Thankful Thursday

Oh, how I love this girl! She is my baby... my Abby. As I am typing this post on Wednesday evening, we have just wrapped up our day of celebrating her 4th birthday! Four years ago today at about 8:35am Abby was born into our family. And what a blessed 4 years it has been!


Abby is just the perfect combination of "girlie girl" and tomboy. She can be playing in the mud with her older brother and 15 minutes later she'll be "oohing" and "ahhing" over a new pink dress. One minute she is quite and soft-spoken and the next she is running around the house growling like a lion (her favorite animal). She loves to play pretend. She always wants to help... she thinks it's great fun to climb up on a step stool and help me cook dinner, she's always ready to help with laundry by moving clothes from the washer to the dryer, and she is right alongside me when I'm running run the vacuum cleaner. She is a bundle of energy and so much fun!

Thank you, Lord, for my sweet Abby!

Word-Filled Wednesday - Romans 15:13

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believeing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13







For more "Word-Filled Wednesday" posts visit The 160 Acre Woods.





Picture courtesy of www.christianphotos.net

The Second of the Four Habits of a Disciple

Habit Two: Prayer

Approach prayer with the right attitude

Be Real
"When you pray, do not be like these hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men." Matthew 6:5

Be Relaxed
"But when you pray go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." Matthew 6:6

Be Revealing
"Don't recite the same prayer over and over as the heathen do, who think prayers are answered only by repeating them again and again. Remember, your Father knows exactly what you need before you ask Him!" Matthew 6:7-8


Use the Model Jesus Gave Us
Jesus gave us the Lord's Prayer as a model of how to pray. The below looks at the "parts" of the Lord's Prayer and how we can use it as a model when we pray.

Praise
"Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed by Thy name..."
We begin by expressing our love for God. Two types of praise that we could consider here are adoration (praising God for who He is) and thanksgiving (praising God for what he has done).

Purpose
"Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven..."
Pray for God's will to be done... in my family... my church... my ministry... my job... my future... my city... my nation... the world. Then let go of the outcome.

Provision
"Give us this day, our daily bread..."
We ask God to provide for our daily needs. There is nothing too great for God's power to take care of and there's nothing too insignificant for His concern. God knows what we need. He knows everything about us -- but prayer is our personal declaration of dependence on God.

Pardon
"Forgive us our trespasses..."
We ask God to forgive our sins. Consider the following steps in the process of seeking forgiveness:
~ Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal every sin.
~ Confess each sin specifically.
~ Make restitution to others when necessary.
~ By faith, accept God's forgiveness.

People
"...as we forgive those who trespass against us."
It is important to remember that God is working in the lives of the people we pray for even when we can't see it. If there's someone you've been praying for, even for a long time, and you don't see any evidence of change, you don't want to give up... God certainly hasn't.

It is also important to understand the critical importance of forgiving others. Consider these steps below in the process of forgiving others:
~ Experience forgiveness from God for yourself.
~ Accept that you will always need the forgiveness of God and others.
~ Accept you will always forgive others.
~ Understand that forgiving others is a process of daily choices to forgive, the difficulty of which depends on the offense.
~ Forgive because you need forgiveness.
~ Forgive because you want to be like Jesus
~ Forgive because you want to be emotionally and psychologically healthy.
~ If you do not forgive, the resentment and bitterness will destroy you, not the other person.
~ If you are unable or unwilling to forgive, surrender that powerlessness to God, asking Him to do for you what you cannot do for yourself.
~ Communicate openly with a safe person, and seek help when needed.

Protection
"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
Believers face spiritual battles every day. Satan wants to defeat us through temptation and fear. We need protection as we face daily temptations from the world, the flesh, and the devil. By praying for protection, we can have the confidence to face every situation during the day.

Poverty/Brokenness
"For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
We accept our weakness and powerlessness as we acknowledge and surrender to our genuine source of strength and power.

This was taken from a Discipleship Study my husband and I recently participated in at our church. I thought it was such great stuff that I just had to share!

1 John 4:12-15

"No one has beheld God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have beheld and bear witness that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God." 1 John 4:12-15

In this passage of scripture we see John coming back to a common theme. If we love Jesus, we will love others. If we abide in God, God abides in us and His love will be seen in the way we love others.

Since none of have actually SEEN God, He is known to us in the ways He is represented to us in our lives. We see evidence of God in His power. We see evidence of God in His popularity. We see evidence of God in passionate feelings. However, probably the strongest evidence we see of God is in His love.

Think about it this way.... there were times when the world saw Jesus as weak and lacking in power. We read of times when Jesus was anything but popular with certain crowds in the Bible. And, many times, Jesus did not inspire passionate feelings in the people with whom he encountered. But the one constant was ALWAYS the love He showed.

We see God's love in our lives daily as Christians. Abiding in God is not just a one-sided deal. When we abide in God, He also abides in us. It's a two-way street. A relationship. When we have this relationship with God we see that it is VERY real. His love is VERY real.

As ones who experience God's love, we should be testifying to the world that we are followers of God. We can do this by proclaiming our trust in God and by sharing His love. We should WANT to share God's love.

As I continue reading thru the book of 1 John there are so many times when I think (and have written here) that if God loves us so very much how can we NOT share his love with the world. And, again today, I am touched with these exact same feelings. When we confess that Jesus is Lord, when we abide with God, when we experience His love in our lives, how can we just sit still and do nothing? If God's love is REAL, how can we be silent?

I'm reminded of these lyrics from a song by Steven Curtis Chapman, "Live Out Loud":

Think about this…try to keep a bird from singing
After it’s soared up in the sky
Give the sun a cloudless day and tell it not to shine
Now think about this…if we really have been given
The gift of a life that will never end
And if we have been filled with living hope we’re gonna overflow
And if God’s love is burning in our hearts we’re gonna glow
There’s just no way to keep it in

Do you overflow with God's living hope? Does your heart burn with God's love? Do you find that there is just no way to keep it inside?

Friday Facts - Bible Geographical Locations

The stories of the Bible take place in many different places, covering many different types of geography. Below are a list of different Biblical stories along with where they took place geographically. Enjoy!

The meek will inherit……
The earth
"Blessed are the gentle (the meek), for they shall inherit the earth." Matthew 5:5

Jesus gave his ‘sermon’ starting in Matthew 5 from which geographical feature?
On a mountain
"And when He saw the multitudes, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. Matthew 5:1

Lebanon was at one time known for its….
Forests
"Send me also cedar, cypress and algum timber from Lebanon, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber of Lebanon; and indeed, my servants will work with your servants." 2 Chronicles 2:8

Matthew speaks of famines, pestilences, and these in various places:
Earthquakes
"For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes." Matthew 24:7

In the beginning, the earth was without form and covered with:
Water
"And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters." Genesis 1:2

Although raised in Nazareth, Jesus was born in this city near Jerusalem:
Bethlehem
"And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David." Luke 2:4

To escape the Egyptians, the Hebrews crossed this body of water:
The Red Sea
"Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water." Exodus 15:22

David was king in this city before he reigned in Jerusalem:
Hebron
"And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months." 2 Samuel 2:11

This church in Asia was mentioned in Revelation and means ‘brotherly love’:
Philadelphia
"And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens says this:..." Revelation 3:7

From which Philistine city was Goliath?
Gath
"Then a champion came out from the armies of the philistines named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span." 1 Samuel 17:4

The queen of which land came to meet Solomon?
Sheba
"Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with difficult questions." 1 Kings 10:1

According to Jesus’ parable of the sower, a person who receives the word happily, but falls away due to persecution is described as this type of ground:
Rocky
"When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. And the one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word, and immediately receives it with joy." Matthew 13:19-20

The Psalmist describes the Messiah’s kingdom stretching from:
Sea to sea
"May he also rule from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth." Psalm 72:8

The Apocalypse was written from which island?
Patmos
"I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos, because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus." Revelation 1:9

These were more noble… in that they received the word…. And searched the scriptures daily:
Those in Berea
"And the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea; and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so." Acts 17:10,11

According to Zechariah, in that day his feet shall stand on:
Mt of Olives
"And in the day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south." Zechariah 14:4

Job was a native of this land:
Uz
"There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job, and the man was blameless, upright, fearing God, and turning away from evil." Job 1:1

The Lord will gather all nations and plead with them in the valley of:
Jehoshaphat
"I will gather all the nations, And bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I will enter into judgment with them there On behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; And they have divided up My land." Joel 3:2

Joseph (surnamed Barnabas) sold land in this country:
Cyprus
"And Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means, Son of Encouragement), and who owned a tract of land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet." Acts 4:36-37

The location of the palace of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes):
Susa
"...in those days as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne which was in Susa the capital..." Esther 1:2

Information for this post found at www.biblequizzes.com.

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for God's patience. I am so slow sometimes to turn straight to God. In large situations (for example, my health scare last week), I tend to go straight to God. However, with the smaller things in life --the daily annoyances, bad day at work, etc -- it seems that I try to work them out myself, become frustrated and stressed. Only then, FINALLY, do I say "Here, God, it's yours."

What's up with that? I guess part of it is that for all my good intentions, I am human. I am a sinner. You would think after 42 years of learning this truth and doing the same thing over and over, I might have it down by now... but I do not. I also strongly suspect Satan is at work in the background affecting how I react in these situations.

The good news is that God is patient with me regardless of the number of times I continue to follow this pattern. No matter the number of times I repeat the pattern, He will always carry my burndens once I do turn them over to Him. Oh, am I so very thankful for that!

I'm trying... I really am. Until I fully succeed, though, I'm going to continue to need that patience from God! And, I will continue to be thankful that He is patient with all His children!

Word-Filled Wednesday - Psalm 103:5

"God fills my life with good things." Psalms 103:5

For more "Word-Filled Wednesday" posts visit The 160 Acre Woods.

Picture courtesy of www.christianphotos.net

The First of the Four Habits of a Disciple

Habit One: Daily Time With God

Why is it important to have a daily time with God?

We were created to have a fellowship with God.
"So God created man in his own image..." Genesis 1:27, 2:7, 3:8

Jesus died to make a relationship with God possible.
"God has invited you into this wonderful friendship with his Son, Christ our Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:9

Personal time alone with God was Jesus' source of strength.
"Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." Mark 1:3

Every effective disciple developed this habit.

Healthy, maturing Christians spend time with God.
"...I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food." Job 23:12


What is the purpose of a daily time with God?

We are to give glory to God. (being grateful)
Give to the Lord the glory due to his name. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness." Psalms 29:2

We receive direction from God.
"Show me the path where I should go, O Lord; point out the right road for me to walk. Lead me." Psalms 25:4

We learn to delight in God.
Delight yourself in the Lord; and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psalms 37:4

This was taken from a Discipleship Study my husband and I recently participated in at our church. I thought it was such great stuff that I just had to share!

Kind Blogger Award

I am honored to receive another special award -- The Kind Blogger Award. Joy presented me with this award and I just can't thank her enough. If you've never visited Joy before then you must go straight there now. Seriously. You will find many yummy recipes and a hostess that will bless your heart.

I would like to share this award with several of my bloggin' friends that I've met over the last few months. Each one of these ladies have welcomed me to their blog homes and filled me up with kindness, blessings, love and all the good things we all are so fortunate to find in our blogging community. Please visit each one... I promise you will not regret it!

Cheryl - Hope for Each Day
Nancie - More than Conquerors
Lori - I Will Take it Lord, All You Have to Give
Laurie Ann - A Magnolia's Heart Beats
Tracy - My Cup Runneth Over

Congrats ladies... you deserve it... and so much more!

Arte Y Pico Award

Over the last couple of weeks I have been honored to receive this special award from five special ladies that I have enjoyed getting to know via our blogs over the last few months.

In June, Tanja presented me with this award. Tanja's blog is always fun to visit... she has a wonderful ability to tell a story and share her faith. She has a beautiful family that she shares with us as she writes about their daily adventures. I never fail to leave Tanja's blog without a smile on my face.

Just this week, Tracy, Cheryl, Tricia, and God Chaser also presented me with this award. A visit to Tracy's is always a blessing. She has a beautiful way of sharing God that touches me each and every time I visit. Cheryl is truly a blessing to visit as she shares her faith and looks to God regardless of the circumstances. Tricia loves the Lord, writes beautifully as she shares His Word, and has adorable twin boys whose pictures never fail to make me smile -- they are adorable! God Chaser writes beautiful posts sharing from her heart... it is always a blessing to visit with her.

Now to share this award with a few of my fellow bloggers. Each one of these bloggers blesses my heart everytime I visit their blog. Whether they make me laugh, give me something to think about, ask me hard questions -- whatever it may be -- each one is special and I am so very glad that I have met them via this great blog community.

Robyn - Overflowing Grace
Natalie - Married to the Preacher
Kim - Seasons of My Heart
Lisa - Blessed With Grace
Tricia - It's All About Him!
Tonya - Safe In His Arms


Now, for the official rules for sharing this blog with others --

To the recipients of the award...share this with five blogs you consider deserving of this award, whether for creativity, design, interesting material, or contributions to the blogging community, no matter what language.
Name each nominee and link to his/her blog. Show the award and include the name (and link to his/her blog) of whoever presented you with this award. Link to the Arte y Pico blog so everyone knows the origin of this award. Post these rules.

Have a great day in the Lord!

1 John 4:7-11

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." 1 John 4:7-11

God is love. What a wonderful promise and source of comfort these three short words give to followers of God. In these three words we are promised that God will never be anything but loving to His children. God Himself is love, has always been love, and always will be love.

Because of this great love, He made the ultimate sacrifice for us. He sacrificed His only Son, Jesus Christ. This sacrifice was made so that we could know Him... so that we could have eternal life. It's mind-boggling, isn't it? That someone would give up their only Son for me! For each one of us!

On top of that, the love He has for us is undeserved. What have we done to deserve such unconditional love? I certainly know that I haven't done anything deserving of that. I'm a human... a sinner. I can think of nothing that I have done or will do to make me worthy of God's love. But, yet, He still considers me worthy of His love. He still sent His Son and gave Him up to death for me. For us.

So, if God loves us so very much shouldn't we try to show the same type of love to the people we encounter each day? Our friends, family, co-workers, casual acquaintances, strangers we pass in the store? In verse 11, John says "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."

If we are truly in fellowship with God, then we will display this love in our everyday lives. We will treat others with the kind of love that Jesus demonstrated toward us. The kind of love that says, "I will love you regardless of whether or not you love me. I will give of myself even if you do not give back. I will serve you, even if you are incapable of serving me. I will meet your needs as if they were my own."

As I've studied these verses I've considered the type of love that I display to my family, my friends, my co-workers. Is it always this selfless, giving kind of love? Sadly, no. Do I want it to be this kind of love? Oh, yes! Can I do it by myself? No... only thru fellowship with God will I be able to even come close.

My prayer today is that each one of us develops a stronger fellowship with God. A fellowship that will, in turn, grow to a sharing of God's love with our family, our friends, and simply, anyone we may encounter in our daily lives.

Thankful Thursday UPDATE

I first want to say "THANK YOU" to everyone that commented on my Thankful Thursday post offering encouraging words, support, and most of all, your prayers. With each comment I read that day, I felt more and more uplifted and confident that, regardless of the diagnosis, it would all be okay. It was in God's hands and I had support from so very many. Thank you all!

Now, it's time for some praising! I went back in this afternoon for a 2nd mammogram and the report was that everything is A-OK! What the radiologist saw on Monday was a calcium buildup and there is no need at all for concern. I thought they might even want to see me sooner than in a year, but nope, there's no reason to go back in until next summer.

This week has shown me many things for which I am thankful. To mention a couple, I have been reminded of how supporting ALL my Christian brothers and sisters are and how they are ALWAYS there for me and my family. I've been reminded that when I completely turn it all over to God that He does provide the comfort and peace that we so desire. And, I've also been reminded what I loving and supportive husband God has given to me. He's been by my side all week. He's a rock and provided nothing but calm and loving support.

Thanks again for all your prayers and encouragement. I don't think I could ever truly express in words how much it means to me to know that you are all so incredibly supportive.

I pray each of you has a very blessed weekend!

Friday Facts - Unusual Characteristics

Have you been trying to remember who that Bible personality was that was a reckless driver? Maybe you've been trying to identify the person in the Bible that was known for being bald? Or, just maybe you've always wanted to know who ate grass for a number of years? Or, could it be, you just have a curiosity for the unusual characteristics of some of the best known (or in some cases, lesser known) persons in the Bible?

Whatever it is.... now is your chance to have all your questions answered. :) Following are some of those unusual characteristics found in the Bible. Some I had heard before, but many were new to me. I hope you have as much fun reading as I did digging them up! Happy Friday!

~ Which of the following is best known for being hairy? ~
Esau

Now the first came forth red, all over like a hairy garment; and they named him Esau. Genesis 25:25

And Jacob answered his mother Rebekah, "Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man and I am a smooth man." Genesis 27:11

~ Which of the following is best known for being a doubter? ~
Thomas

But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore were saying to him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I shall see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." John 20:24-25

~ Which of the following is most known as a reckless drvier? ~
Jehu

And the watchman reported, "He came even to them, and he did not return; and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously." 2 Kings 9:20

~ Which of the following is most known for being wise? ~
Solomon

And it was pleasing in the sight of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said to him, "Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice, behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you. And I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days." 1 Kings 3:10-13

~ Which of the following is most known for being tall? ~
Saul

And he had a son whose name was Saul, a choice and handsome man, and there was not a more handsome person than he among the sons of Israel; from his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people. 1 Samuel 9:2

~ Which of the following is most known for being bald? ~
Elisha

Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the way, young lads came out from the city and mocked him and said to him, "Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!" 2 Kings 2:23

~ Which of the following is most known for being beautiful? ~
Esther

And he was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, his uncle's daughter, for she had neither father nor mother. Now the young lady was beautiful of form and face, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter. Esther 2:7

~ What man’s physical presence was weak ? ~
Paul

For they say, "His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive, and his speech contemptible." 2 Cor 10:10

~ Who was known for his long hair? ~
Absalom

And when he cut the hair of his head (and it was at the end of every year that he cut it, for it was heavy on him so he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head at 200 shekels by the king's weight. 2 Samuel 14:26

~ What man is known for being patient ? ~
Job

Behold, we count those blessed who endured, You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord's dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. James 5:11

~ Who was known for wearing a leather girdle ? ~
Elijah

And they answered him, "He was a hairy man with a leather girdle bound about his loins." And he said, "It is Elijah the Tishbite." 2 Kings 1:8

~ Who is known as a traitor ? ~
Judas Iscariot

And Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went off to the chief priests, in order to betray Him to them. Mark 14:10

~ What woman is known for having weak eyes ? ~
Leah

And Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful of form and face. Genesis 29:17

~ What man was most known for his exceptional strength? ~
Samson

Book of Judges

~ Who is known for conversing with his donkey? ~
Balaam

Then Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have made a mockery of me! If there had been a sword in my hand, I would have killed you by now." Numbers 22:29

~ Who is known for being meek (humble) ? ~
Moses

Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth. Numbers 12:3

~ What man is known for being short? ~
Zacchaeus

And behold, there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus; and he was a chief tax-gatherer, and he was rich. And he was trying to see who Jesus was, and he was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature. And he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way. Luke 19:2-4

~ Who is known for being fat ? ~
Eglon

And he presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man. Judges 3:17

~ What man ate grass for many years? ~
Nebuchadnezzar

Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled; and he was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of hearven, until his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws. Daniel 4:33

~ Who was known for being left-handed? ~
Ehud

But when the sons of Israel cried to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for them, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. And the sons of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab. Judges 3:15

Information for this post found at www.biblequizzes.com.

Thankful Thursday

“Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall” Psalm 55:22

I've posted this verse for Thankful Thursday in the past, but it is so relevant to where I am this week. It is a verse that we should remember often and regularly thank God for the truths it speaks. I am so very thankful that we serve a God that allows us to cast our worries and our concerns over to Him. As long as we fully and completely turn them over, He will see it through.... to the very end. And, He does it providing peace and comfort along the way.

Earlier this week I had a mammogram. I received a call back yesterday that the radiologist wants me to come back to have a closer look at calcifications that have shown up since last year. I instantly was worried and concerned. But, you know what, I've always been a HUGE worrier and I'm just tired of it. I want to turn it over to God and let Him handle it... especially with something as big as my health.

Most likely it will be okay..... breast calcifications are not uncommon in my family and they are rarely cancerous. But, you know how Satan creeps in and puts all the worries in our heads.... What if this is the "the one" that is cancerous? What if I spend the next few months in and out of hospitals battling cancer? Yes, the worries and the doubts can be endless. It can make one crazy at times!

However, I'm letting God handle this and push Satan away! I don't want to spend the next few days worrying myself sick. I have given it to God and I'm going to let Him take care of it for me and replace my worries with comfort and peace.

Thank you, Lord, for taking it all off my shoulders and carrying the weight for me. Thank you that I can trust You to work in my life and my family's this week as we await the followup visit and report on Friday afternoon. Amen.

Word-Filled Wednesday - John 13:34

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another." John 13:34

For more "Word-Filled Wednesday" posts visit The 160 Acre Woods.

Picture courtesy of www.christianphotos.net

What are the Four Habits of a Disciple?

As I have the last few weeks, I'm going to share some more that we learned in a study we participated in with our church. Below are the four habits of a disciple. Next week I'll begin going into more detail on each of the below 4 Habits.

Habit One: Daily Time with God
"If you continue in my Word then you are my disciples indeed. And you will know the truth and the truth will set you free." John 8:31-32

Habit Two: Prayer
"If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, then you will ask for anything you wish, and you shall have it. In this way, you become My disciples." John 15:7-8

Habit Three: Honoring God thru Giving Money
"None of you can be my disciple unless he gives up all of his possessions." Luke 14:33

Habit Four: Fellowship
"Love each other just as much as I love you. Your strong love for each other will prove to the world that you are my disciples." John 13:34-35

The Alphabet Meme

I've seen this meme posted on several other blogs over the last week or so and thought it a great one to learn more about my new bloggy friends. I love learning a bit more about all of you as I visit your blogs, so thought it only fair that I jump in on this one and share a little more about me.

A is for age.
Just turned 42 a few weeks ago.

B is for burger of choice.
Bacon cheeseburger… preferably with a good smoky bacon. Yummmm!

C is for what car you drive.
2008 Honda CR-V.

D is for Dog's name.
Our dog’s name is Bitty, which is short for Little Bit. My husband grew up with dachshunds as a child and decided early on that when he could get one of his own it would be named Little Bit. He was able to get his first dachshund when he started college and she was still living when we were married. We had to put her to sleep about 7 years ago, so we now have Little Bit II.

E is for essential item you use every day.
Toothbrush… no one would want to be around me otherwise. :)

F is for favorite tv show at the moment.
Law & Order, CSI, Grey's Anatomy, Top Chef, and almost anything on The Food Network.

G is for Favorite game.
Apples to Apples. My sister and brother-in-law introduced us to this game over the Christmas holidays. LOVE IT!

H is for Hometown.
We moved several times when I was growing up, so there’s not just one place that I consider home. What I do consider home is wherever I am with my family. If I learned nothing else while moving around as a child it is that it doesn’t really matter where the physical house is located. What is important is that you are with your family and following God.

I is for instruments you play.
I’m terribly out of practice with any instrument, but I took piano lessons for about 6 years as a child, played flute in band, and have played handbells in a couple of church handbell choirs.

J is for favorite juice.
I’m not much of a juice drinker, but when I do choose to drink juice it is usually either grape juice or apple juice.

K is for who you'd like to kiss.
My hubby and my sweet kiddos.

L is for last restaurant you ate at.
Pazzo Wood Fired Pizza (I think it’s only a local joint)

M is for your favorite Muppet.
Kermit

N is for number of piercings.
Two piercings in each ear.

O is for overnight hospital stays.
The only overnight hospital stays I’ve had were when my children were born, so that would be a total of two overnight hospital stays with each one being 2-3 nights.

P is for people you were with today.

My family and co-workers.

Q is for what you do with your quiet time.
Pray, read scripture, play whatever Christian music is really speaking to me at the time. My quiet time is usually one or a combination of these three. I sort of mix it up depending on the day, how the Lord speaks to me, and how I am feeling on that particular day.

R is for biggest regret.
I’m not sure I really have any regrets. Even mistakes I’ve made in life I have learned from and experienced growth thru that learning experience.

S is for status.
Married for 12 years on May 11.

T is for time you woke up today.
6:14 am

U is for what you consider unique.
People. Each person is created uniquely by God and special in their uniqueness.

V is for vegetable you love.
Asparagus, Broccoli, carrot sticks, radishes.

W is for worst habit.
Procrastination. If I don’t want to do something I will put it off until the last possible moment. What a way to create my own stress, huh? ;)

X is for number of x-rays you've had.
Let’s see… about once a year at the dentist and I once had my feet x-rayed.

Y is for yummy food you ate today.
So far, I've only had my morning bagel with cream cheese.

Z is for zodiac sign.
Gemini -- although I don't follow zodiac signs at all.

1 John 4:1-6

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; and this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you that he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error." 1 John 4:1-6


This chapter 4 in the book of 1 John focuses on Abiding in God and His Love. John starts out by speaking of discerning our spiritual enemies from the spirit of truth – GOD.

If we are to fully abide in God we must first be able to look at all that is around us in the world and discern what is of God and what is not of God. We must be able to test all things against God’s spiritual standards. In 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22 Paul tells us, "do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil."

How do we hold fast to those things that are good? We surround ourselves with things of God, not the things of the world. Paul tells us in Philippians 4:8 "... whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things." By dwelling only on the things of God, our hearts and our minds hold fast to the things of God and we are able to speak of his greatness. As we are reminded in Matthew 12:34, "For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart."

As we walk closer to God, we will grow in our ability to discern what is good – what is of God. And, because we walk with God, we should never fear our spiritual enemies. Yes, we should be warned and aware they exist and we should be on the lookout for them. However, there should never be fear if we walk with God. “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” – because of this we know that Jesus is greater than all the spiritual enemies we may encounter in life. If Jesus lives in us, then we know we can overcome any and all spiritual enemies.

As we walk with God we also will find fellowship with other believers to be another source of protection from the enemies. Fellowship with believers is something that “transcends language, culture, class, race, or any other barrier.” It is truly a gift from God. This type of fellowship provides us with support, comfort, and accountability in our discernment of our spiritual enemies. As this passage of scripture from 1 John states, "... he who knows God listens to us".

To fully abide in God and in His love, we must learn to discern the spiritual enemies from the spirit of truth. We must be able to know what is of God and what is not. By clinging to Jesus we find that we can do just that. How much better it is to abide in the spirit of truth!

Then Sings My Soul Saturday - The Change

For more "Then Sings My Soul Saturday" posts visit Amy at Signs, Miracles and Wonders

It's so easy to show off things that would make others believe we live for Jesus -- leave our Bible laying out, display Christian bumper stickers on our cars, wearing Christian jewelry. The question I find I must ask myself is this... am I just "showing off" these items or have I really changed my life for Jesus?




The Change
Steven Curtis Chapman
Well I got myself a T-shirt that says what I believe
I got letters on my bracelet to serve as my ID
I got the necklace and the key chain
And almost everything a good Christian needs, yeah
I got the little Bible magnets on my refrigerator door
And a welcome mat to bless you before you walk across my floor
I got a Jesus bumper sticker
And the outline of a fish stuck on my car
And even though this stuff's all well and good, yeah
I cannot help but ask myself--

What about the change
What about the difference
What about the grace
What about forgiveness
What about a life that's showing
I'm undergoing the change, yeah
I'm undergoing the change

Well I've got this way of thinking that comes so naturally
Where I believe the whole world is revolving around me
And I got this way of living that I have to die to every single day
'Cause if God's Spirit lives inside of me, yeah
I'm gonna live life differently

I'm gonna have the change
I'm gonna have the difference
I'm gonna have the grace
I'm gonna have forgiveness
I'm gonna live a life that's showing
I'm undergoing the change

Friday Facts - Bread

If you were to look up the definition of bread, you might find one or more of the following:

* Food in general, regarded as necessary for sustaining life
* Something that nourishes, sustenance
* Means of support

If we then look to the Bible for the significance of bread we might find similar definitions. However, and this is the part I love, bread is used as a symbol for finding nourishment for our souls, for our hearts, for our minds. So, if we take the above definitions and apply them in a Biblical manner, we would get something like this:

* Jesus - one that is necessary for sustaining life
* Jesus - one who nourishes our souls, our hearts, our minds
* Jesus - a means of support and uplifting for us in times of need

John 6:32-40 tells us,"Jesus therefore said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world. They said therefore to Him, "Lord, evermore give us this bread." Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you, that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."

Another reference to bread that speaks to this is found in Matthew 4:3-5, "And the tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." But He answered and said, "It is written, Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."

While we need bread to support our physical bodies, we must also feast on the "bread of life" in order to feed and nourish our souls, to prepare our hearts and minds for heaven. While bread may support our bodies and provide assistance in sustaining our earthly lives, it is the "bread of life" or our Lord, that provides the nourishment for our eternal life. With that promise, how can we help but spend time "feasting" on God's Word?

Thankful Thursday

One of the songs our kids learned in VBS this year was "Thankful". I love this song... it is upbeat and fun to sing. Most of all, though, I love the message. It speaks of remembering all that the Lord has done for us. We all are blessed! We have so much for which to be thankful.

This weekend as we enjoyed the long holiday weekend and a visit with my parents, my son went around the house singing this song. I can't tell you what a joy it was to hear him singing this song of praise, smiling as he sang. More than once I would sing along with him.. what special moments!

As I think on this song today, I am so very thankful for ALL the Lord has done for me and my family. I am thankful, too, that I live in a land where we are free to worship and can so easily teach our children of Him and involve them in church from a young age.

Happy Thankful Thursday to all!

I like to think about the goodness of the Lord
He gives me everything I need and so much more
So I just wanna lift my hands and say that I love Him
I just wanna lift my heart in praise

I wanna be thankful
I wanna be grateful
I wanna remember everything that the Lord has done!

I wanna be thankful
I wanna be grateful
I wanna be
I wanna be
I wanna be!

Word-Filled Wednesday - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice in the Lord always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

For more "Word-Filled Wednesday" posts visit The 160 Acre Woods.

Picture courtesy of www.christianphotos.net

How Do You Develop Good Spiritual Growth Habits?

7 steps for developing good spiritual growth habits --

Step 1: Must have a DESIRE

Step 2: Must make a DESCISION
"If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done." Ecclesiastes 4:11

Step 3: Must make a DECLARATION
"Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them." Psalms 76:11

Step 4: Must have DETERMINATION
It take 7 to 21 repetitions to learn something new.
It take 3 weeks to become comfortable with a new habit.
It take 3 to 4 more weeks (doing it daily) for it to become part of your life.

Step 5: Just DO IT!

Step 6: DOUBLE UP with others
"Two are better off than one, because together they can work more effectively. If one of them falls down, the other can help him up." Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Step 7: You must DEPEND ON GOD
"For the Spirit of God has given us... fills us with power, love, and self-control." 2 Timothy 1:7

A simple prayer that might help? First, pray "God I can't do this by myself." Second, acknowledge that God can do it. Third, pray "God, I'm going to let you."

The Habit of Studying God's Word

Webster's New World Dictionary defines a habit as "a thing done often and, hence, easily; a usual way of doing".

The American Heritage Dictionary defines a habit as "a constant, often unconscious inclination to perform an act, acquired through its frequent repetition".

Merriam Webster's online dictionary offers this definition for habit: "an acquired mode of behavior that has become nearly or completely involuntary".

Do any of these definitions describe the way in which you approach studying God's Word? Do they describe the way in which you approach prayer time?


As I mentioned last week, my husband and I recently attended a study at our church that addressed spiritual growth habits. As we began the study the above definitions and questions were posed to us. I must admit... I don't always approach my study time or my prayer time in the way I would if it was a habit. This study gave me so much to think about and re-evaluate in my own life.

As I review this study and apply it to my own life, I'll continue to share more of what we discussed. I pray they will have application in your life, as well.

Friday Facts - Noah

I'm going to change up the format of my Friday posts a bit in the weeks to come, but I'm still going to share various little "fun facts" regarding scriptures, Bible personalities, etc. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoy finding all this information and learning it myself.


Last week's question....

Where did the ark come to rest?

Genesis 8:4 says, "And in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat."

A few more facts about Noah that I found....

* It was after Noah had reached 500 hundred years of age when his sons, Sem, Cham, and Japheth were born to him.
* Noah lived 350 years after the flood and died at the age of 950.

Happy 4th of July

Thankful Thursday

This week I am thankful for grandfathers. I have been blessed with two very special grandfathers, both of whom passed on to be with the Lord several years ago.

I have written in the past of my Grandpa B. and how he was such a blessing in my life. I am so very thankful for him, but the 4th of July always will bring special memories of my Grandpa S.

I have many wonderful memories of him, but my favorite is our 4th of July celebrations. Since Grandpa was a dairy farmer, he and Grandma lived on a farm. Every 4th of July until I was in junior high was spent at their house (at that time my grandparents sold the farm, bought an RV and traveled the country for the next 10 years or so). We would all get up the morning of the 4th and Grandpa would take all us kids shopping for fireworks. We made a big production of it and spent the whole day anticipating the wonderful picnic we would have out in the front yard, lots of yummy watermelon to go around, and then ending the night with the fireworks that we had purchased earlier in the day. Truly a special family day together!

When Grandpa passed away a few years ago, my Dad gave the eulogy at his funeral. As he prepared what he would share, he contacted myself, my sisters and each of our cousins asking us for any special memories we had as he wanted to incorporate a few into the eulogy. While we all had several different memories, there was one that we all had in common.... the 4th of July celebrations.

This weekend as I spend special time with my husband and children, along with my parents, I will be remembering Grandpa and I will be thanking God for this special man that he placed in my life!

Word-Filled Wednesday - Romans 8:32

For more "Word-Filled Wednesday" posts visit The 160 Acre Woods.

Picture courtesy of www.christianphotos.net