this is a long one, but well worth the read; teamwork

a dear family friend sent this to me when i was struggling and needed help with an issue that had occurred in my life. humbling yourself to ask for help and hearing what you have done wrong is sometimes hard to accept, but well worth it in the end. we aren't listening to one another it seems. we seem to be crying out in our actions, but not solving the problems.

we yell in anger, frustration, and hatred, but fail to see what someone is really trying to say. taking the time to listen and learn from the wisdom of others is what GOD has asked us to do. i often wonder what the crowd thought when JESUS CHRIST died on the cross; when the thunder shook the earth, and the clothe was torn. did they feel the presence of GOD with them in all HIS glory? had they realized in their anger and fear what they had done?

the following is an excerpt from max lucado's team up. this story reminds me of september 11th and the teamwork of a nation under devastation. if we stand together no matter what our personal opinions are, but work together as a team we could accomplish so much more.

TEAM UP
BY Max Lucado

In 1976 tremors devastated the highland of Guatemala. Thousands of people were killed, and tens of thousands were left homeless. A
philanthropist offered to sponsor a relief team from our college. This flyer was posted in our dormitory: "Needed: students willing to use their spring break to build cinder block homes in Quetzaltenango." I applied, was accepted, and began attending the orientation sessions.

There were twelve of us in all. Mostly ministry students. All of us,
it seemed, loved to discuss theology. We were young enough in our faith to believe we knew all the answers. This made for lively discussions. We bantered about a covey of controversies. I can't remember the list. It likely included the usual suspects of charismatic gifts, end times, worship styles, and church strategy. By the time we reached Guatemala, we'd covered the controversies and revealed our true colors. I'd discerned the faithful from the infidels, the healthy from the heretics. I knew who was in and who was out.

But all of that was soon forgotten. The destruction from the earthquake dwarfed our differences. Entire villages had been leveled. Children were wandering through the rubble. Long lines of wounded people awaited medical attention. Our opinions seemed suddenly petty. The disaster demanded teamwork. The challenge created a team.

The task turned rivals into partners. I remember one fellow in
particular. He and I had distinctly different opinions regarding the
styles of worship music. I-the open minded, relevant thinker-favored contemporary, upbeat music. He-the stodgy, close-minded
caveman-preferred hymns and hymnals. Yet when stacking bricks for houses, guess who worked shoulder to shoulder? As we did, we began to sing together. We sang old songs and new, slow and fast. Only later did the irony of it dawn on me. Our common concern gave us a common song.

What if the missing ingredient for changing the world is teamwork?
"When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I'll be there" (Matt. 18:19-20 MSG).This is an astounding promise. When believers agree, Jesus takes
notice, shows up, and hears our prayers.

And when believers disagree? Can we return to my Guatemalan memory for a moment?

Suppose our group had clustered according to opinions. Divided
according to doctrines. If we had made unanimity a prerequisite for
partnership, can you imagine the consequences? We wouldn't have
accomplished anything. When worker divide, it is the suffering who
suffer most.

They've suffered enough, don't you think? The Jerusalem church found a way to work together. They found common ground in the death, burial, resurrection of Christ. Because they did, lives were changed.

And as you and I do, the same will happen.

Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:
If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!
(Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NIV)

O Lord, whenever I address you as "our Father," cause me to remember that I have been called to be part of a holy community. You did not call me to remain in isolation but placed me in the body of Christ, along with every other believer in Jesus throughout the world in every age. Please give me the grace to act on the truth that you created us to grow as a team, to work as a team, to worship as a team, and to weep and laugh and live as a team. Grant me the wisdom and the strength to partner with you and with my brothers and sisters in Christ to meet the needs you place before us. For Jesus' sake and in his name I pray, amen.

honorable men

i have been very fortunate in my life to know more honorable men than not. the men in our family are examples of what men should be and the husbands of our friends are the same way. each one is unique and strong individually. each one has the great ability to put GOD and their families above themselves.

my husband is definitely one of these men. he radiates what a man should be doing for his family. he puts GOD and his family above himself. he has a strong work ethic. he has great composure in hard situations. he is compassionate and slow to anger. he is patient and kind. has great humility and holds himself acccountable and to others. the example that he is showing are children will benefit them in their futures.

i often wonder why a man would be anything else other than the provider and the protector of his family. the idea that something is beneath them instead of looking at it as a way to provide food, shelter, or clothing for their families is sinful to me. the current job market is awful for most americans right now. i feel awful for the men that want to provide for their families and can't.

GOD created all men to be this way. HE created them to be the head of the household; to provide, protect, show integrity and humility. GOD blesses men that are this way. whether they be rich or poor.

if you have a man like this in your life commend them. no matter what their faults may be if they have these characteristics, or these qualities those should out weigh the bad.

"if the LORD delights in a man's way he makes his steps firm." psalm 37:2

"in everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words LORD JESUS HIMSELF said: it is more blessed to give than to receive" acts 20:35

"therefore whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." matthew 18:4

"if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially his immediate family, he has denied his faith and is worse than an unbeliever." 1 timothy 5:8

"make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win respect of outsiders ans so that you will not be dependent on anybody." 1 thessalonians 4:11-12

listening and learning from our elders

i have had to humble myself and seek the advice of my elders and fellow christians over the past couple of months. when i was younger i never really did this. my parents gave advice, but listening and taking that advice didn't always happen.

growing up my grandparents played a very important role in my brother and i's life. as i got older one of my favorite things to do was ask questions about what it was like for them growing up. they grew up during the depression and survived. they worked very hard, and had a very fulfilling life. i don't ever remember them complaining about how hard life was and what they didn't have. for one thing they had their faith to turn to. they didn't expect this country, or the world to give them what they needed.

my grandmother is now suffering from alzheimer's in her early 90's. she has had a long, beautiful life. she is one of the few individuals i know that probably has most of the bible memorized. two things stick out in my mind from one of those conversations that she said; "the problem is women decided to become men" and "the banks can always fail again." she has always encouraged each of her grandchildren to read the bible and learn from it.

there are very few individuals left from this generation, but the ones that are here knew how you should be living. out of the generations that i have seen in my lifetime, the WWII generation seemed to have the right idea about what it means to live.

i have copied a speech given by a WWII veteran that attends our church. he gave this talk to a group of students at a local high school here in houston. i think it could apply to everyone in this country no matter what your age is.

"young ladies and gentlemen. you are the future of the united states of america, the greatest country in the world. i am here to teach you to be positive. i can do that if you will follow my instructions. i wish i had this talk when i was your age, but i didn't. i had to learn mine the hard way.

about eight years, i fell out of a large oak tree in our back yard; about 40 feet. my wife, marilyn, heard me hit the ground and came running out the back door calling my name. i didn't answer her because i was trying to get up, but couldn't. she knew something was wrong, so she ran in the house and called 911. the police got there first; one held down my arms and the other held down my legs. the ambulance arrived and loaded me in it to take me to the trauma center at memorial herman hospital.

dr. amelia mangum examined me and told my wife i probably would not make it through the night. i had a broken back, multiple broken ribs and a severe head injury. at about 4:00 am they decided they would have to operate. a broken rib had poked a hole in my aorta and the bleeding would not stop. they had given me several blood transfusions. dr mangum said she didn't know if i would make it through the surgery, but she had to operate. she told my wife i probably wouldn't live through the day.

i spent 4 months in the hospital and several months in rehab. before i fell out of the tree, i would get down in the dumps two or three times a year. when i got home i knew that i couldn't get down in the dumps anymore. in the morning when i got up i would say to myself "i'm going to be positive today." at noon time i would say, "i'm going to stay positive the rest of the day." i did this for about thirty days.

after that i didn't have to say it anymore because i was automatically positive all the time. even when i'm sick i am positive. you don't get sick as much and you feel better all the time. your friends look at you better too.

if you follow these instructions you will be positive too."

JESUS wants you to stay positive and have faith that all things are because of HIM. no matter what life throws at you, you must have hope that all things will work out.

"know therefore that the LORD YOUR GOD IS GOD; he is a faithful GOD, keeping HIS covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love HIM and keep his commands." deuteronomy 7:9

"be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD." psalm 31:24

we are GOD'S people; have faith and hope

"so that CHRIST may dwell in your hearts through faith. and I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of CHRIST. and to know this love surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of GOD."

yesterday, i spent the afternoon with my family at a place called kemah boardwalk. while we were there i was looking around at the people and i noticed a lot of frustration, fear, and a little anger. americans feel pretty beaten down right now and it is showing. i started thinking about the fear we are facing currently in our nation, and i realized that we had lost hope.

first of all the place we were at has be re-built numerous times over the years because of hurricanes. this morning i was thinking about this little community that has had the resilience to pick itself up over and over again to continue living. fear is a powerful thing, but the HOPE and FAITH that things can return is an incredible blessing and is more powerful.

for months i have been so scared and angry over the current events in our country that i wasn't thinking about the resilience of the people that live here. we are a nation of survivors. we are a nation that continues to move forward no matter what obstacles are placed in front of us. we are GOD'S people. faith and hope is in every fiber of our being.

GOD created us to put all our fears and worries on HIM. GOD created us to persevere thru our troubles and trials. what a huge relief this is to our hearts and our minds. did any of you ever think that this is our great test? GOD is giving us a chance to put our faith back in HIM.

if we continue to allow anger, hatred and fear to lead us how are we to solve this problem? remember your hope, your faith, your love and your peace of heart and soul that makes you a powerful child of GOD and a citizen of this great nation.


"for GOD did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." 2 timothy 1:7

"though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds with HIS HAND." psalm37:24

"be strong and take heart, all you hope in the LORD." psalm 31:24

"we are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." 2 corinthians 4:8-9

"do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to GOD. and the peace of GOD, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in CHRIST JESUS." phillipians 4:6-7

affirmation; giving myself a break

i've been writing this blog for almost 2 months now and i've beaten myself up pretty good with it. i have a tendency to live in the past and my past transgressions. JESUS does not want us to do this. HE loves us and our uniqueness as individuals. my heart is being made whole again by sharing with you everyday. i prayed that GOD would show me my spiritual gifts and he did. i am quite grateful for that.

when you begin your journey into the word and accepting HIM into your hearts HE may show you some things about yourself that you don't want to remember. this is a part of the healing process and allowing HIM to take over, but then HE wants you to move forward. it is a great comfort knowing that whatever goes on in my life it is because GOD wanted it to. my aunt, whom i hold in great esteem, told me it was time to move forward. she told me that the devil is always waiting to help you dwell on the bad things about yourself. i have let him in far too many times now. enough is enough.

i can cook, i have beautiful hair, beautiful skin (thanks to my grandma) and i'm a good friend. i can read a book in two days, unless it's one of those books that you have to read every line of. i can recognize the great qualities in others and admire their gifts. i tell my children daily that they are loved by GOD and their parents unconditionally. i love to give hugs and make someone feel cared for. i handle my MS with great strength and grace.

it's easier for me to give a compliment, than to accept one. i think that this is true of most of us, but we should all accept those gifts of affirmation because GOD made those gifts. recognize what HE is doing in your hearts and share that with the world! our greatest achievements in life are because HE showed us grace and forgiveness. HE died so you could accept this about yourself and move forward, and live each day to the fullest.

the ability to love and be loved is all because of HIM. when you let him in you finally realize what it means to truly love and give to others without selfishness. that's all HE wants of us is to show grace, compassion and love to each other just as HE has done for us.

"we love because HE first loved us" 1 john: 4:19

"this is MY prayer: that your love may abound more and more in the knowledge and depth of insight." phillipians 1:9

"but GODLINESS in contentment is great gain" proverbs 23:17-18

"come to ME, all you are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" matthew 11:28

christians must stand up

for years the christian religion has been under attack in this society. we are witnessing individuals try to remove GOD from every aspect of american life. what i want to know is where are the christians saying enough is enough? sooner or later christians are going to have to make a stand for their faith in GOD and we are running out of time in my opinion.

our country is in a deep depression. i'm not talking about financially, i'm talking about being asleep to spiritual warfare. we have succumbed to society's definition of tolerance. we are no longer living by scripture, but the rules that our government and society has put upon us. i want to know why it is offensive to have the ten commandments in front of a courthouse, crosses on a roadside, or saying merry christmas in front of a store front.

i don't blame anyone in specific for this, we've just become too silent. our churches seem to be afraid to speak about politics, or worldly influences instead of returning it's citizens to GOD. i do not believe that the church and state should be separate any longer. the big question americans should be asking themselves is; how can a country be founded on GOD'S laws, but divide the two? churches and pastors must start talking about the current situation in this country and give guidance.

it's time to start thinking like paul and stop worrying about offending people.
as i've said before scripture is offensive. paul knew that when he crusaded for spreading the truth about JESUS CHRIST and GOD'S laws. we must break out of our comfort zones. WE MUST STAND UP! prosperity and being passive are two different things. we need to ask the question to the church; are you worried about your prosperity, or teaching the truth of the gospel?

i think about dr. martin luther king jr and his fight for civil rights. his entire fight was not just about the black man, but fighting for GOD'S laws regarding man's freedoms. he held our government and society accountable. this man with stood all forms of backlash for his beliefs and even died for it. we need a few dr. kings to start standing up, because it is time.

are we really that shallow and selfish that we would let JESUS die on the cross for us, but not fight for him? HE died for you and you alone. step out of your comfort zones and stand up for HIM.

"by the meekness and gentleness of CHRIST i appeal to you - i, paul, who am timid when face to face with you, but bold when away. i beg you that when i come i may not have to be as bold as i expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. for though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. the weapons we fight with are not weapons of the world. on the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strong-holds. we demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of GOD and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to CHRIST. and we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience once your obedience is complete." 2 corinthians 10:1-6

sundays

as my children get older and are going to be involved in more extra curricular events i started thinking about when we were going to have time as a family. i have friends that have older children and some of them are doing events every sunday. this really bothers me, because we no longer take sundays as a holy day and rest.

i can count on one hand how many businesses that are closed on sunday. one of them actually says why they are closed on sunday; this is the LORD'S day. we have even made it acceptable to have businesses open on christmas and easter. that really makes me upset when i think about it, because those two days are very holy in the chrisitan religion.

we have added so much to our plates that we have run out of enough hours of the day to even consider a day of rest. most individuals work, so saturday and sunday are the days that they run errands, or get those weekly chores done. all of us are so physically and emotionally drained that we pay for vacations to get away from it all, because we can't give ourselves one day. the funny thing about vacations though is most us don't rest on those either. what is driving us to be so over burdened?

i think society as a whole is so greedy that sundays are just another business day, not a holy day. think about those individuals that have to work on sundays. everyone is to blame for this one, not one of us takes sundays as a day of rest any longer. GOD even rested on the seventh day after making the world; why can't we?

we are teaching our children that it is "ok" to disobey GOD on this one, because we as parents do it ourselves. we are teaching our children that money is more powerful than GOD. can you remember the last time you just sat in your homes all day with your family, without doing a chore, or going to the store? doesn't that sound wonderful!

i am challenging everyone to take a day of rest. my husband and i have discussed this and we both know that we need to do this. it may even improve your quality of life if you think about it.

"by the seventh day GOD had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day HE rested from all HIS work. and GOD blessed the seventh day and made it HOLY, because on it HE rested from all the work of creating that HE had done." genesis 2:2-3

taking time to smell the roses

i thought about this yesterday, because mondays in our house is laundry day. my children throughout the day are constantly asking me to play, read a book, color, or watch a movie with them when they aren't at school. my usual response to them is "mommy needs to get this done first." i feel like i am in a constant tornado some days.

women are notorious multi-taskers, worriers, and are over-achievers. men, don't seem to have this. i am in awe of my husband when i think about this. he sets a goal for the day at his job, and rarely thinks about anything other than that. even when he is at home he thinks about the one chore that needs to be done and if he doesn't get it done it's no big deal. actually, this is one of our biggest arguments. i think that he should be getting everything done in one day and he takes the time to actually smell the roses.

i am in awe of working mothers and single mothers. these women usually are doing triple duty. not only are they caring for their homes they seem to feel like they have to take care of everything else. what i want to know is who made the rule that we have to do it all. if you do, could please give her a stern talking to.

after being diagnosed with MS i had to change my way of thinking. don't get me wrong, i'm still constantly thinking about what needs to be done. when i have a relapse, the whole time i am thinking about what isn't getting done, instead of thinking about getting better. it took me a long time to accept help from others during this time, but now i have a dear friend that takes care of all of that for me so i don't have to think about it. my family and friends come together to take care of those everyday needs.

remember the days ladies when neighbors, family or friends actually helped one another? i don't remember this in my lifetime, because until i got sick i didn't have that. when we began going to church and meeting fellow christians i was overwhelmed with the generosity of others. i'm still overwhelmed with it each time someone needs help. GOD told us to help others that were in need, not just those that are going through a hard time financially, or are sick, but all individuals. why can't we let go of our pride and ask for help? all you have to do is ask!

instead of doing the 15 things that you have on your list today, maybe just do 10. you are not a failure if you don't get it all done.

"as JESUS and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named martha opened her home to him. she had a sister called mary, who sat at the LORD's feet listening to what HE said. but martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. she came to HIM and asked, LORD don't you care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? tell her to help me. martha, martha the LORD answered, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her." luke 10:38-42

counting your blessings

i have so many blessings in my life, it is hard to count. in the current state of affairs in the united states many are focusing on the negative. we are in a state of panic about where our nation is headed, and we should be. daily we are sabotaged by the media and others by what we don't have in our lives. sooner or later each one of us has to realize that we have been blessed in the united states. our idea that we need more is just an idea.

this week i encourage you to think about your many blessings; the small and the big.

my greatest blessing is that i accepted CHRIST. my second is that i am able to read HIS words. i am blessed to have a husband that loves me. i am blessed to have 2 children. i am blessed that i have MS, because it has made me a better person. these are the big blessings in my life.

we sometimes forget to count the small. i think about the chore of loading and emptying the dishwasher. i should not hate this, because this means that i food to nourish me. i should not hate doing laundry, because this means i have clothing to clothe my body. i should not hate cleaning my home, because this means i have shelter. i have been thinking of these things as burdens, and not as blessings. instead of complaining about them i should be thanking GOD that i have these things.

wanting more of things is not going to solve our problems. we have to learn to fix the problems that we already have so that we can have a richer life. no where in the bible does is say that you should have a bigger home, a luxury car, designer clothes, or the best technology. those are all wants, not needs. if you have those things because you think you deserve them, those are things that GOD has blessed you with. THANK HIM AND BE GRATEFUL!

by far, we take too many things for granted. we no longer just cherish the things we that we have, we just want more and more. why? instead of praying to GOD for more, praise GOD for what you already have. if you have more than you need then think about those that don't. open your refrigerator and look at your food. go to your closet and look at your clothes. go into the street and stare at your home.

i am blessed that i have the ability to write, that i was taught this in school. i am blessed to be able to share GOD's truth with others, whether they are believers or not. i have been blessed that have a family that supports me and reads my words. i am blessed to have friends that love me and take the time out of their lives to even read a paragraph of this blog. this blog is becoming a blessing in my life.

think about your blessings, write them down, share them! be thankful for what HE has given you; the small and the big.

"all these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD YOUR GOD: you will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. the fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock - the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. you will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out." deuteronomy 28:2-6

men and women; GOD's plan for marriage

friday and saturday night my husband and i attended a conference called "love and respect." GOD's definition of marriage and what your definition may be two different things. our society has changed what scripture has taught us about what it means to be a man and woman, and have a fulfilling marriage.

the funny thing is that the secret to a great marriage wasn't hard to define. a man needs to feel respect and a woman needs to feel love. pretty simple. during the feminist movement in this country all that changed. yes, i am blaming the women of this generation and the women currently in our society. women decided to become men, and then change men into women. we decided that men were idiots and they should express all the desires that come naturally to a woman and suppress their own natural desires.

a man gives a woman love when he feels respected and honored by her. a woman gives respect when she feels loved and cherished by him. GOD created us to be different, not the same. physically we can see this, but emotionally we can't. why has it become so hard for women to accept that a man is not a woman? men seem to get this, but i think they have become so beaten down they don't even try anymore to fight it. women have crucified a man's natural desire to protect, provide, cherish, love and respect us, because women think they can do it better.


here's an example of one reason we are not the same. if a burglar breaks into your home who do we expect as a woman to protect us; a man. our instincts turn to the man to defend us. why do we do this? as a woman we know that they are the stronger sex physically. women process situations differently than a man; we rule by our emotions. by nature we are more loving and are the caregivers. there's nothing wrong with traits; this is how GOD made us to be.

when you have a conflict with your spouse each of us hears something different. if my husband is questions something that i have done, or is anger with me over making a decision without consulting him i hear "he doesn't love me." if my husband does something that i don't agree with then he hears "she doesn't respect me." we never fully listen to what our spouse is trying to tell us or show us, because we allow pride to get the way. we assume that they should just get how we are feeling in the relationship. it doesn't matter if you think that you right. choose how you are going to react. actions and tone send a clear message to another.

we are crushing each other's natural desires daily. we have chosen the world's plan of what marriage should be and not GOD's plan. we have to step out of our comfort zones and feed each other's natural desires. this is the commitment that you made to each other and we are failing as a society. we no longer put the emphasis on love and respect in a marriage through all trials and troubles, but we run from it when it gets too hard.

i am not saying that women should be doormats, but i am saying that a woman has great control in her marriage. "the wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands tears hers down" proverbs 14:1. men and women need stop trying to change who they are and accept what we love about each other. i have been trying to change my husband since we got married. why? all the things that i fell in love with are still the same, why do i need change him? i am not respecting who he is and how GOD made him. i'm basically saying "i don't like who you are."

"however, each one of you also must love his wife, as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." ephesians 5:33

one of those topics you're not supposed to talk about

let me just say before you read this that this is MY OPINION alone. i do not expect you to agree or disagree. however, i ask that if you leave a comment please be respectful, graceful and loving to others that may or may not disagree with you. this a very serious topic for both sides.

i have been trying to decide how i was going to write about this issue now for 2 weeks. i do not want to talk about abortion to be quite honest. it has become so politicized that individuals reading this are going to be thinking "she is just trying to change my mind, or my vote." i can't do that for you, or anyone else for that matter - only what your heart and GOD are telling you to do can change your mind.

let me first point out that in my studies of the bible i have never found a verse that says abortion is right, or even found a reference to it. if you know of the verse, or verses please post them in the comment box, or you can email me at if you are not comfortable with that.

the sensitivity of this subject has so many voices. when roe vs. wade was passed in the united states legalizing abortion it stated that a woman had the right to make the choice alone for her own body. well, that is true, but a woman's body first belongs to GOD and second to her husband (if she is married). i can hear every feminist and pro-choice activist yelling in my head right now! i do believe that the government SHOULD NOT be involved in this issue - period! this is a very personal decision.

last week on facebook i posted the history of the woman that started planned parenthood; margaret sanger. what i read was by far one of the most disgusting and disturbing bios of an individual i had ever seen. she was a female hitler in my opinion. her race of choice to exterminate were blacks. she also believed in population control; the population control of races other than white. planned parenthood is the single largest organization that supports abortions, next to the chinese government. here's a question do you still support the organization knowing its true purpose for its beginning? i can only hope that they have turned from this and they are actually educating individuals about sex and the dangers of not protecting yourself.

before i had my first child i was pro-choice. i had even begun my journey with god during this time of my life. first of all, i did not believe that it should be used as a means of birth control. i understand the fear of raising a child. it's a scary thing being responsible for another life. it is not in my dna though to believe this is a reason to abort a child. their are too many individuals out there want a child so desperately.

however during this time, i did believe that if a child became pregnant with a child, a woman had been raped, or the pregnancy was life threatening then that was ok.

that belief changed immediately when i saw my first child's heartbeat on the ultrasound screen at 3 weeks. within in 6 weeks i heard their heartbeat. if you have not heard this or seen this, then how could you believe that is not a child. i don't know why a child is conceived from a rape, only GOD does. i don't know why a 12 year old girl becomes pregnant, only GOD does. i do know that GOD creates that child for a purpose. their life and death are controlled by GOD alone; not a man or a woman.

since the beginning of time whether you are a chrisitan or not there is a purpose for human life. each child deserves to have that chance to fulfill their purpose no matter what the circumstance is in which they were conceived.

"sons are a heritage from the LORD, children are a reward from HIM." psalm 127:3

one promise of a new beginning

"then JESUS came from galilee to the jordan to be baptized by john. but john tried to deter him, saying "i need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?" JESUS replied, "let it be so now; it is proper for to do this to fulfill the righteousness." then john consented. as soon as JESUS was baptized, HE went up out of the water. at that moment heaven was opened, and HE saw the SPIRIT OF GOD descending like a dove and lighting on HIM. and a voice from heaven said, the is my SON whom I love; with HIM I AM well pleased." matthew 3: 13-17


one of the great promises in the bible is baptism. most of us were baptized as children. each denomination has a different view on how you are to be baptized. some sprinkle you with water and some fully submerge you in water. when you accept CHRIST into your heart baptism is a physical and emotional commitment to serve HIM.

my husband and i were both "sprinkled" as children with the commitment from our parents that they would raise us in CHRIST. when my husband and i had started attending our church we decided to be baptized again. we were not only showing our commitment to GOD as a married couple; we were showing our commitment to live our life according to GOD's law.

i can remember that day vividly. we asked a couple from our church to be there with us. the gentleman is a pastor at our church and his wife was my first bible study teacher. we hold them in great esteem and respect. we go to them as our elders and confidants in CHRIST. this day is in the top 5 greatest blessings of our marriage i can honestly say.

not only do i remember the great joy of sharing this with my husband, i remember the great joy of GOD in our lives that day. let me say that i am terrified to go under water. i like to be in water, but not to go under it. i was in state of panic and fear of being fully submerged. our pastor friend took a clothe, covered my nose and mouth, leaned me backwards into the warm water and pulled me out all within a couple of minutes. the peace and love that came over me when i emerged from the water was nothing i had ever felt before.

i could feel the peace and love in every fiber of my being. my heart and soul had been given a glorious gift. if you have children you know the feeling of being overcome with love at the sight of seeing their face for the first time; this is a 100 times better! i was shaking and weeping in joy for what GOD had just given us.

the greatest gift you will ever receive in life is accepting CHRIST into your heart. i believe the second is being baptized. HE will wash away your old life and begin the new. what an incredible promise HE has given us.

"peace I leave with; MY peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." john 14:27

"the LORD your GOD is with you, HE is mighty to save. HE will take great delight in you, HE will quiet you with HIS love, HE will rejoice over you with singing." zephaniah 3:17

my failure to my husband

GOD brought me to my knees yesterday, literally. HE slapped me in the face with a very harsh realization about my marriage and how i was failing my husband. my husband and i have very clear, defined roles in our marriage. he supports us financially and i am to care for our home and our children. the demands of these roles have left us physically and emotionally exhausted.

GOD made me realize that this problem needed to be addressed before it got any worse. i need to make some changes as a wife. i need to remember why GOD brought us together in the first place. taking responsibility for your failures in a marriage and not blaming your spouse for them is a big step in the journey. we have to fix ourselves first to make it work.

spouses blame each other for the reasons they are having problems in their marriage instead of looking at themselves first. i asked my husband to do something yesterday that in all reality is against his nature and i was wrong to put such a heavy burden on him. i do need this from him and he knows that,so knowing the heart of my husband he will try his best to do it because he loves me. i cannot ask something of my husband that i am not doing myself.

here's an example of two simple requests that we have asked each other to do that has turned into a 6 year argument. i want him to clean out the garage and he wants me to have someone clean out the air vents in our house. i know you are thinking this is so stupid and it is. first of all, my husband does not have the time to clean out the garage, but i do. second of all, the phone call to set up the cleaning of the vents would probably just take me 10 minutes. now we are bitter when we bring up these tasks to each other so neither one us has done the chore yet. do you see how something so small can turn into something so much bigger?

the above argument is selfishness on both our parts. i should always do the task my husband has asked me to do the first time, not after 100 plus times of asking. i made a commitment to him and i am not living up to my end of the bargain. most of the time our petty arguments are really because of a deeper issue within ourselves and it is not our spouse's fault.

if your heart and soul are sick, how in the world are you going to fulfill your spouses needs? first i need to hold myself accountable for what i am not giving my husband, then i will have the right to ask more of him. i have a lot of work cut out for me.

proverbs 31: 10-31

"though YOU have made me see troubles, many and bitter, YOU will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth YOU will again bring me up." psalm 71:20

your testimony

when i first started my journey i didn't understand what this meant. a testimony is sharing why you accepted CHRIST into your heart. my original reason for accepting HIM was because of my MS, but now as i journey further into my faith there are many more issues that brought me to HIM. as a christian we have to accept the bad and the good of our nature no matter how hard it is do.

if you had told me 10 years ago that i would be writing about scripture and discussing GOD's word with another i would have laughed in your face. the other response would have been anger. i had many individuals trying to teach me about GOD's word, but i pushed them away. accepting CHRIST is your personal journey alone. if you are trying to bring someone to CHRIST please try to remember how vulnerable you were to it. back off from that individual, or individuals if you need to. pray for the individual to change their hearts and let it be. you are not responsible for another's salvation.

there are 3 sins in my life that i can't seem to let go of. i have prayed, i have confessed, and i have pleaded with GOD to help me find the strength to move on from them. i have not. i'm not going to share with you 2 of these things because i am deeply ashamed of them. these 2 sins are between GOD and i now. i am however going to share 1 with you; anger.

when you start something like this blog a lot of doors open; good and bad. you have to fight the battle of becoming self-righteous. you have to fight to stay humble before others. when you keep putting yourself out there you have to face more and more of your own demons. you are continually tested by GOD about why you are doing this and your faith to HIM.

when you lose your temper with someone else, you are wrong - plain and simple. scripture teaches us that the problems you are facing with another may be justified, but when you show your anger you have lost the battle. this is hard for most of us to accept about ourselves, because we allow our pride to step in the way. a man that my husband and i hold in great esteem pointed out to me it's not the situation or words of another that have made you lose your temper, it is what is in your own heart that is making you angry.

if you are dealing with the sin of anger then ask yourself the question; what is in your own heart that is making you lose your temper. take a hard look in the mirror at yourself before you judge another.

"my dear brothers, take note of this: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that GOD desires." james 1:19-20

"do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools." eccelesiates 7:9

facing the truth of the bible

quite a few conversations happened yesterday that have opened many doors into my journey with CHRIST. i had to humble myself and seek the wisdom of other christians. i know each one of these individuals to be strong in their walk with CHRIST and their knowledge of the bible. they came through without judging my fault and guided me to where i needed to go.

every month a group that we are a part of meets to discuss GOD's word. last night we discussed and prayed about a tragedy that has happened to another family from our church. all of us can't even reconcile in our minds why GOD would allow something like this to happen.

with tragedy and trials we are supposed to grow in our faith, not turn from it. one example of great tragedy is the story job in the bible. job had been blessed in his life, but GOD allowed the devil to take everything from him. throughout this story job held strong to GOD and did not forsake him. he held true to his faith. (job - old testament)

when trials are placed before us we tend to look to man for our answers now, and not GOD. we have forsaken HIS word and truth. in one of the conversations yesterday a dear friend said "scripture is offensive" and they are right. it is the only truth and man does not want to know the truth. man does not want to hear the truth, because it doesn't conform to their "worldly" opinions, or beliefs. the entire world is guilty of this; every man, woman, race, or religion.

we are basing many of our beliefs on what others have told us to believe, and not what GOD has. we pick and choose scripture and distort from it's true meaning because we can't handle the truth of GOD. we make up reasons for why that can't be the truth. we say to ourselves that GOD made a mistake with that verse. GOD DOES NOT MAKE MISTAKES OR DISTORT THE TRUTH. satan fell to the pits of hell for questioning GOD and the truth. every time you forsake HIS truth and how HE has told you to live your life you are acting just like satan.

as you try to reconcile tragedy, or trials in your mind think about this story. a man has to sit and watch his only son be beaten, mocked, flesh torn from his body, thorns shoved into his scalp, forced to walk through a crowd, and watch 9 nails be hammered into his flesh on a wooden cross so we could be released from our sin. GOD endured watching HIS only SON from HIS seat in heaven die. we still forsake HIM, mock HIM, question HIM and ignore what HE is trying to tell us after gave HIS SON for us. this is the harsh reality and truth of all men and women.

are you living man's laws because you can't face the truth about your own hearts? the answer is probably yes. or are you too offended my GOD's truth?

"for the grace of GOD that brings salvation has appeared to all men. it teaches us to say "no" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age." titus 2:11-12

"do you see a man wise in his own eyes? there is more hope for a fool than for him." proverbs 26:12



"HE said to them, you are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but GOD knows your hearts. what is highly valued by men is detestable in GOD's eyes." luke 16:15

"you stiff-necked people, with your uncircumcised hears and ears! you are just like your fathers: you always resist the HOLY SPIRIT! was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? they even killed those who predicted the coming of the RIGHTEOUS ONE. and now you have betrayed and murdered him - you have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it." acts 7:51-53

what would JESUS do? or would JESUS do this?

what a great question! i rarely ask this question before anything i do; i just pray please help me with this. of course praying is the same as asking these questions, because GOD and JESUS are our true guidance in all things; they are the same. i have been searching deeper into faith since starting this blog in august. i have begun a journey that i can never turn back from, because GOD so wants us to share CHRIST's words from the new covenant (new testament), no matter what our fears or insecurities may be. i will be judged by GOD on these posts.

over the last few days i have had to admit some great failures on my part as a christian and come to terms with those actions. i find that am judging harshly on many things and individuals in this journey and i am not doing very well at "taming my tongue." this is the devil trying to stop me from sharing scripture. i will be judged very harshly for this, with absolutely no wiggle room. I only pray that when I bow on my knees before HIM at the gates of heaven that i will be showed just a speck of GRACE.

one of my great passions is to study history. one of my favorite topics is the individuals and events of the 1960's generation. my children and i had lunch with my father and stepmother yesterday and i decided to ask my dad about this since he comes from this generation. i wanted to know what had happened during that time that had shaped their views that we are currently seeing in our politics. he told me some very interesting facts that i had never thought about before. one thing though in particular hit home and i realized at that moment that i may have misjudged my father's faith.

i am a daughter of a military man, a dentist who only works primarily with our veterans, and a great student of history. my father is very passionate about what he believes. he can be radical at some times, but he said something to me during our conversation that i had never discussed with him before and my jaw almost hit the floor. he said that one of the the greatest tragedies of his generation was not just the vietnam war, but also the death of dr. martin luther king jr.

my father believes that if the reverend had not be shot he would have been one of the greatest leaders in this country today. that dr. king's faith and teachings of the scriptures would have brought us a nation much more united as one nation under GOD. i will need to go back and read more about dr. king. if you have never read his speech "i have a dream" i really encourage you to do so.

this also made me think about malcolm x and his faith; islam. malcolm x was one of the most radical islamists of our time, and he was an american. he preached about by any means necessary; including violence to bring down the white man and those that did not follow his faith.

both men were strong in their faith, both men had very different views on how they were to solve the issue of civil rights in this country. one believed in violence and the other didn't. in my opinion rev. king chose the right path.

what one of our greatest constitutional freedoms is the 1st amendment; we are allowed to worship GOD freely without judgement no matter what our religion is. we have been forced into one our greatest trials yet and that is being tolerate and non-judgemental of islam (only GOD can judge the practices of this religion).

my question is how would JESUS do this? would he go to the front lines with a gun in hand and kill as many as he could including innocents, or would HE try to teach them the words of GOD? would he do both? i don't have an answer to this question, so if you do please share, but please back up with scripture alone. we are going to have educate ourselves in the quran and bury ourselves in scripture, because we are ignorant on how we can fight this. our men and women are doing this physically in the middle east daily. we owe them this, just as much as we owe GOD this because he gave is only SON for us. don't let your hatred of the attack on 9/11 base your decisions alone.

i have posted the scripture from my post two days ago and i finding it fitting to this post, but i also encourage you to read all of the new testament.

"love must be sincere, hate what is evil; cling to what is good. be devoted to one another in brotherly love. honor one another above yourselves. never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving in the LORD. be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. share with GOD's people who are in need. practice hospitality. bless those that who persecute you; bless and do not curse. rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. live in the harmony with one another. do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. do not be conceited. do not repay evil for evil. be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. if it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for GOD's wrath, for it is written: it is MINE to avenge; i will repay, says the LORD. on the contrary: If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. in doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. do not overcome evil by evil, but overcome evil with good." romans 12:9-21

rembering 9/11, but what about 9/12?

when i woke up this morning i knew i was going to write about the events of 9/11. what i didn't know though was i was going to devote the entire posting to 9/12 and the days after. crystal clear as a bell, i heard god's voice in my head say "i brought you together." i have been so consumed with the anger, the hatred and the sadness of 9/11 for 9 years that i had never thought about the miracle that happened on 9/12. GOD had united us as a country again.

i don't know if you watch glenn beck. i do almost everyday. i like him and admire his courage for bringing the history of this country to light. i never got why he kept bringing up 9/12 and in my opinion that day didn't matter much. i only remembered the images and horrific details of 9/11. i remember asking GOD why he had done this to us. i never praised HIM for the day after. i failed like so many americans to get it. mr. beck recently has changed his format on reaching out to americans and the world. instead of showing his complete disgust and anger at our government, he is yelling at us to bring ourselves back to GOD and remember the day after.

i know everything single one us remembers that day. we have kept our promise of never forgetting, but we have forgotten the unity of a nation and the world on the 9/12. i feel sick to my stomach realizing that GOD created the events of this tragedy, and he forced us to unite in an act of violence; he forced us to become one under HIM. for the first time in a very long time all of us were equal that day. it didn't matter what your race was, your education, your job, your financial status, or your politics, it only mattered that we were sharing in the same pain. today isn't just a day to mourn the innocent lives that we lost because of hatred, but a day to bring yourself to your knees, beg for forgiveness, and praise HIM for uniting us on 9/12.

there are two specific events in history that stick out in my mind when i think about how we should have gotten it then, but didn't. the first, is when moses was able to secure the release of the jews from slavery in egypt and the second being the reign of king henry VIII. both had to do with religion, just as 9/11 did.

when moses lead the jewish people from egypt each individual praised GOD for their release. they forgot that in the following days as they were journeying to the promised land and began to cry out to GOD about what HE wasn't giving them. HE made them walk in the desert for 40 years.

king henry was ruler of england in name only at the beginning of his reign. he still had to answer to the pope and the catholic church. in his lust for power and a woman named anne boleyn he broke away from the catholic church and formed his own. throughout his reign as king he either persecuted the catholics, or the protestants. he never praised GOD for allowing the two to exist in worshipping the same GOD, so HE gave them years of turmoil and violence.

we have forgotten the gift that GOD gave us on 9/12 and the days after. we have allowed the devil to feed our hatred and anger for the radical muslims instead of growing in our faith with HIM. most of us have failed our SAVIOUR again. i am going to commend those that got it on the day after, and rebuke those that didn't with this post today including myself for not getting it.

please pray for all those innocent individuals that were lost and their families. cry for them, weep for them and pray to GOD that we come together again.

"let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellow man has fulfilled the law. the commandments, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet, and what ever other commandment there may be are summed up in this one rule: love your neighbor as yourself. love does no harm to its neighbor. therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. and do this, understanding the present time. the hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. the night is nearly over; the day is almost here. so let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. let us behave decently as in the daytime, not in orgies, and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. rather clothe yourselves with the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature." romans 13:8-14

prejudices and racism - confessing my sin

we had a "facebook" conversation going on yesterday regarding the building of the proposed mosque near ground zero. i listed my reasons why i don't think that it should be built. my main reason was because i believe that it is a burial ground for those that died there and it should remain a memorial to them. after much soul searching last night i am going to confess my sin to you right now; the other reason was because of my hatred towards the muslim world. the devil is winning in my heart.

the united states has a long, terrible history of racism and prejudices. it has scarred us and damaged us. i have a hard time writing this because i will i have to admit that have my own prejudices. i hoped when our president was a elected that a lot of the seeds of racism would began to heal, but in my opinion we have only gotten worse. a lot of americans will never be able to accept having a black man in office, and one that they feel is too sympathetic to the muslim world after what happened on 9/11. i am beginning to feel though that our president has just as much hatred as we do. not for the muslim world, but for us. he is no better than the rest of us.

as a christian, i do not believe that islam is the path to GOD, pure and simple. am i being tolerate with other religions yes, but not to islam. i have been grouping the radicals with the non. i have been basing my decisions on my hatred for the radicals and not on what scripture teaches me; love your enemies just as you would your neighbor and yourself.

we are all guilty of some form of racism and prejudice. our world shows us this everyday. from the beginning of time we have had prejudices. the middle east persecutes israel. the iranian president alone believes the holocaust never happened. the jewish people are just as guilty of this persecution. so, whom is better in the eyes GOD - no one.

whites have persecuted the black man because of the color of their skin. black men have persecuted white men because of the color of their skin. we aren't any different than the middle east and jerusalem. when are we going to stop? when are we going to reach out to GOD to find the truth and stop the devil from corrupting us? sooner or later we are going to have forgive what has happened, because we are going to be judged harshly by the hand GOD at the gates heaven. we must show grace just has HE has showed each one of us grace.

GOD created all of the trials we face in the world, and we have failed by allowing them to continue. the devil plays on our hatreds. the devil feeds them. this is no longer about the color of our skin, our race, our religion, this is about being a child of GOD.

"love must be sincere, hate what is evil; cling to what is good. be devoted to one another in brotherly love. honor one another above yourselves. never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving in the LORD. be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. share with GOD's people who are in need. practice hospitality. bless those that who persecute you; bless and do not curse. rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. live in the harmony with one another. do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. do not be conceited. do not repay evil for evil. be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. if it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for GOD's wrath, for it is written: it is MINE to avenge; i will repay, says the LORD. on the contrary: If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. in doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. do not overcome evil by evil, but overcome evil with good." romans 12:9-21

atheism and the theory of evolution

atheism:
1. Disbelief in or denial of the existence of God or gods.
2. The doctrine that there is no God or gods.
[French athéisme, from athée, atheist, from Greek atheos, godless : a-, without; see a-1 + theos, god.]

darwin's theory of evolution:
A theory of biological evolution developed by Charles Darwin and others, stating that all species of organisms arise and develop through the natural selection of small, inherited variations that increase the individuals ability to compete, survive, and reproduce. Also called Darwinian theory

atheism and darwin's theory of evolution are beliefs that exist in our world that i really just don't get. even before i accepted CHRIST into my heart and started my journey into faith i knew GOD existed. personally, i think that individuals say they don't believe in GOD, because then they would have to face their own sins and be held accountable for them. the theory of evolution is just ridiculous in my opinion. of course man has evolved, but not because of darwin's theory.

here's some questions to those that don't believe HE exists. do you believe that you shouldn't commit murder? do you believe that you shouldn't lie? do you believe that you shouldn't be unfaithful to your spouse? do you believe that you shouldn't steal? if you believe that you shouldn't do these things then you believe in four of the ten commandments of GOD. so, i guess you do believe in GOD. (exodus 20)

i hate to say it, but most of us have broken a commandment or two; i know i have. i broke one while i was writing this. for those of you that pretend to not believe in GOD, or say that you don't believe in GOD, then you should know that you have a pretty good chance of NOT getting into heaven. I dare you to read the BIBLE. the TRUTH will set you free.

all i can say about evolution is that of course we are going to evolve over time. GOD gives us a brain to use and seek wisdom. with each new step we take in solving a problem, or figuring out how something works we have evolved. each time we create (i should say each time HE gives us) something new we have evolved. all you have to do is read about the history of the world. i have no doubt that charles darwin was an intelligent man, but if he had just believed in scripture then maybe he would have saved himself a lot of work regarding his theory.

"do not think that i have come to abolish the LAW or the prophets; i have not come to abolish but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the LAW until everything is accomplished. anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. for I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the pharisees and the teachers of the LAW, you will certainly not enter the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN." matthew 5:17-20




http://www.the-ten-commandments.org/the-ten-commandments.html

a christian dilemma

for the past couple of days a friend and i have been corresponding about illegal immigration in the united states. as many of you know we have a huge problem with this in our country. we have a lot of worldly issues that conflict with our beliefs as christians, but the only laws that matter are HIS in the end. we have turned so far away from GOD that we can longer think rationally and solve a problem with GOD's laws, but we are basing our decisions on the financial ramifications.

when the united states was formed and the legal documents were written it was all based on GOD's laws. the conflicting part is that the system has become so corrupted with evil that the good is being ignored. for example the drug wars that are going on along the united states/mexico borders. this violence is now carrying over into our country and we have lost site of the individuals that are coming here just to feed and clothe their families. the dilemma with this is they aren't going about it lawfully and we as citizens are paying a huge price for it. i don't think any of us in hearts wants another human to suffer unnecessarily when they are working just as hard as you to support their families. so what do you do? as christians we are to love our neighbors and help them when they are in need, but also as christians we are supposed to obey the law. (matthew 22:34-40)

the big question is; how do we define whom is in need? the world likes to tell us who is in need, so they try to control whom we should be helping. the united states government is one of the biggest culprits of this in the wrong way. as a nation we are very giving individuals, but the bible clearly defines who we should be helping. in my opinion the sole purpose of the government should be to protect us from tyranny (this can be defined in so many ways) and enemies that want to do us harm. that's why the founding fathers based the laws of this country on scripture.

we have to turn back to JESUS CHRIST and what he told us to do and not what man has told us to do. the consequences of not opening your eyes and heart to CHRIST is unlawful. we are headed deeper into a deadly course by turning away from HIM. our judgement will not be in the end from man, but from GOD alone. every action that you take in the world that are not GOD's laws will be confronted before you enter into heaven. i just hope that man realizes before it is too late that we have to return to scripture and lead a christian life. you must accept HIS laws into your hearts and read HIS word to be saved.

i pray we do this.

"now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth is silenced and the whole world held accountable to GOD. therefore no one will be declared righteous in HIS sight by observing the law, rather, through the law we become conscious of sin." romans 3:19-20

why aren't we happy?

i have asked myself this question on many occasions and the truth is i don't know why some days i'm not. one of our sunday school teachers said this past weekend that GOD does want us to have trials in our life. we wouldn't be human if we didn't have those trials or burdens. some days i have asked GOD, "why did adam have to eat the apple when he lived in paradise?"

with advancement we have made our lives almost too easy. sometimes i wish we had simpler lives. sometimes i think maybe the human race has become so advanced that we have forgotten what it means to truly be in need. we are always looking for something newer, shinier, and easier. i have food on the table, clothing to clothe my back and shelter from the rain; this should be enough for me (luke 12:22-23). there is a story in the new testament of a rich man that asks JESUS what else he can give to be assured a spot in heaven and CHRIST replies give up your money. the thought of it scares him and he walks away (matthew 19:16-23). our financial security is not real security - money can always blow away. most of us think this way, that if we can only save enough that we will always have security in our life, but what is enough?

envy rots the bones (proverbs 14:30), and we are some envious people. how many times have you looked at someones home, or car and wished you had that? how many times have you wished you could go on that luxurious vacation? how many times have you thought, i wish i had the better clothes and wouldn't have to always buy something on sale? most of our wishes are material goods and i hate to break it to you, but you can't take it with you when you die. most of us don't have a sense of balance in our lives, we are always striving for more to make us feel better about ourselves. that's probably one reason that so many of us are in debt, there will never be enough to satisfy our thirst for what money can buy.

in reality all of the above are really just our emotional needs trying to be filled. we think if we have all of those things then that will make us happy. how's that working out for you? i do this all the time with myself and my children. am i teaching them that true happiness lies in a material object, or that true happiness only comes for the LORD? the answer would be that i'm not teaching them enough about GOD. all parents are guilty of this and we are doing a disservice to our children. our emotional needs can only be filled by GOD and our growth in faith. with reading the bible and growing in our wisdom of scripture we are fulfilling our true destinies and that is to have eternal life with our LORD JESUS CHRIST in heaven.

"and i saw that all labor and all acheivement spring from man's envy of his neighbor. this too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind." ecclesiastes 4:4

walking the walk; actions speak louder than words

when you accept CHRIST into your heart doesn't make you saved, you must also live a chrisitan life. do i do this most of the time; no. our sermon yesterday was on the many chairs we have in our lifetime; or the many hats we wear. the question asked to us was "is it possible to be a follower of CHRIST if you are trying to control your own life?" the simple answer is, no.

there are so many examples in the bible of followers of GOD that have failed at this. adam and eve were told by GOD not to eat the apple from the tree, but they did. abram (abraham), did not have faith that GOD would provide him an heir with his wife sarai (sarah), so he had another child with their household servant, hagar. sodom and Gomorrah were warned that if they did not abandon their worship of idols and their depravity they would be destroyed. david was given glory over goliath and became king of israel, but he sought another's wife and committed adultery. peter denied CHRIST three times, after seeing the miracles of JESUS. judas knew that JESUS was the son of GOD, but he betrayed HIM and gave him over to the romans and the jews. saul (paul) murdered and persecuted christians, because he didn't believe that JESUS was the saviour the jews had been praying for. rome, became so powerful and greedy that they fell for not believing that HE was the one true GOD, not caesar (compare it the united states).

we still do not put CHRIST in control, or above all things in our life. every choice we make that is not because of the LORD, or because we do not give him our life is a sin. in the eyes of GOD lying is the same as murder. i think that most of us believe that we have given ourselves all the blessings that enrich our lives, and not GOD; that's so far from the truth. we are ignorant and stupid - that's the only way i can say it. GOD controls everything in our life, HE knows what you are going to choose before you choose it. now, whether we learn from our sin and put our faith back in HIM is the question. christians, i think are the biggest culprits of this, because most of us know what the bible has said on how we are to live our life, but some of us still leave church on sunday mornings and live the way WE want to.

sooner or later you are going to have to ask yourself as a follower of JESUS CHRIST if you are actually living in the word, or if you are just saying the words. there is big difference between talkin the talk and walkin the walk. the fear of being persecuted for being a christian is sometimes to great that we bow down to the world and not to GOD. we should be ashamed of ourselves. CHRIST died on the cross for you and you alone. HE DIED FOR YOU!

you have to fully give yourself to him and obey his laws no matter how hard it can be. if you do not confess your sin and give it to him fully, learn from your sin, then you are not obeying HIS law of giving your life to HIM. we are failing HIM.

"so then, just as you have received CHRIST JESUS as LORD, continue to live with him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith that you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." colossians 2:6-7

the greatest commandment; love

"we love because HE first loved us." 1 john 4:19

the greatest commandment in the bible is to love GOD first, to love HIM above all things. by loving HIM first the love you can have for others is a powerful gift. GOD has way of making you see the power of loving another unconditionally regardless of their sins. all of us have a need to be loved and to love. it's in our dna, HE created us that way.

love comes in all forms. spouses love each other, parents love their children, children love their parents, friends love one another, and one of my favorites is how a grandparent loves a grandchild. we all of love for a possession, or a pet that has become apart of the family. we have a love for our nation (sometimes). some of us though have a love of material goods - remember you can't take them with you. the biggest sin i see when it comes to love is that of money. greed is one of the sickest forms of love i have ever seen, because with it comes other forms of sin.

when i am kind and loving to another i am so happy to see how they react in that situation, because a lot of times that individual really may have needed that. when you are child the first form of love you receive is that of your parents and family. my husband's family is one of the most loving families i have ever seen. they hug and kiss you, tell you they love you and all them are kind to one another. my family is a little different. it's not that we don't love one another, we just show it in completely different ways. my husband's family way of loving was very hard for me to get used to in the beginning. i'm still not very good at it sometimes. i am a sarcastic person by nature and their not.

my husband and i are raising our children where they are told all the time that they are loved. we give them countless number of hugs and kisses. this is by far one of the great blessings of our life. one of the greatest gifts you can give your children is love, and to show them that you love one another. they hear us all the time tell each other we love one another and witness our hugs on a daily basis. i know that this is because my husband and i love GOD more and because HE loves us.

GOD asks you to love neighbors as you would yourself. HE even asks you to your enemies. some people have the greatest capacity to love and the ones i know have GOD in their life. they have accepted JESUS CHRIST into their hearts and HIS scripture to be true. i have great respect for these individuals and a great love for them.

when you accept HIM, the possibilities to love another and to be loved are endless. the joy of that cannot be compared to anything else in the world.

"whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. he who loves me will be loved by my FATHER, and i too will love him and show myself to him." john 14:21

scripture: john 13:34-35, romans 12:9-10, 1 thessalonians 4:9, 1 john 2:10, 1 peter 1:22, 1 john, 4:7-8,10,16,19, 1 john 3:18, 1 john 4:10-11, colossians 3:12-13, john 3:16, deuteronomy 7:9-13, psalm 146:8, isaiah 62:5, jeremiah 31:3, 2 thessalonians 2:16-17, zephaniah 3:17, hosea 14:4, proverbs 15:9, jeremiah 32:41, ephesians 2:4-7, john 16:27, john 17:23-26, proverbs 8:17-21, john 14:21, psalm 145:20, ephesians 6:24, psalm 91:14, 1 corinthian 2:9, deuteronomy 11:13-15

what GOD can show us and give us

yesterday was a good day. GOD gave something to our family that will make my journey with MS possibly a lot easier over the long term. myself, my family and friends have been praying about this for a little while and it finally came thru. it makes me count all my blessings and the blessings over and over again that the LORD has given us. it was a good day.

when some of us have things going on in our lives, or a circumstances that are good and bad we as christians have to remember this is all because of the LORD. most of us being the selfish human beings that we are tend to praise ourselves more than GOD. when you work hard for something, or to achieve that goal, GOD rewards you for that toil. this though can be a good reward or a bad reward. most individuals either listen and search out GOD's guidance, or they choose to do it their way.

some of the choices I have been making haven't been very good, so needless to say GOD is forcing me to turn back to HIM and follow his guidance in scripture. a problem that has been plaguing me over the last few months is depression. depression runs in my family. some of us have had to struggle with it for years, and some of us have never gotten the help we need for it. in this day and age that is incredible to me. the first choice I ask you in solving this problem is to pray that you can find the help you need. the second is to contact someone that you trust and ask for help. you're going to have to throw away your pride in thinking that you can solve it on your own, and humble yourself to get the help you need.

in may of this past year, my doctor in the only way she can, told me to get my "crap" together. i had had a lot things going on in my life that had pushed my depression into overload. i didn't take care of it then like i should have, so it got worse. GOD always makes me sick with a relapse when i fail to keep my heart with him - never fails, i get sick.

some of you are probably thinking that you do pray and seek him, but you keep going back to your old ways and things are just getting worse. the simplest answer is that that is not the path GOD wants you to follow, or you just haven't fully given it up yet. it is up to you to make the decision to let HIM in and give it all to HIM. no one can do this for you. addictions and habits are the hardest to get rid of, but when you do praise GOD for it!

the greatest rewards in my life that GOD has given me is my husband, my children and believe or not my MS. when life looks like it is too much to bear write down your blessings, add to them over time. even write down the ones that you think are too small to count. that is GOD. that is what HE is trying to show us. no problem is too great for HIM to handle, no problem is worth you trying to do it all alone. seek HIM!

"therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when JESUS CHRIST is revealed" 1 peter 1:13

"in his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." proverbs 16:9

"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