Words of Encouragement

Every new year people make resolutions.Resolutions to lose weight/get fit, to learn something new, travel, volunteer, finish projects that have been put off, spend less time on social media.  The list goes on and on and on and well you get the picture! :) I've made resolutions through out the years.  One year I went Gluten free. A couple years I decided to read the Bible in a year. One year I decided to go dairy free but I never made it through two months without breaking it by having a piece of cheese! :p This year I decided to make a New Years resolution.  What did I decide to do?!  Well first I want to tell you about this book I have been reading.  Its called "Get Lost: You guide to finding true love" by Dannah Gresh. "With a guided ten-day Love Feast Challenge, Get Lost will help you see for yourself how getting lost in God opens the door to lifelong fulfillment." The book was really good I would encourage every young woman to read it.  Anyways, ...

Okay so I was hanging out with a friend last weekend and she had two push-pins in her room.  I picked them up and I thought of this cool comparison that I wanted to share.  Just for a moment think of people as push-pins, they come in all shapes, sizes and different colors.  Push-pins are used to fasten items to a wall or board for display.  One pin alone can hold something small onto that wall/ board pretty well. It can try to hold something big, but it probably wouldn't do a good job at it without us helping it stay in place. Two pins together, however, can hold up something big onto the wall/ board and do a very good job at it.  Just like the pushpin by itself  we can usually accomplish something on a small scale along with the hand of Christ holding us and placing us where we need to be. Just like two push-pins together can hold something bigger onto the wall/ board, we can accomplish things on a bigger scale with the help of others and of Lord Jesus ...

Just got the book, "Revolution in World Missions: One mans Journey to change a Generation" in the mail! So far its been really good!!  Get it for free with the link below it will take a couple weeks to arrive! "Young Yohannan had no idea what those words of surrender would mean for his life and for millions of others in his generation. Once an insecure 16-year-old, he became a missionary statesman who has impacted the world of missions and whose unbending message has touched hungry hearts on every continent. Step into his story and experience the world through his eyes. You’'ll walk right into the book of Acts. And through his telling, you'’ll hear the very heart of God beating for His creation. K.P. Yohannan’'s passion is contagious and spurs you on to be all for Jesus. He chose to take the road less traveled many years ago, and today Gospel for Asia, the mission he founded, is one of the most respected organizations in our time with tho...

I wrote these short passages a couple weeks ago and I thought that I would share them with you all! "I may be weak, small, frail, insignificant. But with You, oh Lord, I am strong, mighty, big, important, loved, content. Without You, I am nothing, but with you I am completely full. Fill up my cup and let it overflow!" "Lord all I am I surrender. Give me faith to trust what You say! Give me faith to follow what You want me to do every step of the way. Lord take everything in my life it is Yours. Guide me as I walk the walk of faith. Hear my prayers, o Lord... In Your faithfulness answer me. You are faithful. O God, You hear my cries and You answer me in Your appointed time."

   “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.” ~ Psalm 100:4   Give thanks  for everything He has made.  Revelation 4:11, Psalm 136:4 ·         Mankind ·           Plants ·           Stars/planets/ galaxies/ ·           Hills/ mountains/valleys/ oceans ·          Animals Give thanks  to the Lord for His goodness.  Psalm 136:1 Give thanks  to the Lord for showing us grace even when we don’t deserve it.  1 Corinthians 1:4   This is a big one and I would say an important one! Give thanks  to the Lord for provisions that He has provided us in-order for us to be physically well!  Psalm 136:25 Give thanks  to the Lord for His work of salvation and sanctificatio...

With all this cold and cloudy weather, I thought I would brighten up your day with a picture!!  Picture taken by: Lydia G.  

Unique You are unique no matter what you think

       For the past three months I have been taking a class at our county college. While taking the class we (my brother and I) started talking to one of the students! First it was just small talk but then we starting talking about more important matters I guess you could say.  We started discussing what we believed about a variety of topics and our morals. After every class (I’m only taking one class at our county college) we would bring to the lunch table a different topic to talk about.        We discussed lying, music, books, movies, the end times, modesty, faith, swearing, drugs, etc.  It was really fun to talk about what we believe, because usually when we get together with our friends, Christian or non-Christian we usually don’t talk about our faith or moral issues… usually. Why is this? I think it’s because we unintentionally think that we all have the same stance on every single topic.  Found on Flickr: Taken 20...

I love the fall season!  It's not too cold and not too hot!   Plus its great season for pictures to be taken! Fall is a great time to go driving! Fall is also a great time to go on walks!

Don't listen to the melodies of others.  You might be asking yourself what is she talking about?! I am talking about the advice of non-believers. There are so many melodies being played throughout out lives. Sadly, many do not follow the teachings of Christ. As followers of Christ we need to continually be listening and following His song. "Jesus plays the sweet melody men's ears have ever heard..." We can only find love joy, and peace by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ and following His amazing melody. It will be hard, we will be "mocked, ridiculed, persecuted and even killed by the world."  We should be continually be asking God to pen His melody in our hearts and minds. So here's a question for thought. Whose melody are you following? Quotes by Erik Ludy in his book, "When God writes your love story."

Are you experiencing the peace of God in all circumstances?  Did you know that we can be in the midst of any stress of problem  and still abide in God's perfect peace?! It's true! One of my favorite Psalms,  Psalm 46, tells us that,    “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,  though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” I would like to share with you the true story of a man whose earth gave way and whose family fell into the heart of the sea. In 1873, Horatio G. Spafford decided to take his family on a vacation to Europe. He thought it would help his family, who was grieving the loss of Horatio's only son who had died during a recent epidemic.   At the last minute however, Horatio could not leave because of an obligation to...

A couple months ago my family watched this video for devotions one night!  Its a progression of the many names of God  throughout the Bible from the book of Genesis all the way through Revelation. It's a powerful video created by the Mission Society at Ellerslie .  Take eleven minutes out of your day and hit the play button on the video below. Production of Ellerslie Mission Society in Partnership with Irish Elk Media

"For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."   Galatians 2:19-20 "For I am crucified with Christ And yet I live Not I but Christ  That lives within me His Cross will never ask for more   Than I can give For it's not my strength but His There's no greater sacrifice For I am crucified with Christ And yet I live" "Crucified with Christ" by Phillips, Craig and Dean Cross, Sunset, Holy Island, Northumberland. By: Ian Britton http://bit.ly/1u0bdis

A few days ago, my brother was listening to the radio station, K-Love, while he did his schoolwork. A song came on the station called “Let Them See You in Me.” As I listened to the lyrics, I was especially struck by the chorus of the song. "Let them see You in me Let them hear You when I speak Let them feel You when I sing Let them see You Let them see You in me." As I contemplated the meaning of these words, I began to realize that the song wasn’t just about people seeing God in our words and songs, but in our daily lives. As Christians, we are called to be different from this world. (Romans 12:2, Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--His good, pleasing, and perfect will.) What does it mean to be different from the world? We need to be examples of Christ likeness in our  daily lives. Now, that doesn't mean ju...

"Little Things" by Jon Jorgenson  Found on Youtube Such a cool video!  Even the little things that happen in our lives can make a huge difference!

My pastor, Bob Boerman, shared the quote below one week at church back in January, and I really liked it so I thought I would share it with you all! “When God heats up the pot, one person pops (changes) then soon another one pops. Then there are groups and finally a pot (community), a bowl full of popcorn. Soon that bowl full of popcorn will overflow to the people (kernels) around them.”  –Bob Boerman

I thought this was a great video.   I love the example that he gave of the triangle. "Does God Respond to Prayer?"  Jon Jorgenson

“Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.” ~~ John 14:15

  Last night I attended a worship and prayer time for the student ministries at our church. We prayed for the three different groups The students Outreach The leaders It was such a powerful time. Sixty people in one room worshiping the King of kings and praying together. WOW!!! We focused in four different areas that surround the student ministries. Just hearing everyone praying together is so powerful.   As it states in Matthew 18:20,  "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Also in Romans 15:5-6   "Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Prayer is powerful, never forget that.

The Bible tells us that there is power in prayer. Recently I have been reading books on prayer and this week our church is going through a week entitled, "Pause for Prayer." First, I just want to say that prayer is not  a “Wishing well." At a camp where I had the opportunity to work  this summer, one of the coordinators explained to the campers what prayer is and is not! Prayer is not just “wishing” for God to do things in our life.  For example, we  shouldn't  be praying, “God I wish that we have a great day today. I wish that everyone likes their food and that we stay safe.”   That’s not what prayer is!   "Prayer is not monologue, but dialogue. God’s voice in response to mine is its most essential part.”  Quote by: Andrew Murray    When we pray we should be thanking God for everything that He has done in our life. Thank Him for being the One true God and that He sent His one and only Son to earth to die for us ...