just be REAL

God never ceases to amaze me at how He  is always at work in my life. It doesn't matter where He has me in my bible reading and study, He always has an experience waiting on me to reinforce what He is teaching me in His Word. His Word is timeless and His Word is ageless. Oh, how I love the Holy Scriptures. They are life to me.

As my sweet Lord has me deep in the pages of James at this time in my scripture study, I have been experiencing the truth written in the book like never before. The wonderful book of James is full of power. It is straight forward in its writing as to how we as believers should be living our life. It's about our Faith having action. It's about making sure that when we say we desire to minister to others that we truly minister in deed and not just in words. 

My husband I were blessed this past weekend to provide housing for 6 beautiful women from a faith-based rehabilitation program. They were in our little town to attend a Ladies Conference that I was blessed to be part of. When I was first approached about providing a place for them to stay from Friday to Sunday, I was a little hesitant. I was very busy preparing for my part in the conference and knew that things would be hectic around my house. It just wasn't a good time. But as I hesitated for just a split second, God spoke..

He quietly whispered to my heart..."Are you in this to minister or not".  As I felt His Spirit speaking to me, I was reminded of the scriptures that I had been memorizing and was trying to hide deep into my heart. 

 "If one of you says to them,  "Go in peace; keep warm and be well fed," 

but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?"

(James 2:17)

I was so honored to be part of  'For REAL Ministries' and here I was presented with the perfect opportunity to be REAL. To put my faith into action. To make a difference in someone's life. And I hesitated? Oh my goodness, the conviction just fell on me and I immediately said I would be more than happy to let them stay at my house.

I cannot tell you how blessed my husband and I were by the presence of those 6 amazing women in our home. They were gracious and kind and had the sweetest spirits. Brand new Christians with a new outlook on their life because of what Jesus had done inside of them. They shared their stories with us and broke my heart. They showed us the side of life that we forget exists or that we never take the time to find out about. But they also showed us that when God swoops in and touches your life, you are most assuredly a new creation. They shined for Jesus inside and out and it just ministered to me abundantly. The book of James had become a reality in my life and it felt so wonderful.

I love how God ordains certain events in our lives at just the right time. His time is always the best time. He knows just when we need a life lesson to be dropped right into our laps. He knows what will be most effective and what will have the most impact on us. I am so thankful that I allowed the precious Holy Spirit to lead me that day. If I had ignored His Voice and done my own thing, I would have missed a certain God moment in my spiritual walk.

 May I never put my own desires over God's desires. Sweet Jesus, don't let me miss the Glory!

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(Thank you Jessica, Jordan, Kellie, Tiffany, Chara, and Brittney! I love you girls!!!)

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(For REAL Ministries)

it filled the house!

"And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD,

because the glory of the LORD had filled the

LORD's house"  -- (2 Chronicles 7:2)

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After Solomon's prayer of dedication for the completion of the temple, fire came down from heaven and the glory of the LORD  filled the house! The glory was so thick that it prevented the priests from being able to enter in and minister to the people. What was their response?

* They bowed themselves low.

* Their faces were to the ground.

* They worshiped. Oh, how they worshiped!

* The gave the LORD the praise He was so due!

Humbly, they prostrated themselves before the LORD. Bowed their hearts down low and bent their knees to fall before Him in awe of who He was. In pure wonder of His glorious splendor. They couldn't even stand in His presence. They could only fall to their faces and begin to acknowledge His Holiness. His majesty. The pure, overwhelming and astounding essence of the glory of God.

They worshiped the LORD. They praised His name. For He is good and His mercy endures forever. The overwhelming beauty of His Holiness should stun us! It should propel us into worship. Cause us to bend our knees and fall prostrate before His very presence.

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Oh, God, we want to worship you in that way! We ask that you come and enrapture us with your presence. Captivate us with the wonder of who you are and cause us to fall on our faces in pure, unadulterated worship of your majesty and your glory! You are beautiful beyond description! Too marvelous for words! Thank you for allowing us little glimpses every day of the majestic splendor of your beauty and glory. 

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GLIMPSES of GLORY this week

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Mercie and her little cousin Laylah.

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Mikaela and her sweet cousin - she is such a nurturer! 

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Thank you Lord, for my grandbabies love of books! Thank you that I can read to them and that they can hear! Thank you that they can enjoy the wonderful world of learning that  you so lovingly provide! 

Thank you Lord, for blessing me for now, with these. 

this journey of faith....

This past month has been such an amazing journey in growing my faith. November 6, 2011 is a day that I will never forget and I pray that God will keep it burned in my mind for all time as a reminder of His greatness and His power and His sweet goodness. That is the day that He reached down from heaven and placed His gentle healing hands upon my sweet granddaughter, Mercie, and made her whole. It was a day that I held a miracle in my arms as I cried out to Him for mercy on my sweet girl.

 Many times during this past 4 weeks, God has had to whisper the words 'remember' in my ear. When my flesh allows the dark shadow of fear to creep into my mind, He takes me back to that day when I knew that something amazing had just happened. I knew that He had healed her. I felt it. The power that surged through her little body was unmistakable. And I knew.

I have praised my Savior every day for her healing. I am still in awe of Him and His goodness. I continue to stand on the promise of His Word and to lean on what I know to be true. I have no doubt what He did in her little life and I am humbled by it daily.  My flesh is still so weak, but everyday I pore over the Holy scriptures desiring to gain strength from them. I search for truth and revelation. I seek a fresh anointing of knowledge and discernment.  

I have been so disappointed in myself as I have so often lapsed into a state of mind bordering on unbelief, but every time God has shown me such grace and patience. He has been right there to quicken my thoughts to the truth of who He is. And the truth of what He does. And then I wonder why I would ever doubt. Why would I  counter what I know to be the work of His Sovereign and Divine will with doubt. Why would I even entertain thoughts of fear. But then I realize that of my own depravity and weakness of flesh, I can do nothing but that.  And that only through the power of the sweet Holy Spirit, can I walk boldly in my faith. I can only draw strength from the giver of this strength. My Savior. My Lord. My Rock. My Deliverer. Only through Him and His precious power and generous dispensing of grace can I function in this life. But because of who He is, I can KNOW. I can BELIEVE. I can rest in the promise of what I know to be TRUTH. 

I go back to the book of Ezekiel and focus on the words that God spoke to the dry bones. Over and over I repeat these words until they become part of me. Until they soak way down into the marrow of my bones and fill me to overflowing with a deepening knowledge of the Holy. 

".... and you shall know that I AM the LORD."

(Ezekiel 37:6)

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I love it when Mikaela stays with me. She is such a precious and sweet young lady with a heart for God. She is growing up way too fast and she loves to cook! She made this delicious pecan pie before church a few weeks ago when she spent the night with me and her Papa.

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She loves her little cousin Laylah Beth. She is so gentle and sweet with her. I love my Mikaela.

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I love the many faces of Eli. He is a laugh a minute and can melt my heart in about 2 seconds.

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This face makes me smile. He is such a sweet and amazing little boy.

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Eli loves his big sister, Mikaela. They have always been good friends and I pray that they will love each other like that always.

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I love my sweet Mercie. She brings much joy to the world with her sweet personality. She is a Nana's girl and there is nothing as precious as her little arms wrapped tightly around my neck and hearing her say, "I love you so much Nana!"

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Oh, how I love this little miracle girl. 

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I love my sweet Silas. He is such a mama's boy, but loves his Nana too! He has the sweetest little smile that makes his whole face light up.

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I loved the way Silas and Mercie were so intently watching their newest little cousin Laylah the other day. 

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I love my little Bryton. He is so sweet with his little sister and he is such a tender-hearted little fella. He talks about God all the time and is a real deep thinker for a 4 year old!

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I love my Sawyer. He is still a baby in some ways, but in others he is wanting to be like his big brother. He has a sweet voice that can make me want to give him anything! 

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I love my newest little grandbaby. Such a sweet little delicate girl with a smile that has already stolen my heart.

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Thank you, Lord, for blessing me for now with these. You have given me much more than I deserve and I love you with all of my heart. I will strive every day of my life to live worthy of my calling and to bring nothing but glory and honor to your Name. 

His love is better than life.

God truly blessed our time in Boston with our daughter, Melissa. And then He heaped blessing upon blessing as He so graciously allowed us to travel to Pennsylvania to visit with our daughter Megan, her husband Rod, and their precious 4 children. We had a great time in both places and it was with much sadness that our time with them came to an end this morning. It was a teary good-bye, but it was a time filled with many new and happy memories to add to our every growing list.

God has been revealing the vastness of His love for us in the past few months. My awareness of just how amazing and endless the supply of His love is increases day by day. It isn't just the good things that happen that fuel my thankfulness for that love because certainly our lives aren't always filled with the good things. But I have come to fully understand that even in those 'bad' times, God is still love. He loves us unconditionally. He loves us with an everlasting love and one that encompasses more than we can imagine. And no matter what our circumstances, we can always depend on our loving God to carry us through. To give us strength. To lift us up and be our portion and our shield. 

"We love Him, because He first loved us"

(1 John 4:19)

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Thank you sweet Father for always teaching me. Thank you for revealing your love to me in a new and a more powerful way. Help me to be ever mindful that your love is all I need.  No matter that circumstances, no matter the trials, no matter the situation.... You love me and for that, I stand in awe of You.  I love you with all my heart and I will serve you all the days of my life.

the blessings money can't buy

I am so thankful for the life full of joy that God has so graciously granted me. He has bestowed good health upon me and I am able to enjoy my children and grandchildren to the fullest. At this time in our lives, my husband and I are blessed to live close to our grandkids and are able to part of their everyday lives.

They love to come to our house and play in the water. Even in the little bitty ladybug sandbox that they love to fill with water instead of sand and splash around. You're never too old to play in the water!

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We have a good time going to the church and letting them preach and lead us in worship. It's fun to listen to them tell us about God and we always end with prayer time. I love those times in the house of God with my grandbabies. (That's one great thing about living in the church parking lot!)

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It warms my heart to see my girls' children loving each other so much. There is nothing quite as sweet as cousin love.

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I love this little guy. Silas has been such a huge blessing to me. He is the sweetest little thing and is so good natured. He is walking all over the place now and is growing up so fast!

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Eli had his kindergarten graduation and he looked so adorable in his little cap and gown. His smile can melt my heart in an instant.

(My sweet daughter with her sweet little boy)

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Eli, Mikaela, Mercie and I had fun making shadows on the carport.

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I pray that I continue to focus on the things that are important. The things that money can't buy. The things that are not tangible. I want to invest my time into the things of Christ and the things that are eternal. You can't put a price on time spent with your children and grandchildren. I am so thankful that God has given me this privilege and blessing at this time in my life. His goodness overwhelms me.

"While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the

things that are not seen; for the things which are seen are 

temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal"

(2 Corinthians 4:18)