365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 253

As I was laying in bed this morning, contemplating all the plans for the day, I realized how very nice it was to be able to sleep in and wake up without the need to get up and get going.  In our fast paced world, it seems these moments of just peace, quiet and comfort are rare. This reminds me of how God wants us to be still and listen. We have to find the time, NO, make the time to just be still with God. These are the moments when our hearts are ready to receive the blessings of wisdom, clarity, guidance, insight, inspiration and on. Just like everything it is something we have to be intentional about. Jesus would go off alone into the mountains to just be with God. Are you making consitent alone time with God? Before the rush of the day starts, maybe this would be a good time to talk to God.  Lord, we thank you for the gift of our alone time with you. We forget how much it can help us and our relationship with each other. Help us to make the time to just be still and be with you so we can hear your voice. Amen.

Isa 30:20-21 Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. 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."

365 Days of Prasie Challenge-Day 247

I have just recently have gone into the world of Pinterest. If you are a visual person, you will be hooked like I am. You will be inspired in so many ways with so many great ideas for everything. I love that I can find a recipie, a scripture with a beautiful inspiring photo and a scrapbook sketch idea all in one place. If you haven't been invited to Pinterest, let me know and I will invite you to join. Thank you Lord for this gathering of inspiration.

2 Timonthy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 187

Hallelujah! I know we have all been there and done that. Been in a funk where you just aren't motivated or can't focus or think. I am in a bit of a funk this morning... I have a few random thoughts about things but nothing enough to inspire me. With my Christian radio station on in the background, my mind went to the song and singing it rather than thinking about what to write. Our brains are not perfect either. Sometimes they don't want to work the way we would like. Today is a brain-malfunctioning kind of day and that's okay. On days like this and in moments I have had where I can't even speak the words to pray, God hears me anyways. He hears me in my heart or in the song that is currently stuck in my head and it's all I can think of. My stuck song is now from Aaron Shust... Savior please, keep savin' me...Praising God for his heart hearing ability and hoping to be out of the funk tomorrow morning.

Psalm 95:2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 115

My daughter participated in a Girl Scout event last evening called Thinking Day. All the various troops had to put together a booth about a specific country and put together a skit of some kind. Faith's troop did a dance from Portugal. It was delightful trying to take photos and video of this dance. She is currently in a my mom takes too many photos stage and would look at me as she danced and give me a big frown so I subtly made faces back at her to get the smile back on her face. It was one of those fun mother-daughter moments. At the end of the event, the troops gather in one big circle and one by one went around the circle making a wish or saying a prayer silently then would put their left foot forward. In thinking about this today, I am again reminded of the power of the body of Christ. It's within the body of Christ that we can gain wisdom, discernment, clarity, inspiration, ideas, resources and on and on. Being within this body of Christ can be a powerful tool the Holy Spirit uses to help us in our lives and in our purposes that God gives each of us. I am heading this morning to a leadership class at another church but am comforted by this thought, the body of Christ is not just one church but all believers. So, no fears today going into an unknown church with unknown people. We are all of one body. Thank you God for this reminder that I needed today!
1Corinthians 12:13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit, into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 64

'Rick' and 'Change' are two words that a lot of people would like to avoid. Why do it? Why change? Why get out of our comfort zone? Why not just keep our mouths shut? Why not just sit in our homes and do nothing? Because...
Because as a child of God, we are called to be fishers of men. My husband and I and hundreds of others sat and watched a sermon from a pastor at a church out in California. This sermon wasn't to his congregation. It was to a group of other pastors who have been gathering together for some time now trying to discern what God wants the church to do. Our church is breaking away as are lots and lots of others from the Presbyterian USA. It's a long process but the church has been forthcoming in honesty and communication about all that is taking place and what will be happening in the future. We got our first glimpse from this pastor's sermon on what this new, not sure what you call it, 'entity' for lack of the correct term. It is called ECO for short, Evangelical Covenant Order and it's main purpose is the growth of the body of Christ. The pastor was very inspiring and asked over and over again are we going to just sit and do nothing or are we going to make the change, take the risk and become a body of believers that will fight for the souls of everyone else before they go to hell. This sermon just gave me a great boost that my ministry will mean something and hopefully can help believers in their growth so we can all be bearing an abundance of fruit. 'Risk' and 'Change' are tough but nobody every said life was easy. That will come in heaven but you have to have the ticket to get through that door. Are there things in your life that you have not had the courage or inspiration to change? Are you avoiding taking that risk or making the change for whatever reason? Pray, pray and pray more to the God of the Universe and ask him to give you the courage, inspiration and desire to do anything He is calling you to do.
Matthew 7:17-20 Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 61

I hope this won't sound like a sales pitch. I really am grateful for inspiration for scrapbooking and cardmaking, whatever the source may be but I am really grateful for the How To books that Close to My Heart has created. The instructions are easy to follow with visuals to aid you as you do it and in the end you are adding all those embellishments, titles and photos that really make it all "yours". I created this layout with the Cherish How To book and just am thrilled with how it came out. I used the new paper pack called Florentine, a retiring stamp set called Treasure Life and the January Stamp Set of the Month, Mad About You. I finalized it with some Olive hardware and WOW! I am so thrilled by how it all came together.

You can make this design with Florentine or any of the other Close to My Heart Duo Paper Packs. It will be available for you to create at the upcoming FTLC Crop in Februray or you can order a kit. Visit my Close to My Heart website to find the paper that suits you and your photos best, than send me an email and I will get you hooked up with this easy to do layout! So, thanks to the creativness of others to help me when I am in need of a little inspiration.
Hebrews 13:21 ...equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.