.  In fact I think that God wants us to have them.  He wants us to be always reaching forward and moving ahead.  The opposite of that would be to be moving or falling backward and that is never good.  He even says to make our requests know to Him so He knows that we will have wants and desires.  The wrong part is allowing those desires, hopes and dreams to take over your life.  To take over your happiness.  To take over your families happiness.  And you may do it so much or have been doing it so long that you really aren't even aware of it.  And this doesn't mean we don't have rough days. We all have days from time to time that we feel a little disheartened over things.  I am talking about the person that really gets in a "funk" and just never seems happy or satisfied. 

I encourage you today to take a good look at all the blessings you have and then examine yourself.  What are you speaking out?  What are you talking about most?  Is it how you are blessed and God is supplying all of your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus?  Or do you have a discontented disposition, always grumbling about what you don't have but want?

Learn to be content where you are.

Nehemiah 8:10 New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Galatians 5:22-23 Amplified Bible (AMP)

²² But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness,

²³ Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [^[a]that can bring a charge].

Philippians 4:11-14  Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹¹ Not that I am implying that I was in any personal want, for I have learned how to be ^[a] content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am.

¹² I know how to be abased and live humbly in straitened circumstances, and I know also how to enjoy plenty and live in abundance. I have learned in any and all circumstances the secret of facing every situation, whether well-fed or going hungry, having a sufficiency and enough to spare or going without and being in want.

Philippians 4:19  Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹⁹ And my God will liberally supply (^[a]fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Weekly Chores For Life

I love this!

WEEKLY CHORES FOR LIFE

Author unknown

Monday - Wash Day
Lord, help me wash away all my selfishness and vanity, so I may serve you with perfect humility through the week ahead.

Tuesday - Ironing Day
Dear Lord, help me iron out all the wrinkles of prejudice I have collected through the years so that I may see the beauty in others.

Wednesday- Mending Day
O God, help me mend my ways so I will not set a bad example for others.

Thursday - Cleaning Day
Lord Jesus, help me to dust out all the many faults I have been hiding in the secret corners of my heart.

Friday - Shopping Day
O God, give me the grace to shop wisely so I may bless my family with contentment and happiness and all others in need of love.

Saturday - Cooking Day
Help me, my Savior, to brew a big kettle of brotherly love and serve it with clean, sweet bread of human kindness.

Sunday - The Lord's Day
O God, I have prepared my house for you. Please come into my heart so I may spend the day and the rest of my life in your presence.

Just say No

In today's world everyone seems so busy.  People have become so busy that family meal time at the kitchen table is becoming a thing of the past.

Time spent just sitting with family and friends enjoying each others company is hard to do when you are over committed and always on the go running from one activity or event to another.  Believe me I know all too well about running from one thing to another.   

Volunteering at church, at both of my children's schools, helping family, keeping up with sports practices, conditioning and games not to mention keeping your laundry caught up, your house in some kind of decent order, feeding your family, helping with homework or homeschooling can lead to an exhausted, worn out mommy.

And while these things are not necessarily bad things and a lot of them are important sometimes we just have to learn to say no to certain things in order to keep our priorities straight and first things first.

I encourage you to look at your schedule and really re-evaluate it. Pray about the things you are involved with and allow God to help you determine the things that are truly important and then say no to the things that aren't.

The past few years I have really stopped volunteering as much for things because I was seeing that my family was suffering. I still volunteer at my kids school on occasion when I am needed. I still help at our church but in a much less time consuming ministry than before.   I still help with things but I have really gotten to a place where right now in this season of my life  "being over" something or in charge is just not my thing.  I am enjoying being a helper and letting other people take the lead.  This allows me the maximum amount of time with my husband, kids and to take care of our home.

I mean after all what is going to matter when this life is over? All of your volunteering and busy work? No, what will matter is the time you spent with your family, with your kids teaching and training them in the way they should go.   What will matter is were you saved? Was Jesus Lord of your life, of your home and of your children's lives?

We need to slow down, say no to the busy-ness that the devil would like to see take over our lives and work on building a relationship with our Lord and with our family. 

Are you over committed?

Inner beauty

Have you ever been around someone that just stands out? The way they dress. The way they act. The way they carry themselves. The confidence they portray.

Sometimes people stand out for the wrong reasons and that is not what I am talking about here.

While volunteering at my sons school one day several years ago I noticed this woman. She was very pretty, well dressed and well groomed. You know the type. She walked with her head held high and her shoulders back. She walked with confidence, like she knew who she was. She stood out.

After some time I got to know this lady and in fact she now is one of my very best friends. Since getting to know her I know why she stands out. I now know why she carries herself with such confidence. I know why she holds her head high and throws her shoulders back. And you know what?  It has nothing to do with the way she is dressed or groomed - though she likes to look nice and presents herself that way.  It is her inner beauty that stands out.

Proverbs 31:30  Says Charm and grace are deceptive, and beauty is vain [because it is not lasting], but a woman who reverently and worshipfully fears the Lord, she shall be praised!

That is what stands out about this friend of mine. She loves The Lord and seeks to honor him with all she does.  And it shows.

I Peter 3:3-5
³ Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. ⁴ Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. ⁵ For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves.

We are told in scripture that God looks at our hearts or our inner self and not our outward appearance.  1 Samuel 16:7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

So my question to you dear reader is, What stands out about you?

Do you spend time every day reading God's Word and getting to know Him better?  Do you pray and communicate with Him often?  Do you allow Him to speak to your heart with guidance and do you follow His leading? Is He Lord of your life and of your home?  Do you reach out to the needy, the lost, the hurting?  Do you offer hospitality to others? 

My Favortie Books on Prayer

Super excited to be joining up with Courtney from Women Living Well once again this week as she counts down to the release of her new book by sharing some of her inspiration for the book in her Top 10 Marriage and Motherhood Quotes Series.  You can read about my favorite quotes on Praying For Our Children here and my favorite quote on Marriage here from the previous 2 weeks of the series.

Prayer is such an important part of a believers life.  It is something we are told to do without ceasing in 1 Thessalonians 5:17. While we can't pray ALL of the time we can do it often by simply living a life of prayer. What do I mean by that?  Just be in a constant attitude of worship and prayer to our Father. I am not perfect at prayer but it is something very dear to me. I was not raised up being taught how to pray nor was it modeled in front of me which is probably one of the reasons I have so many books on the subject in an effort to learn as much as I can about prayer. What it is? What is its purpose? Who can do it? Why we do it and so on??

This is one of the reasons I am excited to share with you my favorite books on prayer. These books along with teaching from my Pastor and just praying myself have changed my life. You know the old saying practice makes perfect- well I am far from perfect but I am learning more all the time and the way we get better at doing a thing is by practicing it often - the same way someone would practice often at a particular sport or playing the piano, etc. 

The books in my picture are the following:

7 Absolutes to Pray Over Your Kids by Blaine Bartel

Praying to Get Results and
The Art of Prayer - A Handbook on How to Pray by Kenneth E. Hagin

The following 8 books are all by Stormie Omartian
The Power of a Praying Husband
The Power of a Praying Wife Devotional
The Power of a Praying Wife
The Power of a Praying Parent
The Power of Praying Together
The Power of a Praying Woman
The Power of Praying Through the Bible
The Power of a Praying Life

A Woman's Call to Prayer - Making Your Desire to Pray a Reality by Elizabeth George

My Bible

I also have Stormie Omartian's Book "The Power of a Praying Teen" (not pictured because it is with my boys devotion books).

A few of my favorite verses on prayer are:

Phillipians 4:6 says (Amplified) Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (^[a]definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.

Mark 11:24 Jesus says For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it].

Matthew 6:7 Jesus again teaching says And when you pray, do not heap up phrases (multiply words, repeating the same ones over and over) as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard for their much speaking.

Just talk plain.  We don't have to use fancy words or be an awesome speaker to talk to our Heavenly Father.  He desires for us to talk to him and have a relationship with Him. 

The best teacher on how to pray is Jesus Himself.  In Matthew 6:9-13 he says this:

⁹ Pray, therefore, like this: Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed (kept holy) be Your name.

¹⁰ Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

¹¹ Give us this day our daily bread.

¹² And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven (^[a]left, remitted, and let go of the debts, and have ^[b]given up resentment against) our debtors.

¹³ And lead (bring) us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

You can read about my prayer journal/binder  or my prayer card notebook that I wrote about in earlier posts by clicking the links.  You can also click here to read my posts in an ongoing series I am working my way through using Stormie Omartian's book "The Power of a Praying Parent" or to read my post on Specific Prayer here.

All About Jesus - Not About You!

It's all about Him anyway - not about you! 

Recently at church I overheard a young man talking with one of our Associate Pastors about why he had not been singing in the choir lately.  While I didn't hear all of the conversation, I heard enough and watched this young mans body language to know that he was upset because he had been missing for whatever reason and the Praise Leader had not come to ask him about why he was gone or encourage him to come back.  The Pastor he was talking to told him that he should be singing for Jesus and not because of anyone else.

How true?  It's all about Jesus!  Not about us.  If we are working in the ministry to be seen of people then the condition of our hearts need some work.

Why are you doing it?  Who are you working for?

Are you teaching that Sunday school class to get praises from the parents of the children you are shepherding?  Are you singing in the choir so that the entire congregation will see you up front and know what a splendid voice you have? 
Let's take this a step further.  Why are you going to church?  Because your parents did?  Or because you have been taught it's what you are supposed to do?

Colossians 1:16 says we were created for God.  For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.

Because we were created by Him and for Him maybe we should do what
Colossians 3:23-24 says Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, ²⁴ since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Don't get me wrong, I know what this young man is feeling.  I am not proud to say this but I have in the past been right where he is now.  Feeling hurt because someone didn't notice all the work I had done.  But the Bible reminds us in these passages that we should not be doing it for the praises of men or to be seen but we should do everything, (not just at church) EVERYTHING as if we are working for the Lord.  The verse says Whatever you do and this includes your marriage, how you raise your children, your housework and your job if you work outside of the home. 

Are you working for the Lord? 

A Submitted Wife

What does it mean to be a submitted wife? 

Does it mean that I am perfect?  Does it mean that I am a door mat for my husband?  Does it mean that my opinion in this thing called marriage doesn't matter?  Does it mean that my husband is more important to God in our marriage than me?  Does it mean that I never get a say in what goes on?  Is being submitted something I am made to do?

The answer to all of these questions is NO!

When my husband and I were dating and first married I was very independent (nearing the line of feminism).  I loved him but I had my own way, I didn't need help and I had an "I can do it just as well as he can" mentality.  In part I was this way because up until he and I started going out I had to be or at least I felt like I had to be but another part of me wanted to be this way.  I wanted this freedom of not having to be dependent upon anyone else. 

God never intended for us to be totally independent, not in need of help from Him or from others.  And he definitely never intended us to independent from our spouse.  God created Adam and said that it was not good for him to be alone so he created Eve - a help meet for him.  Did you notice that?  Not good for him to be alone. 

In Ephesians the Bible says that the husband is to leave his mother and father, likewise the wife also is to leave her father and mother and the two (husband and wife) shall become one.  Is it possible for us to literally become one?  Of course not.  But in God's eyes when we join ourselves in the marriage covenant with our spouse we do become as one flesh existing as two individual beings.

Now, how many of you know that just because you get married does not mean that you and your husband think alike all of the time?  Just because you are married it doesn't mean that you both all of the sudden agree on every decision that comes your way.

This my sweet friend is where submission comes into the picture.  Submission is something that a wife freely gives to her husband.  It is not something that a husband can demand or take from his wife.  Submission is an attitude of the heart that a woman chooses to give her husband.  Submission according to the Amplified version of the Bible is simply adapting yourself to your husband.

I submit to my husband because I love him, I trust him, I respect him and because God tells me to.  As wives we need to put our trust in God, step out in faith and submit to our husbands. 

Are you a Submissive Wife?

National Day of Prayer 2013

What exactly is National Day of Prayer?

The National Day of Prayer is a special day set aside in our country where people gather together at churches, schools, courthouses, etc... and publicly pray. Our Country was founded by primarily Christian men and it was and has always been a Nation that is blessed by God. We are a Christian Nation, founded on a belief in THE ONE TRUE GOD. We are blessed to be able to call on the Name of Jesus in a Public Place without fear of retribution.

National Day of Prayer was established by Congress in 1952 and signed into Law by President Harry Truman but The Continental Congress had called for such a day going all the way back to 1775.  In 1988 President Ronald Reagan amended the law to make the National Day of Prayer the first Thursday in May.

The Honorable the Congress having recommended it to the United States to set apart Thursday the 6th of May next to be observed as a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer, to acknowledge the gracious interpositions of Providence; to deprecate [to pray or intreat that a present evil may be removed] deserved punishment for our Sins and Ingratitiude, to unitedly implore the Protection of Heaven; Success to our Arms and the Arms of our Ally: The Commander in Chief enjoins a religious observance of said day and directs the Chaplains to prepare discourses proper for the occasion; strictly forbidding all recreations and unnecessary labor.” —George Washington, First President of the United States[10][11] (Quote taken from Wikpedia)  

The National Day of Prayer task forces mission statement is this:

The mission of the National Day of Prayer Task Force is to mobilize prayer in America and to encourage personal repentance and righteousness in the culture.

This morning I drove my youngest son to school so that I could attend The National Day of Prayer event being held there.  What an honor and a privilege to be able to do such a thing.  I remind my kids often how blessed they are to be able to attend things like this or their Bible Clubs and Prayer Groups.  Not even in America are all schools ok with it.  We are blessed.

I urge you today to take time out to pray.  It doesn't matter if you live in the United States or not.  It also doesn't matter if you are able to attend a public event (although it will bless your heart if you can).  What does matter is that we take some time today and every day to talk with our Heavenly Father.  Take time to call upon the Name of Jesus and pray for our elected leaders, our military, our schools, communities and our children.

Do you attend any Public National Day of Prayer Events?