abandoned to Christ.

There are many four letters words that can change the meaning or things. Like when you've watched a wonderful movie and then...suddenly, there it is...that four letter word that just messed it all up! And you think, "Now why did they do that?! It was a GREAT movie and they had to go and put that in there! That word didn't make the movie better! It made it bad! What a way to ruin a good movie!" I hate when that happens. And to think, it was over a very small four letter word. We often seem to look over the little things like that in our lives, don't we? I know I do! I'm always waiting for and looking for God to "give me a sign". I'm always looking for the parting of the Red Sea in a difficult situation or the pillar of cloud by day to follow and a pillar of fire by night to comfort and protect me in my fears. "And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test Him they asked Him to show them a sign from Heaven. He answered them, "When it ...

The first thing I thought when I saw this picture was, "Wow, although all the jars are beautiful and uniquely made, the jars that have the light within them really stand out!" Then I thought about us, God's children. Are we like these jars...the one's that have the light within them that make them stand out? Do we live such abandoned lives to Christ that truly His light shines through that it causes the world to think, "Hmmm...they look just like me. But there's just something about them. Something I can't put my finger on. They just kind of...well, glow!" This is how I want to be. I want to live with such devotion to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that while on the outside I may have similar features as another person, wonderfully and uniquely made - that the light of Christ so shines through me, others can see Him....just as easily as we can see the light through these jars! Please head on over to the 160 Acre Woods for more encouragement from:...

Today at "Live Well Wednesdays" our precious sister Darlene continues to bless us with fabulous, fun and creative ways to lose weight by honoring God first in our lives! I just LOVE that about her! Please be sure to visit her today to read her post as well as others who are participating in "Live Well Wednesdays". Like Darlene, I LOVE to garden! And it is definitely a wonderful way to have some sweet, sweet quiet time with the Lord, as it seems I can hear Him better when I'm in the midst of His beautiful plants and flowers! But as she stated, winters-a-comin' so we gardeners have gotta get goin' out of our gardens and IN some where else to stay fit. Darlene has a fun and creative way to do that....but you'll have to go visit her post to find out what it is! *wink* *wink* For me, well, it may not sound too exciting, but necessary....can I get a drum roll please? It's, it's.......HOUSEWORK!!!! Yes, what you've all been waiting to hear and...

“Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” ~ Psalm 37:4 (ESV) Don’t you love it when you read something God inspired another brother or sister in Christ to write hundreds or thousands of years ago in which they share the current state of your heart? I sure do! This morning, I was reading Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening and couldn’t help but rejoice in God my Savior as my brother Charles did nearly 200 years ago! Here’s an excerpt of my reading this morning based on Psalm 37:4: “The life of the believer is here described as a delight in God, and we are thus certified of the great fact that true religion overflows with happiness and joy. Ungodly persons and mere professors never look upon religion as a joyful thing; to them it is service, duty, or necessity, but never pleasure or delight. If they attend to religion at all, it is either that they may gain thereby, or else because they dare not do otherwise. The thought of delight in religion is...

Kim has given us a great chat topic today at the Cafe: The catchphrase “It’s not about me” has become quite popular in our current world today. What does that phrase mean to you in your personal life? Explain. To begin, I should probably explain that I have the logic (and sometimes behavior) of a five year old. So, with that said, I'll answer our chat topic today and explain what the catch phrase "It's not about me" means to me: To me, it means what it says "IT'S NOT ABOUT ME." I once read this story about a five year old little girl (since that's my level, this story caught my attention), who, while sitting in her car on the way home from church had a question for her mom. The little girl simply asked her mom, with her sweet, innocent and inquisitive little voice: "Mama, today the Pastor said that God is bigger than us." To this, her mother, smiling kindly, responded, "That's right, dear." The little girl continued, ...

Recently I've chosen to start fasting for portions of my day. Actually, I guess, it wasn't really MY idea or choice, but God's. Instead of eating every meal (and adding extra meals along the way), I've chosen to spend more time feasting on God's word rather than food. I wish I was disciplined and spiritually mature enough to decide this for myself, but being only a toddler in Christ, God has graciously stricken me for the past week and I feel sick whenever I eat...especially too much. It's like, he's portioned out my plate for me (like I used to do with my kiddos when they were toddlers). It's really GREAT! I haven't gotten on the scale yet, because I'm sure it's only a little difference, so I will get on the scale when my clothes are feeling much looser! Then when I get on the scale, I can get a really big kick out of what number it lands on! What I love about all this happening is that it's really what Live Well is all about! Focusing o...

(thank you Meri for taking this beautiful picture for me to use today!) "Then Boaz said to Ruth, 'Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn.' Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, 'Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?' " ~ Ruth 2:8-10 The Lord recently brought me to this passage again. Yes, like many of us, I've read the book of Ruth about a million times. And a million times, the Lord opens my eyes to truth He desires to reveal to me as I come to feast at His table. As I studied and meditated on what Boaz had done and what Ruth's response was, God asked me, "Would you, dear one, have ...

Dearest sisters in the Lord, Thank you so much for your prayers for me while my sister-in-law was in town this past weekend. Our gracious Lord and God heard your prayers and by the strength of Christ, I was able to stay on the altar and offer myself as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to our God! It was much easier just being me (less to keep up with, that's for sure), than trying to be someone I believed would be worthy of acceptance and friendship. It was much easier for me to be who I am in Christ and not the image I attempted to set up for myself for others to view. Because the Lord heard your prayers for me, we had an amazing weekend that will always remain dear in my heart! Thank you, thank you, thank you from the top, bottom and middle of my heart! Your love and prayers have surely blessed me and I know pleased our God who IS our Father! eternally grateful for all of you,