Lent

I attend a women's bible study on Tuesday's night's. And last night they had a list out for things to give up for Lent. I thought it was a pretty good list. And I thought I would share it.

1. Give up bitterness; turn to forgiveness
2. Give up hatred; return good for evil
3. Give up negativism; be positive
4. Give up complaining; be grateful
5. Give up pessimism; be an optimist
6. Give up harsh judgements; think kindly thoughts
7. Give up discouragement; be full of Hope
8. Give up anger; be more patient
9. Give up pettiness; be more easy going
10. Give up gloom; enjoy the beauty around you
11. Give up jealousy; pray for trust
12. Give up gossiping; control your thoughts and words
13. Give up sin; turn to virtue

Night before last I was praying. I was writing my prayer's down in my prayer journal. Lately I have been having trouble finding words to praise God with. In my prayer journal it has tabs for praise, admit and confessing sins, your requests, thanksgiving, listening, messages, old and new testament scriptures that speak to you and a place for proverbs. It is a great prayer book. It keeps me on track.  Anyway, so the last few day I have been going to the Psalms for words to praise God with. And I try to find the words that really describe how I am feeling at the time. I have a copy of The Message Bible. I love how the message puts the scriptures. So night before last night my eyes fell upon Psalm 119:65-80.

65-72 Be good to your servant, God;
be as good as your Word.
Train me in good common sense;
I'm thoroughly committed to living your way.
Before I learned to answer you, I wandered all over the place,
but now I'm in step with your Word.
You are good, and the source of good;
train me in your goodness.
The godless spread lies about me,
but I focus my attention on what you are saying;
They're bland as a bucket of lard,
while I dance to the tune of your revelation.
My troubles turned out all for the best—
they forced me to learn from your textbook.
Truth from your mouth means more to me
than striking it rich in a gold mine.
73-80 With your very own hands you formed me;

now breathe your wisdom over me so I can understand you.

When they see me waiting, expecting your Word,

those who fear you will take heart and be glad.

I can see now, God, that your decisions are right;

your testing has taught me what's true and right.

Oh, love me—and right now!—hold me tight!

just the way you promised.
Now comfort me so I can live, really live;
your revelation is the tune I dance to.
Let the fast-talking tricksters be exposed as frauds;
they tried to sell me a bill of goods,
but I kept my mind fixed on your counsel.
Let those who fear you turn to me
for evidence of your wise guidance.
And let me live whole and holy, soul and body,
so I can always walk with my head held high.

What it said really spoke to me. And yesterday I was reading my Magnificat. When I came to the reading in Psalms it was the same Psalm I had prayed the night before. In the Magnificat the reading was Psalm 119:67,68,71,72,75,76.

67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I hold to your promise.
68 You are good and bountiful; teach me your statutes.
71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn your statutes.
72 The law of your mouth is to me more precious than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
75 I know, O Lord, that your ordinances are just, and in your faithfulness you have afflicted me.
76 Let your kindness comfort me according to your promise to you servants.

I had to read it again to make sure I was reading this correctly. I could not believe I was reading the same thing I had prayed the night before. God is so good. What I thought was my own thoughts was actually the Holy Spirit guiding me to this scripture. God knew that this would be my devotional reading the next day. And He wanted to speak somthing to me. It spoke volumes to me. It spoke to me because I have been though so much with my back injury in 2005, my recent heart procedure, my foot surgery, and I have dealt with migraines for about 12 years. All these afflictions have caused me to seek God. After the back injury is when I really started seeking after God. Had it not been for all these afflictions I am not sure I would have sought after God the way I have the past five years. So I know God is trying to tell me something with these scriptures. God simply amazes me. And I love Him so much. He amazes me with how much He loves me. And how much He desires a relationship with me. God knows our hearts and He knows what we pray. He knows everything about us. He knows us better than we know ourselves.

A couple of weeks ago I had a procedure done on my heart for a arrhythmia. By the Grace of God the doctor found nothing wrong with my heart and I was able to stop the medication that I was on. I also feel God is really telling me to start an exercise program. More that just walking. I have to strengthen my heart so I don't end up in this situation again. So I am planning on joining curves on February first. But this is my testimony as tho what God had done in my life the day of the procedure.

Well I have to give all the Glory to God about my procedure. I had been praying a lot about this. After trying several medications that I really did not want to be on I decided to have this EP study done on my heart. Hoping that I could come off of the medication I was on. The night before the procedure I was praying and reading my bible. I was wanting to hear from God about the procedure. I was flipping through my bible when my eyes fell on Zephaniah 3:15 "The Lord has stopped your punishment; he has removed all your enemies. The Lord, the king of Israel is with you; there is no reason now to be afraid." So I meditated on this scripture. I also read Psalm 121 which God had given me before I went on all my mission trips. When I went to bed I just knew that God was with me. The morning of the procedure I went to read my devotionals that I get in my email. One from "Our Daily Bread" and the other from "The Upper Room." Both devotionals were on having second chances in life. The one from our daily bread was about the plane that went down in the Hudson river last year. I did not realize the January 15Th was the anniversary date of that plane landing in the water. It was about how they thought that they were going to die but instead got a second chance to live. And that God's mercies are new every morning. The other devotional was about how Jesus gave the criminal on the cross a second chance that he would be in paradise with Him that day. It also talked about how God gave David a second chance. And people that are in prisons can have a second chance. And all the other people in the bible that God gave second chances too. The bible is filled with people that God gave second chances too.

I just felt God was telling me that I was getting a second chance. That my heart would be healed. I also read in one more devotional ( I know I read a lot of devotionals) anyway it was in "Come away my Beloved" Part of it said "Love Me with your whole Heart. I am the Lord, your God. I have saved you and healed you, and you have much for which to praise Me. Never cease to keep a spirit of overflowing gratitude."

So after reading all these it was time to go the hospital. They hooked me up to everything. The doctor came in to say "hi" before the procedure. Of course he did not seem worried at all. He had his breakfast in his hand in a little bag and a big smile on his face. Then the Anesthesiologist came in and started to tell me how long the procedure would take. She said that I would probably be back there anywhere from three to five hours for the procedure. And She was telling me about how many catheters they would be putting in me. And that he was planning on having to cross the septum in the heart and that would take longer. It was the left side of my heart that was affected. And that I would almost defiantly have to spend the night. I have to admit that was the only moment I got a little worried. For a split second I got a little scared. I was thinking this sounds way more involved than what I had realized. Then Doug came in the room and I was telling him all what she had told me. At that point I did start to get a little choked up. But then I was okay after a moment or two. Then they came to take me back. They started putting on all these pads all over me that was very cold. And it already freezing in the room. Then they gave me the sedation. I don't remember a thing. I think the procedure lasted about two hours. The doctor went to go talk to Doug after it was over. The doctor could not find anything wrong. Nothing to cauterize in the heart. And they did not have to do all that they thought at first. That is why the procedure did not take as long. And I was able to go home that evening. Thanks be to God! The doctor told me to stop the medicine. I had been off it since the day before the procedure. So I have been off of my medication and I don't believe that I will be needing it. I do believe that God had healed my heart. That He was in the midst working everything out for me.

Now I had tried to schedule this procedure for sooner dates before the 15Th. But I could not do so. I believe God planned it this way so I would read those devotionals about getting a second chance.

So now I have to keep my part of the bargain and take better care of my heart by exercising more. So my heart will become stronger. And I know that God has been telling me exercise more. But now I don't think I have a choice. Our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit and God wants us to take care of them.

The devotional the day after the procedure I read in "Come away my Beloved" part of of it said " Be obedient to My command that you rejoice in the Lord always. Because I must become your one true source of life and joy. I allow the difficult circumstances to come. Through them, I test your love for Me"

So thank you for all of your prayers for me. This was a big deal for me to go through. By His strips we are healed! "And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death." Revelation 12:11

What an awesome God we have!

I am off and running to possess the promises God has promised me! It's a New Year!

After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' assistant, saying, "My servant Moses is dead. Now proceed to cross the Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the Israelites. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, as I promised to Moses. From the wilderness and the Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, to the Great Sea in the west shall be your territory. No one shall be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous; for you shall put this people in possession of the land that I swore to their ancestors to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to act in accordance with all the law that my servant Moses commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may be successful wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful. I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
-Joshua 1:1-9 (NRSV)

God can make things New again

God gave me this scripture today. I think it is an awesome scripture for the New Year Isaiah 43:14-21. God gave me this scripture twice in the last two days. And the prayer focus for the devotional that it came from was for missionaries. So it really spoke to me because I have been on three trips to the Dominican Republic since 2007. And going to the Dominican Republic was for me an act of faith. That God was telling me to go. All I heard was His still small voice that said "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Isaiah 30:21

God is in the business of making things new again if you will let Him. He will give you knew hopes and new dreams. That is what He did for me. Never did I think I would go to the Dominican Republic. He gave me a heart for these people. And I love going there. God gave me a new life once I surrendered everything to Him.

Isaiah 43:14-21

¹⁴ This is what the LORD says-

your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:

"For your sake I will send to Babylon
and bring down as fugitives all the Babylonians,
in the ships in which they took pride.

¹⁵ I am the LORD, your Holy One,
Israel's Creator, your King."

¹⁶ This is what the LORD says—
he who made a way through the sea,
a path through the mighty waters,

¹⁷ who drew out the chariots and horses,
the army and reinforcements together,
and they lay there, never to rise again,
extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:

¹⁸ "Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.

¹⁹ See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland.

²⁰ The wild animals honor me,
the jackals and the owls,
because I provide water in the desert
and streams in the wasteland,
to give drink to my people, my chosen,

²¹ the people I formed for myself
that they may proclaim my praise.

Can you see the Glory of God?

Psalm 19

¹ The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

² Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.

³ There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.

⁴ Their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,

⁵ which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

⁶ It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is hidden from its heat.

Picture taken in Germany

Chris Tomlin- Fire Fall Down

I also love this song as well and it really touches me when I hear it.

Hillsong-Sing

I really love this song by Hillsong. I have posted it before but I feel like posting it again. It just really sums up how I am feeling and how wonderful our God truly is. God found me weakness and I was broken but now I can sing! How amazing is His love. I have been through a lot in the last two years but God has shown me that His love is deeper than any trial I have had. I am truly overflowing with His love. And so now I sing to Him!

Steve Harvey Introduces Christ

I thought this was Awesome!

Garfield

I thought this was really cute. Have you ever had a day like this?

My Sister's Fudge

I am making this fudge for gifts this year. This is my sister's recipe. This is the best fudge I have ever had. It melts in your mouth. I like it without the nuts. Enjoy!

1 lb powdered sugar

½ cup cocoa (I used nestle's cocoa)

¼ tsp salt

¼ cup evaporated milk

½ cup butter (1 stick) (I used unsalted real butter not margarine)

1 tbsp vanilla (I like the imitation vanilla better than pure vanilla)

1 cup chopped nuts (optional) I like mine without

Combine sugar, cocoa, salt, and milk in a microwavable bowl. Stir together and place the butter on top. Place in the microwave on high for 2 minutes(I had to do 4 minutes until the butter melted). Stir together add vanilla and nuts stir again(it will be somewhat stiff). Spread on wax paper and chill in the refrigerator for one hour or freezer. Cut into squares.

The Star of Bethlehem

Well I have not blogged in a while. I guess I have been doing some real soul searching lately. And I have to say that in the last couple of weeks I have found God in a way I never really have known. His peace really does surpass human understanding. While doing all this soul searching we recently watched a movie called The Star. It is the most amazing story I have ever heard about the Bethlehem Star. And how God used this man to find out what he did about the Star is absolutely amazing. Please if you can go buy this movie/documentary. You will be so blessed by it. It is truly amazing what Christ did for us on the cross and God's love is truly indescribable. This a the perfect movie to watch this month. You can go to www.bethlehemstar.net to read more.

Part The Waters/ I Need Thee Every Hour-Selah

When I think I'm going under, part the waters, Lord When I feel the waves around me, calm the sea When I cry for help, oh, hear me Lord and hold out Your hand Touch my life Still the raging storm in me I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord No tender voice like Thine can peace afford I need Thee, O I need Thee Every hour I need Thee O bless me now, my Savior I come to Thee I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain Come quickly and abide, or life is vain

Well things have been a little hectic lately to say the least. When it rains it pours it seems. So I have this CD of Selah and this song seemed to be the perfect song and a good prayer for me to pray for the storms that are going on around me.

Dominican Mission Trip

Sorry this has taken me so long to write. I have had so much to do since I have been back. Anyway, it was a wonderful trip. We only had one delay going there in Miami. It was a five hour delay. Which caused us to get into the Dominican at midnight then we had another hour drive to the church. We finally get to the church and unload our luggage and finally get to have some rest. But by the time we got there I can't say that I really slept. Basically I just rested till morning. I did not get any real sleep the whole time I was there. The next morning we head down for breakfast. It was great. I love the Dominican coffee. Then we go to church service which was awesome. The moment I seen all the children I just began to cry just because I knew I was suppose to be there at that moment in time. God had brought me on this trip for a reason and I felt it the whole time I was there. The church service was great. Two little girls that sat beside me kept wanting to play with my hair. It was also Father's Day there and all the Fathers in the church sang for everyone. Everything was in Spanish but I could understand what was going on. Then after church we went to lunch. We had a great Dominican lunch at the church. Then we had a camp meeting. That is when we found out what group of children we would be with. And also met the leaders that would be with us. I really enjoyed getting to meet the people there.
The next morning we head off for camp. We had three charted buses waiting on us. There were 210 children going to camp. It was a two hour bus ride to the camp in a somewhat rural area. It was a beautiful drive there. As soon as we get there we head for the church for the camp meeting then lunch. At the camp they had church twice a day with Bible study in between and also time for playing games. I was the nurse there for all these children. Just a lot of stubbed toes, scraps, upset stomach, and bug bites. And we also had several of our people to get sick with some kind of bug. That was not fun having everyone so sick there. A lot of these children there just needed someone to love them. I had a lot of children coming back to me over and over again for the same things. They really just needed someone to be there for them. The pic's below are at the orphanage.

After three days at camp we went to an orphanage. This women and her husband have forty children there. They have all been abused in some form. The moment I walked in I just started to weep. I was overwhelmed. The woman Jackie said she wanted the children that no one wanted. Her testimony is really something to hear. She just depends on God to supply all of their needs there. We had brought lots of supplies there for them. A few weeks before I went on this trip I was given a verse. Psalm 121 which says:

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?

2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;

4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;

8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forever.

My friend had given me a blessing ring on my birthday with this verse on it. I noticed the verse right away because I had been worried about traveling by myself. At first I was the only one going from where I live. Then later on that day my husband told me that my friend Ellen was also going to be going (he works at the church with her son that is how he knew before me). I was so excited to hear that. I was worried about all the traveling by myself with my back injury. I just felt God was hearing my prayer's. Then later on one more girl was able to come on the trip from here also. Anyway, that Psalm was also my Bible reading three days prior to me getting the blessing ring. I just knew God was watching out for me. Well shortly after we walked in the orphanage a four year old boy stood up and recited Psalm 121. I just started to cry. I was overwhelmed. I knew I was suppose to be there and God really let me know that. I did not know what to think. I mean why would he recite that particular verse? Only God could of known that. I have never really experienced anything like that before. We only had a short time at the orphanage but I left so changed. The faces of those children changed me. And my friend was video recording all of this at the orphanage and I have been watching the video over and over. I am so glad to have that four year old boy reciting that verse on video.

After the orphanage we all headed to a small resort close to the airport for some rest. Some much needed rest I might say. This was a wonderful resort and we really got to bond with some of the people we went there with. I met amazing people on this trip. Such wonderful people that love God. I just felt God's love for me the whole trip. The Pastor and his wife of the Church also joined us at the resort. Well God was not done with me at the resort either. I love taking pictures of the sunrise and so the next morning I was awaken by the air conditioner dripping on me like a river. The top of my bed was all wet. I thought I had over slept and missed the sunrise. So I jumped up quickly put my clothes on and grabbed my camera. I headed to the beach. There were a few other people already out there from our group. Anyway, I had not missed the sunrise. Just a few minutes went by and the sun started to rise. Well I had turned and looked to my right and what I saw I could not believe. I seen an Angel in the sky. I told the other person with me "look there is an Angel in the sky" I could not take my eyes off of the Angel. The Angel was there for about thirty minutes. She also had a cross in the the middle of her. I have never seen anything like it my life. So what a wonderful ending to a awesome trip.

I know that God is calling me into Foreign missions. It was that still small voice that told me to go on this trip. God is so wonderful and He is very real. I really felt His realness on this trip and it was unlike any other feeling I have ever felt before in my Christian life.

Back from mission trip

I am still working on my post about my mission trip and my pictures. It is just taking me a while. But I should have it posted soon.

Our Day at the Beach

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;I will counsel you and watch over you. Psalm 32:8

I found this sermon by Pastor David Dykes of Green Acres Baptist Church on another website and it was just so powerful to me about how God will answer prayer and it is all in his timing. I can look back in my life and see how God was working in my life and answering prayer's for me. Even when I thought He was nowhere in sight.

There was a South American lady who had become a believer in God and every year on her birthday, she would tell God that she believes in Him, but asked that He would send someone to her to tell her of His works. This went on for many years, and no one ever showed up. She had now become quite elderly, but she had maintained her faith over the years. On this birthday, there came a knock at her door. When she opened the door, a young gentleman stood there, and he introduced himself as a missionary who had just moved into the country from the United States. He asked her if she had time for him to discuss God with her. She became very excited, and exclaimed to him what a miracle he was, because she had been praying for 30 years that God would send someone to her doorstep, and there he stood on her birthday. The gentleman replied in almost disbelief. "This is a miracle. Today is my birthday, and I just turned 30." The very year she prayed for the first time, God had put his plan into action.

Where my Faith comes from

I have not blogged in a while. I guess I have really not been in the blogging mood lately. I have been working a lot and just been tired. I have four days off this weekend. So I have caught up on some much needed rest. And it has rained here all weekend. Good sleeping weather. I really have not minded the rainy weather this weekend. It actually been kinda nice. I enjoy the rain sometimes. Anyway this is something I had wanted to do a post on for a while just have not got around to it.

This is a picture of my great grandfather holding his Bible. He was a circuit preacher. He would ride from town to town on his horse and preach at different churches. This is where my faith comes from. It was instilled in me by my grandparents and my Mom. I am so glad that my grandparents had faith in God which was passed down from my great grandfather. My grandmother would always ask us if we were in church every time we went to visit. And it just always stuck with me. And whenever I have children I plan on instilling that faith in God just like my grandparents and my Mom did with me. It is just awesome to think that my great grandfather way back in the late 1800's was able to affect my life today. I wish I could of known him.

I got this meme from my friend Susanne and so I thought I would be brave and do this also.

1. What book are you currently reading or have just finished reading?

I am currently reading Angels living with us by Marie Chapian. I bought this book because I wanted to know more about Angels. And this book seemed to jump out at me at the Christian book store and it seemed to be biblically based. I had an experience a couple of months ago that just kinda made me want to know more about Angels.


2. If money were no object, where would you live and what would you be doing?

I would either like to live in Italy or in the Austrian Mountains. I would love to live in Rome. When we went there it was just so awesome and Rome is full of history. I really love the fact that there are no fast food places and at all the places to eat there everything is fresh. You can get on a train and go to another city quite easily. I found travel very easy in Italy. I love all the cobble stone roads and outside cafes to eat at. Something just happened to me while I was there. That was my first time outside of the U.S. and I loved everything I experienced there. I would also not mind backpacking through Europe.
When we went to Austria this past October I fell in love with the Austrian mountain side. There were mountains and valley's with towns tucked in the valley's. And rivers and beautiful trees. I would love to have a little German house in one of those towns. I have never seen mountains like I seen in Austria. There are no words to describe them.


3. Some people crave chocolate or coffee, what do you keep stashed for when the urge strikes?

I love Dove dark chocolate. I could eat the whole package. I keep a stash at work. I also have a love of coffee. But I tend to like it only when I am away from home. I hardly drink coffee here. But if we are traveling or out to eat I love to drink it. I like it with lots of cream and sugar of course.


4. What is your idea of how to spend the perfect day?

Sleeping in. I am not a morning person. I love to sleep in. And when I do wake up in the morning I just like to lay in bed with my cats and watch Good Morning America or any of the morning shows. Just be lazy. Read. Relax. Spend time with God. Read my Bible. Pray.


5. What spurred you into starting a blog way back when?

Well the first time I even heard of a blog is when my friend Kirby had a link to his blog at the bottom of his email. And during that time last year God had really started working in my life and I just felt I had a lot to say and to share about life. So that is how I got started. I was intrigued that there was this whole little world of bloggers out there sharing stories from their lives. I also have a love of pictures. Especially Black and White pictures. So This has been a good place for me to share my pictures. I love photography. And I have been so blessed by all my blogging friends.