I am so excited that we are beginning our 'Grace Study' in the Book of John. We will discover how to experience Gladness in Jesus as the glory of Jesus dwells in YOU! Yes, YOU! And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 The book of John differs from the other gospels because instead of focusing on what Jesus taught, it spotlights who Jesus is. Backdrop to the Book of John Although the book of John was written anonymously, it is thought to have been written by John, a disciple … [Read more...]
5 Habits to Be a Warrior Woman in the New Year
At the end of each year, I am in the habit of reflecting over the past 12 months as I prepare to thoughtfully and prayerfully enter the new year. How do you enter the new year? Do you thoughtlessly party-away the last hours and minutes as time counts backward into the year ahead? Each moment in your life is a very serious matter that you will one day have to give an account to God as to how you lived. As we enter a brand new year, I want to inspire you to embrace 5 grace-filled habits as a warrior-woman of God. These habits will equip you to rise above the hard and difficult and to … [Read more...]
Gladness in Jesus Bible Study of the Book of John
I am so excited to introduce the 'Gladness in Jesus' Bible study of the Book of John! I hope you will join me in this grace study over the next few weeks. We are about to begin our study of John and I will be joining up with Good Morning Girls and Courtney Joseph. The good thing is that although I will be sharing two FREE resources, you will also have additional resources which are available through Good Morning Girls (GMG). Although GMG might be new to you, it is not new to me. I have been blogging for over seven years and have done most of the Bible studies that Courtney has made … [Read more...]
4 Strategies to Try when Your Marriage Hurts
If your marriage hurts, don't give up without trying these 4 strategies. We live in a culture where marriages are falling apart all around us and it is easy to give up. You might be at the point where your husband no longer seems attractive to you. Whatever hurts have happened, it is worth your effort to strengthen your marriage to grow into what God intended it to be. Wedding-Dreams of Little Girls Little girls grow up with dreams of getting married and some get married fairly young while others wait until their mid-twenties or even thirties. They dream of their wedding day with a … [Read more...]
My Morning + Quiet Time Routine
Your morning routine is so important as it sets the tone for your day. If you Google morning routine, you will come up with all sorts of thoughts and lists that might not fit into the reality of your morning. My purpose of having a morning routine is so I will be intentional in my daily Bible reading time with Jesus. I can probably guess that is what you'd like too! The thing is that even with the best ever Morning Routine, without spending time with Jesus, you might as well throw in the towel! Even if your day runs smoothly and you are successful in whatever you do in life, … [Read more...]
Creative time with Jesus through Bible Journaling
How to be creative in your Quiet Time with Jesus through Bible Journaling You might be the woman who thinks you have no creative gene in your body! Think again! Most of us who are sharing our 'artwork' over at our Jesus Journaling Facebook group had not drawn so much as a stick figure since we were in elementary school!! Truth! So, pull up a kitchen chair and grab a cup of mocha and let's sit down for a chat about Bible journaling. Yes! You can do this! Remember. It doesn't matter whether you went to art school or not. All that matters is that you love Jesus and want to have … [Read more...]
Why Choose a Hyphenated One-Word for the New Year
It's the New Year and for days I have been writing down thoughts from my Quiet Time as the Lord prepares my heart for the year ahead. Since 2013, I have chosen One Word instead of the list of resolutions that I used to make and promptly forgot. Choosing just One Word has been easier to remember and it holds so much more meaning in my life as the new year unfolds. Last Year I Chose a Hyphenated Word I absolutely LOVE hyphenated word-phrases and so last year I chose praise-giving to be my One Word for the year. In a way, I guess it is two words but completely expressed what the Lord … [Read more...]
Why I Chose “Praise-Giving” as My One Word for the New Year
We all love the concept of choosing just one word instead of a long list of resolutions. This past year I chose a hyphenated phrase that takes a noun and a verb, combining them into a word that describes the direction, I think the Lord will be taking me. For years I have spent time with the Lord on New Year's Eve with my Bible and a notebook. Then in the days and weeks that follow, I study out the word, look up related Scriptures, and meditate on ways that word is relevant to my life. I am amazed at how the Lord intertwines my life with Him as I am made a little more into His image … [Read more...]
Ditch Your New Year’s Resolutions and Choose ONE WORD
Do you make New Year resolutions and never keep them? Ditch the resolutions and choose One Word that will help draw closer to Jesus in 2019. This year I am choosing One Word to help me draw closer to Jesus. I ditched making resolutions because year after year I experienced little growth and change in my life. It was easy to forget what I resolved to do within days. I have loved choosing One Word that reflects the direction of God in my life. Something about ending a year and bringing in a new one causes me to reflect on the past and turn my focus on the future. God placed something … [Read more...]
Home For Christmas: A Miracle Home Going
I shall never forget the look on her face as she smiled and waved good-bye. She was leaving us, but she would be home for Christmas. Christmas was always her favorite time of the year. So it was that in November, some three years before, when the doctor had informed her of her need for surgery because of a "mass." She decided to wait until after Christmas, convinced that it was just a benign growth. Then came the dreaded news. It was cancer. The chemotherapy, surgeries, treatments, good days and bad days, ups and downs of the next three years blended together, bringing us to this Christmas … [Read more...]
Hymn Story: Glory to the Newborn King by Paul Rausch
In Loving Memory of Paul A. Rausch : July 7, 1931-September 21, 2013 Brother Paul Rausch was the band director at our church for almost eight years. He was blessed with an incredible amount of energy and love for the Lord that is uncommon in our day. This testimony was shared at his home-going memorial service just four years ago. Mr. Rausch encouraged each band member to pray before playing their brass instruments and use our ability and talent to the glory of God. We all miss him dearly. Even before I was saved, Christmas always held a very special place in my heart! Each year as the … [Read more...]
Giving the Powerful Gift of Words this Christmas
Words can be the most powerful gift we give this Christmas and yet, their importance is often forgotten. You might be rushing around like a caffeinated version of Martha trying to get all your gifts purchased without overspending. Yet, once you discover the value of words, you might spend less time stressing over what to buy and more time finding how to give your words as a gift this year. Have you noticed that you don't get as many Christmas cards and letters as you once did? You might not even send cards out anymore. I must admit that my friends never got a card or letter from me … [Read more...]
Irresistible Chocolate Truffle Christmas Tree
I love baking cookies but hands down my chocolate fudge Christmas tree filled with truffles and chocolate kisses is by far a favorite at Christmas!! The best part is licking the bowl and better yet is that my oldest son always wanted me to make one just for him. In 1984, I bought a Woman's Day|Super Special magazine titled "Great Holiday Baking, Cookies! Now, I know that some of you can't remember 1984 because either you were just born or not even born!! Some of us remember the 80's like it was yesterday because you see, our life is like a vapor. As wonderful and innovative as Pinterest is, … [Read more...]
How To Quiet Your Heart This Christmas
Christmas is just around the corner! Even if you have tried your best to slow down this year, it is just not possible and your heart is racing from the time you get out of bed in the morning. What I am going to show you is how to quiet your heart even if it is only for 15 minutes before your day gets going. Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. 1 Peter 3:3-4 As women, we … [Read more...]
How to Beat Your Struggle for Self-Control this Christmas
The struggle with self-control is real once the Christmas programs and parties start happening. My struggle is with eating too much chocolate as I make cookies. Maybe yours is with overeating, overspending, that extra Netflix or too much time on Facebook. Oh my, but the struggle is real! So many health issues can result from eating too much food or chocolate but that is not really what this is about. I was baking those yummy oatmeal kiss cookies for our church Christmas program the other day. After indulging in what seemed like half the Hershey Kisses in the bag, I could feel the … [Read more...]