Day 16

16 - I am thankful for my warm home.  I am truly a southern girl at heart.  I was born in NY state and lived in PA until I was 9 when we moved to FL then I lived in PA for 2 years then back to FL.  So that means I lived in the South longer than the North therefore making me Southern!  I still struggle with the cold and snow.  It is suppose to snow tonight so I am VERY thankful for my warm home and comfy slippers.  I know God made the seasons and has us in MI for a reason, but it is COLD!!
Have a great Friday!!

Day 15

15 - I am thankful for Godly friends.  We had the opportunity to go to a sweet family's home for supper.  What a blessing to have a great meal, but also WONDERFUL fellowship.  They were loving and encouraging.  God's family is so big and I am thankful to be part of it.  Thank a friend today for being there for you.

Day 14

14 - I am thankful for the comfort of prayer.  When we feel down and defeated, we can still pray and be encouraged by God.  Thankfully he doesn't give us a limited number of minutes or prayers.  God hears every cry and every prayer.  It is the greatest comfort.  It amazes me how much better I feel after talking to my best friend - the Lord.
I love music and God has used music in my life MANY times to comfort.  I am thankful for the words God has given writers.  Here is another.

Day 13

13 - I am thankful for Blessings.  When we first think of that word, probably wonderful things come to mind.  The things we think of as blessing - family, home, security, friends, and many other things.  During our biggest trials/struggles of life we may think God has forgotten about us.  Yet he promises us in His Word that he won't.  Our flesh often forgets and dwells on the negatives. During the storm I am going through right now, I have had my days that I struggle with seeing it as a good thing. I was reminded of a great song that sums this up perfectly.  I have added a link to it being sung at Lancaster Baptist Church in Lancaster, CA.  I great song done very well. I pray it is an encouragement to you as it has been to me.  I have to be reminded that the struggles always have a purpose.

Day 12

12-  I am thankful for 2nd birthdays.  I didn't share this yesterday because of Veterans Day. 
I had a birthday yesterday - I am 23 years old!!  Now before you start shaking your head and saying NO way you are MUCH older than that.  Let me explain, some of you may know what I am talking about.  I received Jesus as my Saviour on Nov. 11, 1988.  So yesterday was the birthday of the greatest thing in life - SALVATION!!!!  Having Jesus as my Lord and Saviour is the driving force of life.  With all the sadness and struggles of life there would be NO purpose with out knowing I will spend eternity with my Lord.  He guides and leads me daily and I want to live him and him alone. That assurance is what drives me to impact as many people as possible for Jesus Christ.
If you are reading this and have never accepted Christ as your Saviour, you need to do that today!!
Contact me and I will tell you how you can do that today.

11

11- Today I am thankful for all of our service men and women who have served and are serving to keep our nation free, and for those who have paid the price for freedom with their lives. Not only have they paid the ultimate sacrifice, but their families have paid a huge sacrifice. They live with that sacrifice everyday of their lives. We owe you a debt of gratitude. Thank a soldier today for your freedom. 

Day 9 & 10

Sorry for yet another day to have to double up.  We took a week off of school and took a much needed break to visit family in OH.  It was very refreshing but now we are trying to get back in routines.
I have had people say in recent days "Why post thankful things in November. We should always be thankful"  I could not agree more, but even though we should do something doesn't mean we always do it.  I am praying that the Lord will work in my heart to be more thankful and continue to share more after this month.
SO with that said here are 2 more.

9 -  I am thankful for God's provisions.  It is amazing to me how God always shows himself faithful when our faith seems to be wavering. It has been a struggle lately to remember to trust not worry about things.
Last night, the Lord provided us with an abundance of food supplies.  He placed it on the heart of some of His people and we were blessed. I was SO overwhelmed by His goodness to us.

10 - I am thankful for God's Word.  What a comfort it is to hear Him speak to us through His Word.  What a blessing to get into a good reading routine and it is always what I need for that day. If you do not have a good pattern for spending time with God in prayer and reading His Word, you need to do that today.  You are missing on a great blessing!!!

Day 7 & 8

We got home late and wasn't able to get my #7 thankful thing done so today I do 2.

Praise the Lord that I have been so blessed!!!

7 - I am so thankful for God's family!!!  We had the opportunity to attend a new church in OH near my in laws.  It had been recommended to us from a few friends. What a blessing that little church was to our family.  The messages were exactly what we needed and the friendly people were what my hurting heart needed.  One more blessing of being part of God's family.

8 - The power of prayer.  What a comfort to know that people are praying for you.  I have been so reassured and strengthened the past week by knowing I am being brought before God by sweet friends.  Pray for someone today!!  I have found that praying changes me more that the ones I pray for.

Where you thankful today?
A quote I saw today.  "It is not happy people that are thankful. It is thankful people that are happy."

Day 4 - 6

I am going to be away from internet access for a few days.  So I am going to do 3 days of thankfulness.

4- I am so thankful for my supportive parents.  They have always wanted God's will for me.  I am thankful for their prayers!  Even though it is hard for me to live so far away from them, they want us to do what God tells us.  I often wonder how my mom survived with 5 children when I feel like I won't with 3. 
My parents made many sacrifices to give us the best churches and education over the  years.  I know now as a parent that was not easy.  THANKS Mom and Dad.  Most of all, THANK YOU God for the parents you gave me.

5- I am thankful for my in laws.  I am SO thankful that I don't have a dreaded in law relationship.  Rather, God has given me wonderful in laws.  They pray for us and are supportive of us when we follow God's leading.  They have been there to help us in our time of need.  In recent days, they have helped us with our 3 boys to give my hubby and I few days alone. 

Words could not describe my true feelings about both sets of parents.  I just can't put it into words.

6- I am thankful for extended family.  I will go into more detail in days to come.  God has blessed us with wonderful siblings and their spouses.

God is good!!! All the time!!!!!

Have a super weekend!!! Remember to be thankful to the One who has given you all that you have.

Day 3

Each day I am thankful for my 3 sweet boys.  It is so sweet when they come walking up to me and out of the blue say "Mommy, I love you!" turn around and walk away.  Thrills my heart!!!!
I still remember a doctor telling us in 2001 that he saw now way that we would be able to have our own children. What a difficult time as we prayed for God to intervene by way of adoption or to preform a miracle.  There were some rough days, but God's grace carried us through.  Then July of 03 we found out we were expecting!!  God then blessed us with 2 more boys after that.  They keep me busy, but I love the joy of teaching them about the Lord and seeing them come to understand.
Our oldest 2 have accepted Christ as their Saviour and we pray that the youngest will come to know him soon.

What are you thankful for today?  Give God the glory for
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17

Thankfulness!!

Wow it has been a LONG time.  There have been many things going on and I did not have peace about blogging.  Now, I am back.
So November is here.  So hard to believe that we are already in the 11th month. Where has the year gone? When I think of November I think of being Thankful.
So, I will do my best to post something I am thankful for each day.

1 - I am thankful for my wonderful, Godly husband that God has given me.  I am so thankful that he seeks God's face for any decisions made for our family and any ministry God has blessed us to be in.  It is amazing to see God work in his life daily.  Doug strives daily to live as God wants.  What an honor for me to call myself his wife. 

2-(today is the 2nd) I am thankful for God being my strength in the midst of life's storms.  I am reading a book "An Excellent Spirit" by Dr. Jon M. Jenkins.  It is wonderful!!!  I will quote a section that fits storms perfectly.  I am thankful I don't face life alone but with God!
This part is from a section on being cheerful and having "Assuring Cheer"

"Maybe today you can't make sense of your storm. The good news is that you'll either make it through the storm or out of the storm.  One of these days when Heaven's grandstand is complete, and the canvas of time and eternity is unfurled, it will all make sense to us.  Remember this - the time we have our greatest opportunity to bring glory to God is in the times of suffering. It is when we are hurting, wounded, and bleeding that we need to keep our shouting, keep our praising, and keep our singing to our God.
Your heartache isn't an Accident; it's and Appointment.  God wants to prove to this world that His grace is sufficient.  What a privilege to be counted worthy to suffer for His name."

This portion has been such an encouragement to me in the past few days.  May God bless you from it too.

Looking forward to more thankfulness in days to come.

The race

I went to a funeral today of a sweet friend.  One I had not know nearly long enough, yet that choice was not up to me and how can we question God's amazing wisdom.  The greatest memory I have of this dear friend is a constant sweet smile.  Even the last time I saw her in the hospital struggling with the pain from cancer she was still smiling. 
Her smile was contagious.  I am sure you know people like that, you can't help but smile and be happy around them.  The love of God was SO bright in her life.  She even gave testimony of this at the beginning of her cancer battle, she was asked by someone in the hospital if she knew Jesus Christ as her Saviour - her peace was AMAZING.  She knew she was secure in the arms of Jesus no matter the outcome.  The last time we had a long visit together, we talked about this song the Inspirations sing.  I remember her saying that this was the song helping her to rest in God and His perfect will.

I'M A WINNER EITHER WAY

Verse One

A loved one knew he neared the end of life's journey

But he'd been holding to God's hand a long, long time

As I knelt beside his bed my heart was blessed by what he said,

"If I go or if I stay, victory's mine."

Chorus

I'm a winner either way

If I go or if I stay

Cause I'll still have Jesus with me

Each passing day

I'll have a healing here below

Or life forever if I go

Praise the Lord,

I'm a winner either way!

Verse Two

None of us really know about tomorrow

So we must prepare to go to Heaven any day

While we're here, just trust the Lord

He'll lead us there for our reward

By His grace, we'll be a winner either way!

Repeat Chorus

© Laura Lewis/Trina Curtis/Chestnut Mound Music/BMI

615-325-3872 Fax 325-8735 E-mail: lewisandlewisrus@aol.com

 The pastor gave a great message today, a clear plan of salvation as well as a challenge.
He said God had taken her home because she had finished the course God had for her.  Amy had such a heart to reach people for Christ.  She wanted to share God with everyone.  The challenge was are we really running the race, striving to finish the course as we really should.
These 2 passages help us to remember the purpose of our life in Christ.

Act 20:24  But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.


Thankfully though, God does not leave us sorrowing or hopeless.  There is hope of a future in Heaven with our loved one.  Praise the Lord for ALL His promises.

1Thessalonians 4:13-18   But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

I am so thankful to be comforted by these words.
So the challenge I have given myself and I give you.
Are you pressing toward the mark? Am I giving the Gospel of Christ as I have been called to do?

Separate or conformed?

I have SO many thoughts going through my head right now of what to write. 

Lately the Lord has really been working in our family, first personally with Doug and I, about living a separate life.  I have done several recent studies on the Holy Spirit.  One verse I keep coming back to is  Galatians 5:25  "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."    If we are filled with the Spirit and walk in the Spirit we will be different.  We will want to be different because we are of the Spirit.  John 3:6  "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."

We are in this world to shine a light and be different.  Matthew 5:16  "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. " 
If we live like the world how are we a shining light.

This concept is not a popular one even among Christians or even Independent Baptist like myself.   It is HARD to be separate.  I am not there by any stretch.  But I strive daily for this.  God commands us in  2Corinthians 6:17  "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you," So we are to be separate, different.  Also, stated in Romans 12:2  "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."  Conformed means made to resemble; reduced to a likeness of; made agreeable to; suited.   If we look like the world why would they want what we have if it doesn't look any different. It is very interesting the discussions I get into sometimes.  But lately it seems I am defending my more conservative standards to others. 
Sorry if I am sounding like I am ranting.  It is such a burden on my heart.  I have lived like the world and it got me NO WHERE.  I LOVE the blessings that God gives when we live only for Him.  I want others to experience those blessings.

So as I end my blog tonight I ponder.  Do I dress different?  Do I watch different things?  Do I listen to different things?  Do I respond different?  Do I really stand out as separate?
If I were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict me?

Long over due

I know it has been awhile since I have posted.  Things got busy finishing up school and now we are in the midst of a BUSY summer.  My husband is a Youth Pastor so we have many activities for the summer.  We are looking forward to a new opportunity next week.  We will be taking 5 teens to Hammond, IN to youth conference.   I am looking forward to hearing the messages from several men of God.  Then when we get back we have VBS.  Praying that many children will come.

I have been working on some posts to put on here but have not gotten all my thoughts gathered yet.  I will post them soon.

One of the things God has been teaching me is that I MUST find time for him.  How blessed it is when we put Him first place in our day and lives.  The Lord is doing some wonderful things in our family right now and we are excited about what he is doing.  I will share with you as soon as I am able to.  Please, pray that the Lord will keep working and we will be open to His leading.

Wait

WAIT 
What a hard answer that is to any of our prayers.  Yet, God does give us that answer often.  Even though it is hard, we can learn the most by this word.  I have had to wait for many things in life.  I was 27 when I got married - WOW am I ever thankful that I waited for the man God had for me.  My hubby is WONDERFUL!!!  We tried for 5 years before we had our first child.  Each of our boys are very special!!  Even though waiting was hard, I would NEVER go back and take the waiting away.  We learn SO much when we wait, and seek God for answers. 

Isaiah 30:18
And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.

The word for always gets me.  There are many verses that say "wait on the Lord", but this verse says "wait FOR" Him.  He truly has a purpose in our waiting.  Here is a great verse that given to me during our "waiting" years that meant and means a lot to me.  It puts waiting in perspective.

W  A  I  T

By Russell Kelfer

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried:

Quietly, patiently, lovingly, God replied.

I pled and wept for a clue to my fate . . .

And the Master so gently said, “Wait,”

“Wait? You say wait?” my indignant reply.

“Lord, I need answers.  I need to know why!

Is your hand shortened?  Or have you not heard?

By faith I have asked, and I’m claiming your Word.

My future and all to which I relate hangs in the balance,

And you tell me to Wait?

I’m needing a ‘yes,’ a go-ahead sign.

Or even a ‘no,’ to which I’ll resign.

You promised, dear Lord, that if we believe,

We need but to ask, and we shall receive.

Lord, I’ve been asking, and this is my cry:

I’m weary of asking!  I need a reply.”

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate,

As my Master replied again, “Wait.”

So I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut,

And grumbled to God, “So, I’m waiting . . . for what?”

He seemed then to kneel, and His eyes met with mine . . .

And He tenderly said, “I could give you a sign. 

I could shake the heavens and darken the sun.

I could raise the dead and cause mountains to run.

I could give all you seek and pleased you would be.

You’d have what you want, but you wouldn’t know Me.

You’d not know the depth of My love for each saint.

You’d not know the power that I give to the faint.

You’d not learn to see through clouds of despair;

You’d not learn to trust just by knowing I’m there.

You’d not know the joy of resting in Me

When darkness and silence are all you can see.

You’d never experience the fullness of love

When the peace of My Spirit descends like a dove. 

You would know that I give, and I save, for a start,

But you’d not know the depth of the beat of My heart.

The glow of My comfort late into the night,

The faith that I give when you walk without sight.

The depth that’s beyond getting just what you ask

From an infinite God who makes what you have last.

You’d never know should your pain quickly flee,

What it means that My grace is sufficient for thee.

Yes, your dearest dreams overnight would come true,

But oh, the loss, if you missed what I’m doing in you.

So, be silent, my child, and in time you will see

That the greatest of gifts is to truly know Me.

And though oft My answers seem terribly late,

My most precious answer all is still . . . Wait.”

I pray this has been a blessing to you.

A song to encourage

A friend shared this song on her blog and I decided to do the same.  I pray it is a blessing to you.

Verse for the battle

Each day we battle against the enemy.  The battles come in many forms.  Most days my battle is my own sin and weakness.  I so often live in the flesh rather than in the Spirit.  Some times we feel attacks from others.  No matter the battle we face the Lord has given us many weapons.  66 books to be exact.  I am SO thankful for God's Words to get me through the day.

The verse I needed today. The whole chapter really is wonderful.
Psalm 121:1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

Unanswered prayers?

I have heard this term many times in my life.  Unanswered prayers  But does God really leave them unanswered? Jeremiah 33:3  says "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."  That verse says "I will answer".  God gives us one of 3 answers to our prayers - yes, no, or wait.  Personally I really like the YES, the other two not so much. Just as when my children ask a question, they always want a yes answer, we are that way with God.  But he often knows that NO is a better answer for us.  The verse continues on to say "and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."   We many not always physically see the great and mighty things.  Through our 5 years of infertility we prayed and prayed not knowing why we had to wait for 5 years, but now with our 3 precious boys we see the great and mighty of their lives.  I still don't fully see the reason that we waited.  I do have confidence in knowing God was in control then and still is.  I have seen some of why in being able to help others going through the same thing.  I was talking to a friend yesterday and in a story she was telling me this came to mind.  She and her family live in a small apartment and they have been praying for awhile for a bigger place.  Just recently she thought for sure she had found it, and they began praying for God to allow them to purchase this home.  She said she was getting discouraged that God had left her prayer "unanswered" until she saw something yesterday.  They live in NW Ohio where there is often flooding, just a few years ago they lost just about everything in a flood.  Yesterday she drove by the house she was praying to be able to purchase.  She began to laugh as she saw it, it was completely flooded.  It was exciting to be able to see the why for God's NO answer.  He protected their family from being flooded again.  After we talked, I began thinking of the times in my life that God had put road blocks in my path to show me a NO answer and I knocked them down and plunged my way through.  When we do that, there are often bad outcomes.  I am praying that I will remember that sometimes the "great and mighty things" are often unseen and I need to trust in God's mighty hand and knowledge that NO is really best for me.

Milestones

     You may look at this picture and wonder what it is or you may think it is an odd picture to put on my blog. This picture represents a milestone in my life.  For the first time in 7 years I no longer have a changing table in my home.  This dresser/changing table combination was purchased for us by my parents before Spencer was born and he will be 7 next month.  The Lord has shown us that Trenton is to be our last and he is now potty trained so we don't need the changing pad any more - a bittersweet day. 
     As I thought about the fact that my children are growing up and I no longer have any babies in our home, it really got me thinking about our Christian life.  When we become a christian we are called babes in Christ  1Peter 2:2 says "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: "  When I looked this verse up the part that caught my attention was "that ye may grow".  We would be very concerned about our children if as a baby they didn't gain weight, grow, or develop properly.  But what about our spiritual "body"?  Am I really growing?  Do I desire to grow? Then I started thinking, how do I grow? A baby needs milk, and our milk is God's Word.  Reading and studying the Bible, and going to a Bible preaching church can all feed us.  At first as I thought about it, I thought oh yes I do all those things.  Then, I got to thinking am I eating more today than I did a year ago.  As a baby grows they go from just milk to mashed foods to solid foods.  Have I progressed in my "eating"?  Our church gets a monthly devotional book that is based on the King James Bible and it is a very good one, but lately I have caught myself just reading that small passage and story.  The Lord has convicted me to REALLY study more.  As we want our children to grow and keep growing, we also need to continue growing spiritually.  We would be concerned if suddenly our children lost some of the skills they have and regress.  Yet, as Christians we allow ourselves to regress.  I once heard a description of what it means to be a backslider. The pastor said "If you have ever been closer to God than you are today then you are backslidden."  I got to thinking about that last night and it really convicted my heart to get in His Word more and draw closer to Him than I was yesterday. 
     I think this blog is going be a mixture of my thoughts and what God is teaching me.  My prayer is that others will be encouraged by the things the Lord lays on my heart to write. 

My family

I would like you to meet my family.
The handsome man in the picture is my wonderful husband Doug.  We have been married almost 12 years.  The Lord gave me the perfect man for me.  He drives school bus, but his true devotion is to his position as Associate/Youth Pastor in our church.   It is exciting to be married to a man who has committed to serve God with his whole heart.
The 3 little men in my life are very precious.  Spencer is the oldest, followed by Raymond, and Trenton.
Spencer is almost 7 and is my 1st grader.  It is such a joy to watch him learn each day.  The greatest joy lately has been his success with Arithmetic.  He was struggling and seems to be getting it now.  He is also growing daily in the Lord and that is the truest joy we can have.
Raymond is 4 and will be in Kindergarten next year.  We have been learning our letters and numbers this year and next year we will jump into school. He has such a sweet loving spirit. He is my hugger.  At church, everyone knows that he will give them a hug.
Trenton is 2 and FULL of energy.  He keeps me busy trying to keep him out of mischief.  He has a funny personality and keeps us laughing.  I am sure I will share many stories of him getting into things.

I have the joy of taking care of these 4 men.  I stay home and take care of them and homeschool our boys.  I have many hobbies and things I enjoy to do.  I am sure I will share many things in the days to come.