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Have you ever been in a situation that you didn’t want someone to know completely who you were? I know I have! Many reasons provoke these feelings, from being afraid that questions may be asked that we really do not want to discuss, concerned that we may not feel qualified to the degree that may be requested, or maybe even in one of my cases, for safety. While on a mission trip, we answered that we were in country “doing construction work” (which we were) rather than saying our main reason for being in the country was a mission trip. To accomplish our goal and stay safe, we did not divulge the whole story while on that mission trip. It's not wrong to hold back certain information at times whether for safety, to allow for planning, waiting for a more appropriate time or many other reasons. Jesus gave us examples of this in Mark 8:29-30 and 9:2-9. Jesus “knew His time had not yet come,” so He instructed those who knew Him not to share their knowledge at that specific time. There is no doubt that we are all grateful that people do not know us completely. We all have feelings, thoughts, and emotions that we’d rather keep to ourselves or maybe we are blessed to have a special accountability partner that she alone knows our deepest thoughts.     One of my favorite Psalms is 139 and one thing that is abundantly clear in this Psalm is that God knows EVERYTHING about me and continues to love and accept me just the same. He does the same for you! Matthew 10:30 says, “even the very hairs of our head are numbered by Him.” Friend, that is hard for me to imagine, but I know God’s Word is true! Just like David in verse 6 of Psalm 139, I cannot fathom all the blessings that God continually bestows on me despite knowing everything about me- the good, bad and the ugly!!!! From time to time, I will sit and make a list of blessings God has bestowed on me (big & small). Without fail, that special time with God ends with a time of praise, rejoicing and tears shed because I am SO LOVED by my Creator and Savior.   Psalm 139 is a precious chapter from start to finish, but I’d like to pull out a couple verse that are special to me. I encourage you to go to your Bible or App and read the whole chapter which is only 24 verses. Our little dog, Mya, would much rather be running around in the open yard than in her fenced area. But at times Mya gets distracted with what appears pleasurable to her and she takes off running 2 doors down to visit other dogs or she darts to the golf course to visit with strangers on a golf cart. The problem is that we can not protect her when she is running off on her own. Oh how verses 5-6 give me comfort in knowing that God protects me on all sides! I must share the verses: “You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.”  What a wonderful comfort knowing that God is guarding us from past as well as future happenings. There is a song that says, “Don’t hem me in,” but sweet sister, I am SO THANKFUL that God has placed a protective presence that only He can do on my life. No matter what happens in my life, where I am or where I go, if others treat me wrong or if I head toward the wrong path, God’s presence and guiding hand go before me as well as behind me. When we allow Him, God will fight our battles and help during difficult times. Even as I take comfort in verse 5, I couldn’t share my feeling of the knowledge of Psalm 139 any better than David did in verse 6: “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me: it is high; I cannot attain it.” God knows and understands me even better than I know myself. I’m not sure I have a word for the awesome comfort that gives me. Not only am I comforted by verse 5, but as the verses continue, I pause again at verses 13-18 in agreement with David. Again, I think “how precious to me are your (God’s) thoughts” and just how vast they are. Not just thoughts of creation but MY creation. Yep, those freckles on my nose, my speech difficulties, my eye that crosses occasionally despite patching as a kid, and much more- God created me in my mother’s womb just the way He wanted me. Nothing about me is unknown to Him- created wonderfully just the way I am for His plan. Sweet friend, if you have ever sat in a class that I taught or facilitated, seen me directing a conference or just spoken to me in a casual setting you will occasionally see me struggle to form my words. Listen, that’s me! That’s who God created me to be and only He knows His purpose, but it is perfect! How blessed am I to be created so wonderfully by the Master of all creators. I am special and so are you! Embrace those things that God made different about you. Give Him praise as He weaves your differences into a beautiful masterpiece for Him. Oh, how wonderful are His thoughts regarding us.     I could stop here and be blessed, but we can’t leave this Psalm without offering ourselves up to our wonderful Creator! Let’s pause just a few minutes at verses 23-24. “Search me, God, and know my heart; Put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there is any hurtful way in me and lead me in the everlasting way.” What a prayer David lifted to God! Are you ready to pray those words? These two verses present David’s self-examination under God’s divine guidance, acknowledging that God is omniscient, fully aware of everything about David, and capable of purifying David's thoughts and soothing his fears. Are you open to being tested, allowing God to provide, and willing to be led by God rather than your own desires? That’s precisely where we should be in our journey with God.   Take time to read Psalm 139 today and maybe every day this week. As you read, think of verses 1-6 describing God’s omniscience (all-knowing), verses 7-12 describing God’s omnipresence and His omnipotence being described in verses 13-16. David acknowledged these wonderful attributes of God before he pours out his feelings and thoughts to God in verses 17-24. Focus on the powerful theme of God’s intimate knowledge and presence in our lives. Take pleasure in reflecting on God’s amazing love for you, knowing that you can trust in His guidance and provision. Dear sister, God created us, knows us completely, and loves us so much that He sent His Son for us. Be grateful for the unique way you were made and for God's wonderful care and love for you. Ask God to reveal any anxious thoughts that might offend Him and seek specific guidance to eliminate the thoughts causing anxiety. At the time I wrote this blog entry, a battle was raging in my life, known only to two other people. Sister, when I say it was heavy, it truly was. Yet, one thing I know is that God loves me, understands all my struggles and trials, and He alone can address them. That's what sustains me in this challenging world. He has a plan beyond my imagination. My role is to trust Him, seek His will daily, and dedicate myself as an offering for His purpose. Trials are plentiful, but praise God, He knows everything about me—even my thoughts—and I am "hemmed in" by God with His hand upon me. Praise God, and can I get an AMEN!   Verses to meditate on: Psalm 139, 121:5-8; Deuteronomy 31:6;  Isaiah 41:10,  46:9-10; Jeremiah 17:10, 20:12; Matthew 10:30-31   Prayer: Heavenly Father, today I am pouring out my heart to You. I know you already know my thoughts, but I want to verbalize in sweet communion with You. “Search me, God, and know my heart; Put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there is any hurtful way in me and lead me in the everlasting way.”  I am asking You to show me any thoughts or actions that may be hurtful to others as well as myself and trusting You to guide me as You reveal these things to me. Thank You for your abundant love and guidance. May I be found faithful of all that You have entrusted me with. I love You, praise You and want to serve You to the best of my ability. Thank You for my weaknesses that draw me to dependence on You as well as the strengths that You planted deep within my being. Lord, I just want to thank You for Your wonderful creation of me. Amen

Have you ever prayed for a request for God to “send someone” to minister to a person? Were you surprised by the way God answered that prayer? What did it cost for that prayer to be answered? Is there a cost too great to pay for a soul to turn to Christ? My husband (Darrell) and I prayed a prayer like that! About 7 years ago (really before then) God began a process to totally change the lives of my husband, myself and many others as well as give us blessings for a lifetime. It was shortly after we began praying that prayer of “sending someone” to minister to  a person that I realized God was answering our prayers by sending us to a foreign country. A cost we never calculated or considered.  We had recently moved from Georgia to South Carolina and I was working at Ft. Jackson Army Base. God gave me the opportunity to work with a male nurse who was not a Christian and an active duty physician that was a practicing Buddhist.  The physician and I developed a unique relationship. As we talked more and more about our religions, he began calling me " The Church Lady".  We worked together 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. He was watching every move I made, including my reactions to situations and would often comment on my reactions. Our conversations were fun and friendly, but every now and then (usually when it was just the two of us) we’d have conversations about Buddhism and Christianity. He was very adamant that he would remain a Buddhist and would challenge Christian topics with me (always in a friendly manner). This is the thing, I knew seeds were being sown and I knew that the prayers of many faithful friends and family praying with me was making a difference. We began going a little deeper in discussions and it led to more questions and more watching my reactions. I knew even at this point that God was moving in his heart. PDP (the name I will use for the physician) and his family were sent to Germany for their next assignment. Darrell and I committed to praying together for God to place a Godly couple in their lives to continue building on the foundation that God used us to help lay through the long days at work and other social opportunities we had.  PDP had begun asking questions (challenging) about Christianity. Friends, within 6 months PDP contacted me asking us to move to Germany so that I could work in the clinic there!  The seeds had been planted for sure and the ground was starting to feel fertile.  But, Darrell had recently retired from a government job and after living in 5 different states he had made it very clear that he was NOT moving again. God had another plan. The day I received the job offer from PDP, I came home from work and told Darrell about it. When Darrell agreed to move to Germany, I KNEW God was moving and HIS plan was being carried out in US! Darrell and I chatted about what the move would mean financially, to our aging parents, our daughters, and our young grandchildren. It would cost us a lot. It would cost time lost with our family, memories with our grands, and years that we wouldn’t get back with our parents. Would it really be worth it? Surely God could use a Christian couple already in Germany to continue witnessing to PDP. BUT… God was calling us. We told our families and really only got one positive response and that was from my mother. She saw this as a fulfillment of a desire from my college days to go to a foreign field as a missionary.  We had NO CLUE what we were in for, but on February 18, 2020, we boarded the plane bound for Grafenwoehr, Germany, a place we had never heard of until 2 short months earlier. We landed, got to our hotel, and it began to snow, and snow, and snow! We adjusted quickly though. Two weeks later, Covid joined us in Germany and restrictions threw curve balls in every direction. But Covid along with the passing of 3 of our parents, gave more opportunity to set an example and discuss the peace that comes through Christ to PDP.  My father died and 2 weeks later my father-in-law died. Darrell had stayed in SC after my father's death to be with his father and I went back to Germany alone. When I got the call that my wonderful father in law passed, PDP said to me, “Your faith during this time is a very beautiful thing.” I told him he could have the same thing through Christ. The cost of witnessing in a foreign country as our parents were passing felt high, but we were continuing to sow seeds for Christ- A cost that was worthy.  The PDP family began faithfully attending our church and we continued to see God’s work in PDPs heart (his wife is a Christian). Not very long after the death of our fathers, the PDP family had a couple of trials of their own. They were able to see God’s provision, love, and compassion as God placed special physicians and nurses along with a loving church family to meet their every need. I wish I had time to sit with a cup of tea or coffee and share with you some of the many conversations we had. God provided so many opportunities to share His love with PDP!  The PDP family’s time in Germany ended and they moved back to the states. Oh how so many of us continued to pray for those seeds that had been sown. Imagine the joy in my heart when in early January, 2024 our FB messenger conversation ended with PDP telling me that, “I’ll continue my Buddhist talking points with you just to keep you on your toes despite my journey in being closer with God as I read the Bible.” I was absolutely pumped! Sisters, for over 4 years I, as well as others had planted and watered… the increase was coming!  Four months later, on May 5, 2024, I received the text message of all messages! It was a photo and video of PDP’s baptism!!! Sisters can I just tell you that chills still travel up my legs when I think of this day! After some LOUD praising Jesus (praise God I was home alone), I called my bestie (who had also been praying) and began sharing the answered request!  Sweet sister, let me tell you that when you have just a small part in another person’s coming to Christ, your sacrifices become so insignificant. This is the thing though: even if you are not blessed to see those seeds harvested, you will be blessed by knowing you did your part. You shared the love of God with a sinner. While in Germany, the PDP family was not the only one that I prayed for seeds to be planted and watered. A single medic stationed there for a year just got engaged. We received a wedding invitation because of the love she received from us as well as our church family in Germany.  You’d love to hear of the fun we had with our adopted military families and their children. We became known as Oma and Opa to 4 of them. Or I could tell you of medics that I worked with daily.  While they didn’t make a profession of faith, they saw Jesus. They heard about Jesus and they knew that they were loved for who they were. They inherited a “Momma Hanna” while in Germany. Why? Because a crazy, old couple from South Carolina counted the cost of leaving all we knew to sow seeds. Not just seeds for the PDP family, but seeds along the way when God opened a door. Sister, God has placed you exactly where you are for “such a time as this.” Look for people and opportunities to love those in your path. Intentionally “live sent,” “on mission” for Christ.  As for our family, yes, we missed them and missed many opportunities. I was blessed to be at my father’s bedside when he passed and Darrell with his father. We were blessed to have gone to Germany at a time that we could utilize technology to stay in touch with our families, seeing each other as we chatted and celebrated things. Was it hard at times? YES! Did it cost? OH, YES! But hear me when I say we never doubted our calling to be in Germany. We never minded the cost. God supplied every need and far more than we could have asked for and He will do the same for you when you give yourself for His service and determine to live intentionally for Him.  Never in a million years did we think that God would send US to Germany in answer to our own prayer, but He did. Hear me here sweet sister. I'd do it again tomorrow if God opened the door for me to take part in seeing another unsaved sinner make a decision to accept Christ as their Savior. What it cost us is nothing in comparison to Christ hanging on the cross for me and you. But the blessing of knowing there is a new name written down in glory and that God used US to play a small part in it is simply amazing! So- my prayer for you is that as God lays people on your heart and puts them in your path that you will not only pray for them, will also be willing to lay aside earthly pleasure and count the cost of NOT being obedient. Sister, God has a plan for your life, a plan for you to be a vessel of honor sowing seeds: planting, watering, tending, and harvesting as He opens doors. Live sent!   Verses to meditate on: Rev. 3:8; 1 Cor 3:5-9; Matt. 9:37-38; Jeremiah 33:3, Prov. 3:5-6 `Go Sew Seeds for Our Savior

PART II Why is it so hard to be still … maybe to be still and pray?  By simply arranging themselves around the camp, blowing horns, shouting, and holding torches, 300 men overcame 135,000! These men followed the Lord's instructions precisely. They blew horns, shouted, and held torches, but they remained stationary. How many battles have we each lost because we don't stand still and allow God to act? Let's examine a few verses about "standing still."   Exodus 14:14 speaks about being still. It says, “The Lord will fight for you: you need only to be still.” This verse was spoken after the Israelites left Egypt, they were trapped between the Red Sea and the approaching Egyptians. They had just cried out to the Lord complaining, “It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert.” Moses urged them not to be afraid, to be still/ to be quiet and stop complaining and move as an entire nation as they walked through the Red Sea.  Psalm 4:4 is an evening prayer by David during a stressful situation. Just like us, David experienced a time at night which no doubt seemed to magnify his problems but also allowed a time to reflect. The verse says, “ Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds and be silent. Selah.”  What does this verse urge us to do? What is a temptation or struggle that you are dealing with right now? Perhaps spending time in your quite place in silence seeking God may give clarity.  The invitation here is to pause, be silent, and reflect on our hearts before God. Take a moment now, pray, and ask God to address this issue with you, then remain quiet, allowing God time to communicate with you. Judges 7:15 notes that before the battle commenced, Gideon worshiped the Lord. Play your praise music and worship the Lord, for the victory is already His! Rest in Him and trust that God will handle your battles.  Psalm 37:7 says, “ Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!"   There are many other verses about “being still” and I urge you to do a search to read through them. I want to end this section with one last verse about “being still” that was given to Ruth as she waited on Boaz. Ruth had followed Naomi’s instructions to ask Boaz to fulfill his obligation as kinsman-redeemer to her. Her entire future hinged on his response. Naomi told Ruth to “be still.” To wait patiently. Ruth 3:18 says,  “She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest, but will settle the matter today.” How often have you and I done all that we could only to be required to sit back and wait patiently for God to work? When we finally give in and be still before the Lord, He is able to fulfill His promises to us.  Let’s talk “ what if ” for a moment:  What if  Gideon and his army decided that as they saw the battle below that they would charge forward to fight the battle? The chaos that God created as a perfect plan would have been ruined. What if Gideon had decided against taking his friend, Purah, down with him for reassurance when Gideon was afraid and God instructed him to go? Gideon wouldn’t have experienced security and worship in God as seen in verse 15.  What if God wanted to use us (and our weakness) for His success?  What if  we were more afraid of missing God’s blessings than failing?  What if you stood still for just a bit and allowed God to call you to high places that you could never imagine. Moses proclaimed blessings that the children of Israel would receive if they were obedient to God in Deuteronomy 28. He also promised curses for disobedience in not obeying God’s commands in that same chapter. I encourage you to read through Deuteronomy 27:9-29:9. It is a long but rewarding passage.  Just like Moses, Gideon was blessed and saw victory because he went from fear to faith! He obeyed God’s commands.  My sweet sister, you are on this earth because God has a purpose for you! He has given you commands and wants to give you more if you will only ask.  Your call may be standing at our church door saying “hello” to those who enter. God has a call for you, seeds to sow. Your call may be upstairs working with the children. God has a call for you, seeds to sow. You may be hiding a beautiful voice or ability to play an instrument. God has a call for you, seeds to sow. You may have a wonderful ability to organize an area of our church.  God has a call for you, seeds to grow. You may have a neighbor needing Jesus that only you can minister to. God has a call for you, seeds to sow and grow. I could go on and on - the calling of God is limitless when we allow Him to first weaken us to realize that we can only accomplish His plan through His strength and then step out with great faith as He patiently deals with us to be the ambassador that He has put us here to be. One thing I know for sure is that God has you exactly where you are at this exact time  for a reason. Don’t miss blessings Christ has for you. Look for seeds to sow and grow… LIVE SENT ! Ponder these verses and thoughts: Romans 8:31; Romans 8:6  What if  I stopped letting fear dictate my decisions?  What if I stood still and waited on God to fight my battles?  What if  I allowed God to complete the dream that He is placing in my heart to accomplish for Him.  Ask God for the strength to listen to His calling on your life, for strength to be selfless, and allow Him to fight your battles. To help you sow and sew, water, and harvest seeds for Him. ~Go Sew Seeds ~Live Sent

Part 1: Be Still Have you (like Gideon) ever felt that God was calling you to do something impossible? Something that you really felt burdened to do for the Lord, but something that you really were afraid would be a failure. That’s how I felt as God pressed and pressed in my heart the idea of blogging. I very much dislike all things electronic. Praise Jesus, He has always placed women in my life to help with electronic areas as I have ministered in women’s ministries at church (Crystal, Josi, Jorji, Tammy, Rochelle and more). Read Judges 6. I love verses 12-16! Gideon was called by God but doubted himself (and God for a minute).   Think about the 300 men that were standing at the edge of the camp blowing their trumpets, breaking their pitchers, and yelling, “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!”  Sisters there is SO MUCH packed into verses 19- 21! This is the bottom line: Gideon came from the weakest clan, and he was the least in his family. God knew the potential that was within Gideon. God knew the end of the story. What was needed was Gideon’s faith in God.  No matter your position in your church and God’s kingdom, you are important, and God has a job for you to do. In Judges 6:12, 14, 16, and 23, God reassured Gideon in various ways.  Gideon stepped up and the men followed him, observing and following the instructions given by the Lord through Gideon. Friend, I’m just gonna go ahead and put out there that if my commander told me that we were going to go to battle… but not really - we were just going to make a bunch of noise and then stand there and watch as the Lord fought our battle, I would have given the commander my opinion. Feeling sure that we’d need to do more than just stand there, I may have even devised a “back-up” plan! Oh, how I would have been wrong! Does that speak to some of your reactions in life - needing a “back up” plan?  In verse 21, we see that every  man stood in his place all around the camp. Let me say that again a little differently. Each man stood at his post; each man held his position. Holding a position is a must for a soldier to be willing to go into battle - as long as necessary. It may be extremely difficult and possibly even involve physical pain, but leaving a position will almost guarantee failure and at times, death. Giving up a position allows the enemy to step in and gain greater control or even worse, take over. Have you ever allowed the enemy to gain control of a position that God placed you in instead of standing your post where God placed you? I think we are all guilty. Dear sister, every single one of us are in a battle. The battle for our souls and the souls of others. It isn’t a physical battle (sometimes it is much worse), it is a spiritual battle and often very emotional. Satan doesn’t just desire to destroy us, but also to destroy any work that we can do to advance God’s Kingdom! Just as the children of Israel followed Gideon (more importantly the word of the Lord through Gideon), we are often called to be still and watch God move. To let God work His plan in our situation and life. This week as you go through your week, don't forget to Be still and KNOW that He is God! Verses to Ponder: Judges 6, Psalm 46 Take about 4 minutes to listen to this song and ask God to speak to you in a special way today. https://youtu.be/Jvfo1r2Clwo?si=BVMjvFl6Nfu4etAS ~Go Sew Seeds ~Live Sent

PART TWO I trust you found Part One of "Pearls From A Puppy" enjoyable, and I hope this concluding segment will captivate you just as much. We are truly fortunate to witness God's presence in the nature surrounding us. What a mighty God we serve! While the first part of "Pearls From a Puppy" highlighted the greatness of our Master, this section emphasizes our response to Him. 1. I Must Trust/ Follow My Master. He will guide me - Follow God fully and God will take care of you, Prov. 3:5-6. The day we took Mya into our arms she was completely lost. She had no idea where she was or how to survive efficiently. She had to trust us. At our first stop for her to go potty, she didn’t venture very far from us at all. She had no idea why she had been taken from her family, but she trusted us. That first weekend we couldn’t get two feet away from her. She trusted and followed like no child of mine ever did (heehee). Friend, think for just a minute about what your life might be like if you truly trusted and followed Christ - He is your Master! Our first step is trusting for salvation and to a certain degree that is the easy part. The true proof of our trust is when we follow our Master trusting that His way is best. We may not understand it at the time, but we must trust and follow. 1 Corinthians 2:9 says, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has in store for those that love Him.” Another word for following is “obedience.” If it’s written in God’s Word, trust and obey then following God will only yield greatness. When you always do right, you won’t ever be wrong. May we all strive to be dependent on Him; submissive - because through submission we receive freedom (Psalm 111:10). Sister, Selah… think on that just for a few minutes. God has such wonderful things in store for you that you cannot even imagine it. Freedom comes through your Master - Trust and follow your Him! 2. I Must Have Love and Loyalty. Just at the above point illudes to, trusting God isn’t a one and done thing if we want all the blessings Christ has for us. It’s a daily, minute by minute loving, relying on, and being loyal to Him. Matt 22:37-38 tells us to love the Lord with all your heart! He must be first place in our life. Love and loyalty to Christ isn’t something that we pick up on Sunday mornings and hang up in the foyer at church until the next Sunday. Deuteronomy 7:9 reiterates that God is faithful to those who love Him and keep His commandments. There are times that this is SO hard between a frantic schedule that many of us keep, temptation around every turn, and a human sinful nature. The great news is that 2 Timothy 2:13 assures us that even when we are unfaithful, God still loves us. We must confess and we may miss out on a blessing; but His love will AWAYS be there. Recently Mya was chewing on an electrical cord. I told her 3 times, “NO." Each time she looked at me, stalled, and continued doing wrong. After the third time I swatted her bottom, and she stopped. For about 10 minutes she pouted (yes, she pouts) and there was distance between us. Then she lovingly came to me, I picked her up and held her close assuring her of my love. Sister, Christ is always waiting for you to come to Him in repentance. 3. I Must Move from Milk to Meat. Mya must learn much through trial and error with us, but this is the thing, we have the guidebook with all instruction! What is the problem then? Many Christians struggle to develop spiritual maturity, a close relationship with their master because they never move from milk to meat. Milk represents basic Biblical teachings, and meat requires a higher level of spiritual maturity to understand. 1 Corinthians 5:12-14 plainly says, “… solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” Sweet sister, if your spiritual relationship is to increase, then you must feast upon God’s Word. Daily study and prayer are necessary for your spiritual health. Mya has transitioned from milk to puppy food to some fresh veggies and will continue to move to dog food and veggies. Staying on milk or even puppy food would be unhealthy for her growth and development. Where is your spiritual development? Are you growing or becoming diseased spiritually because of lack of feasting on God’s Word? 4. I Will Have Joy. All of us want joy in our lives. Happiness and joy are the desire of all humans. There is a difference between happiness and joy that we will not dig into right now but what I know is that true joy and happiness comes only through Christ! There is nothing (no even eating) that makes Mya any happier than to be resting in the arms of Darrell or myself or to be laying quietly between us. Just basking in our love is where she wants to be. What about you? Does spending time just sitting with your Master, praising Him, or reading His word bring you joy? Longing to be in God’s presence should be our desire and spending time with Him should bring us joy. Psalm 37:7a admonishes us to, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.” (Psalm 62:5-8; Romans 14:17) Yes, I believe that Mya is blessed to come into our family but what I KNOW is that being adopted as a daughter of the one TRUE King is the greatest blessing any of us could receive. May we all be found faithful to our Master as He guides us on this wonderful path called “life” that He has charted for us. What more could we ask for?   Verses to Meditate on: Deuteronomy 3:15-20; Psalm 28:7, 62:5-8; Proverbs 3, 111:10; Isaiah 58:11; Joshua 1:9; Matthew 22:37-38, Luke 14:26-27; Romans 14:17; 1 Corinthians 2:9; Philippians 4:4; Timothy 2:13 Prayer for the Day: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you so much for choosing me, for loving me, and guiding me. Thank you for knowing my innermost thoughts and continuing Your steadfast love for me. Even for the consequences for my sins, I give you praise because I know that Your ways are best. You are my hiding place, and my refuge. My prayer is that when trials and temptations come my way that I will run straight to you for strength and comfort. Lord, I ask you for wisdom and strength to grow in Your ways. Help me not to be lazy and I pray that you will continually draw me to You for your good pleasure. Thank you that I can have joy in my life because of you, my Abba Father, my Savior, my Friend and so much more. I love you with all of my heart. Amen.

Enjoy "pearls of God's love" part 2 compliments of Mya. Most of us love puppies! It’s so much fun to watch them learning and growing. You can’t imagine how our lives were changed on 01/17/2025 when we chose a cute, lovable, 2 lb. Cavapoo (named “Mya”) to join our family. She has been ours for over 2 weeks and I can’t imagine our lives without her already! Mya has brought many Biblical applications to my attention as I’ve watched her adjust to having a master. There are daily thoughts or “pearls” that I am seeing that can be applied to our Christian life from watching a puppy and I thought it would be fun to share. This will be a 2-part blog 1 week apart looking at thoughts from a puppy’s view that are SO applicable to us.  I am Chosen:  We looked at many puppies and dogs online but once we saw her, she was our pick. We drove 2.5 hours to claim her, purchase her, and to make her ours. There was a cost: time invested, money spent, the sacrifice of our time travelling, and caring for her. A friend of mine said, “Mya is a very lucky little girl” and I believe she is right because we CHOSE Mya. She was our first choice and the best choice for us.  Chosen is defined as “one who is the object of choice or divine favor." Sweet sister, do you realize that YOU were chosen even before you were formed in your mother’s womb! How special are you!? God wanted you, planned a path for you, and called you. You, my friend, are one who is “the object of divine favor”, God’s divine favor! Colossians 3:12-13 I am Loved: We loved Mya when we saw her but when she became our - oh how that love grew! She stole our hearts from the time she was placed in our arms. Those costs mentioned earlier were nothing compared to our love for her! We were ready and prepared to supply for all her needs. We accepted her with food, blanket, treats, and toys; not to mention we had already prepared for a vet for her. Mya’s responsibility was to come to us and love us for us for offering her a great life. I’m so glad that she chose to love us rather than growl and run in the other direction. Friend, our love for Mya is nothing compared to God’s love for us! Our caring for Mya’s needs are nothing compared to God graciously supplying all of our needs. We could never plan a future for Mya near as good as God’s great plans for us. Yes, you and I are loved with an everlasting love!  Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us". I am Known: Prior to deciding on Mya, I did so much research to learn as many details as I could about being her master. This research has prepared me to understand the weaknesses she may have, strengths and assets that she would bring to us, her needs, her size, and potential health issues she may experience. I know you aren’t surprised that when God formed you, he knew even more than we knew of Mya as He planned your future, spiritual and physical growth, your weaknesses, your needs - everything about you, God knew and planned in only His perfect way. As we spend time with Mya, we will grow to know her more and more and she will do the same with us. Oh, how I look forward to the day that she knows our thoughts and we know hers even before a word is said. Yes, when we draw close to God, His thoughts become our thoughts. God also knows our hearts without us even saying a word. What a special relationship it is when we are known to each other. Never, ever could Mya get to know us without spending time with us and sweet sister, we can’t get to know our Savior on a more intimate basis without spending time with Him. God knows even the number or hairs on our head, our inner thoughts and our needs. Oh, how we should trust Him knowing that He knows everything about us - A God that knew us before we were even formed (Jeremiah 1:5). I am Forgiven: Mya is a smart little girl, but she is still learning and growing; therefore, she makes mistakes. She chewed the bathroom mat a little, she has had a few accidents in the house, she doesn’t always come when we call her, and I could go on. Here’s the thing though - we LOVE her and although there are consequences, we forgive her. We are helping her learn things that are good for her (and us) and part of that is forgiveness while the other part is consequences. Mya started chewing on my computer cord. I told her three times, “no”. She proceeded so I swatted her backside.  She yelped, ran to daddy, and sulked for a few minutes. Then she came back to me and sat with me the rest of the night. She knew she was forgiven.  Sweet sister, as forgiving we are to our pets and children, our Heavenly Father is so much more to us! We couldn’t ask for a better Father, Master and Savior! 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Oh what comfort I find knowing that no matter how many times I fail, Christ is waiting for me to come to Him asking for forgiveness to receive justification and purification. Psalm 85:6 is another favorite: “For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.”  What a great place to stop for this week: God’s forgiveness! Whew, that is something that I am daily grateful for! This week we looked at promises that our Master, our God, and Savior gives us. Next week we will view this same relationship from a puppy’s view of how we should respond to our Master.  Verses to Meditate On: 1 Peter 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:4; Deut. 14:2; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13; Psalm 103:10-11; Numbers 14:18; Psalm 139; Jeremiah 31:3; Psalm 86:15; 1John 3:1; 1 Chronicles 16:34 Prayer: My Forgiving Savior, thank you for choosing me to be called Your Child. Thank you for Your great forgiveness and love even when I fail greatly. I thank you for Your provision and even the consequences that I bear when I do wrong so that I will learn from my mistakes. You are such a great, great God and I know that you lavish me with more love and blessings than I deserve. There are so many promises that You have given us that we take for granted but today I want to pause to say, "I love You and am so thankful to have Your protection." Help me to have the same humble posture towards You as a puppy has towards its Master: loyalty, lovingkindness, and faithfulness. May I honor you in all that I do. Amen `Go Sew Seeds `Live Sent

“Living in THIS moment.” Is it wrong to live in the moment we are in? Some would say that this is a great perspective, and some would beg to differ. What does “Living in THIS moment” really mean and what does the Bible say about that thought? Let me begin by saying I fall somewhere between living in the moment and planning for the future. I am 100% in whatever I am doing, who I am with, and where we are. If you have ever traveled with me, you know!!!! Once on a mission trip to Israel, we stopped at a roadside restaurant. One of my dreams was to ride a camel in Israel. We had been talking about finding an opportunity when God placed camel rides in the parking lot of the restaurant that we were stopping at. Sweet sisters - they let me off the bus first (or maybe I ran past everyone on the bus) and I bolted for the camel and hopped on. Nope, I didn’t ask the price and NO, I didn’t have a red cent of cash in my pocket. WHAT WAS I THINKING??? I was totally caught up in that moment. Thank goodness God had made provision for my impulse by having a good friend (Scott) who graciously paid the man for my camel ride. Let me just say there are times that I relive that moment and still find MUCH joy in it. Perhaps I should have had a little more restraint and worked on not getting so excited in the moment, but I truly believe that if we are not participating in something sinful or something that will hurt someone else, God wants us to live in the moment we are in. Throughout my blog (and my life) I try to search scripture to guide my thoughts and decisions. Below are some scriptures regarding our time and how we should live. I do believe there is a balance in preparing for the future as well as enjoying the blessings and challenges that God gives us in every moment of our lives. As Christians, we should strive to trust God and focus on the present, not focusing on concerns of the past or future. Matthew chapter 6 is a great chapter to live our lives by and verse 34 says, “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” At the same time, Ecclesiastes 7:10 says, "Do not say, 'Why is it that the former days were better than these?' For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.” It is great to have memories and moments to reflect back on. It is wonderful to plan for the future: investing, building, and dreaming. But the most important place to focus our hearts is in the moment and where God has placed us currently. James 4:14 reiterates this in stressing to us that our life is a vapor and we should not worry about tomorrow. We should TRUST in God for TODAY, invest what He has given us THIS day, and TRUST in Him fully for tomorrow. It is all well and good to say we are not looking back with much regret or living holding onto past moments. How do we plan for the future without living with too much focus on the future? Here are some scriptures and thoughts to assist us as we try to live our lives with a Godly focus for TODAY. Maintain a Heavenly Perspective: Paul imparted numerous lessons through his life and writings, one of which was to remain faithful to God, whether in this life on earth or in heaven with Christ. In Philippians 1:21, Paul stated, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” During his time on earth, Paul was dedicated to his Heavenly Father’s work, yet he also eagerly anticipated the day he would join Christ in heaven. Sister, when we can genuinely echo Paul’s sentiment, our priorities will naturally align. Yes, as we live on earth, we should witness, plant seeds, and nurture growth in ourselves and others, finding great j oy in doing so. Oh, what joy there is as we revel in God’s love, acknowledging His provisions here while also knowing that one day we will exchange this weary world for a heavenly existence. What a treasure to look forward to. Like Paul, we must work and live as if Christ is coming today to take us to heaven as we look forward and anticipate that glorious day! Trust God: Proverbs 3:5-6 is an excellent verse to start our day with, praying that as we place our trust in God, He WILL guide our paths. Include this verse in your morning prayer before getting out of bed. It helps us let go of the need to control our day's events and strengthens our reliance on God to fulfill His will in our lives as we journey on the paths He has set for us. As Jeremiah 29:11 states, God already has a perfect plan for us; we just need to trust and follow Him. This can be challenging for us, so pausing throughout the day to recite and pray this verse again might be beneficial. Don’t Be Afraid: Sister, this is the thing - NOTHING and I say NOTHING that will happen to you, or your family will surprise God today! There is absolutely no reason to fear other than if we are allowing Satan and sin to have a say in our lives.  Isaiah 4:10 tells us not to be afraid or discouraged because God will strengthen and help us. He holds us up in His “victorious right hand.” WHAT A THOUGHT! What a FACT!! What a TRUTH!!! Do you really believe this? Do you truly believe that God holds us up in His victorious hand? Lord, help our unbelief. This verse is a wonderful reminder that God is present and strengthening us in every single moment and circumstance each day. We are never alone. Make Every Opportunity Count: Ephesians 5:15-16 encourages us to be careful how we live. We are not to live like fools, but as the wise live, making the most of every moment in these evil days. As you pray Prov. 3:5-6, ask God to help you to live intentionally and wisely, making the most of THIS day that He has given you. Read Colossians 4:5 also. Rest, Find Joy in Him, and Stay Committed: Don't give up! Work diligently as if everything depends on you, making every moment matter, and then entrust the rest to God’s mighty hands. Do your best and then rest in His provision. Even on challenging days, we can find peace knowing that God will bring the harvest in His time. Galatians 6:9 is a wonderful verse of encouragement, urging us never to give up. Ecclesiastes 9:10 reminds us to perform all our tasks well until God calls us home. God is our source of hope, and we can rest assured that our joy comes from Him (Rom 15:13). Nehemiah 8:10 and Psalm 30:5 remind us that our joy comes from God and strengthens us. Sister, it's okay to feel tired—we should take time to rest in Him. God rested after His marvelous creation. Jesus took time to rest. Rest is important. No matter the trials we face here, we can find rest and joy in knowing that God has a perfect plan for each of us and He is guiding our lives. Sometimes we just need to take time to bask in His love and goodness. Delight in the goodness of God, finding our joy in knowing Him and understanding that nothing in this life is a surprise to Him or His plan for us. I hope you take time to review and look up the scriptures mentioned in this post. Please take time to read through the additional scriptures below. They are such sweet scriptures!   Verses to Meditate On: Galatians 2:20; Romans 8:18; Psalm 32:8; Philippians 1:6; Col 4:5; and Ecclesiastes 9:10   One of my dreams was riding a camel in Israel. What's that verse about God giving us desires of our hearts? `Go Sew Seeds and Live Sent

Take a moment to reflect on that special Christian friend or sister who has supported you exactly when you needed it. She understood your needs at just the right moment. Whether it was encouragement, truth that needed to be spoken, love, or a prayer offered on your behalf, she was there. The Bible contains numerous commands about how we should act and care for one another. In the New Testament, there are about 50 "One Another" commands, and nearly as many in the Old Testament, guiding us on how to care for, love, encourage, honor, and get along with each other, among other things. I am deeply grateful for these commands of love, grace, and encouragement, as I often fall short and need a dear sister in Christ to help me get back on track. God has faithfully provided Christian sisters wherever we have lived to minister to me, and I believe He has done the same for you. Let's explore some of these "One Another" scriptures as we aim to love and support each other this year. LOVE ONE ANOTHER - In John 13:34-35, Jesus tells us that we will stand out in this world because we are different. We are to love one another as Christ loved us and "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." We are taught by God to love each other (1 Thess. 4:9). If you have spare time, 1 Thessalonians is a great chapter to read for many goodies on how to treat others. In John 15:17, Jesus says, "This is my command: Love one another" and again in 1 John 3:23. And in Romans 12:9-21, we see what love in action looks like. Love is why Jesus went to the cross, love is what we all long for, love is a command and love is what every single person on this earth longs for. Love is for sharing. Reach out in love to those around you today. COMFORT AND EDIFY ONE ANOTHER - In the body of Christ, our attitude should be "all for one and one for all." When one member of the church is hurting, it is felt throughout the church body. We minister to each other during good times by edifying or lifting each other up, and during times of sadness or trials, we comfort each other. Building each other up, developing each other, and growing together is such a privilege that God has blessed us with. I can't tell you how often I have been blessed by words of encouragement within our women's ministry group with other ladies who speak into my life. Some verses that address this are 1 Thess. 5:11 and Romans 14:19. Edifying one another is so important as we assist each other in growing in Christlikeness. SERVE ONE ANOTHER - So often we are so busy growing ourselves or our families in the Lord that we forget to serve one another. It's great to focus on our own relationship with God, but we must use the freedom that He gives us in this life to serve one another (Gal. 5:13-14). In Galatians 6:2, Paul instructs the Galatian Christians to share their burdens with each other. Sometimes we need to take off the blinders that have us focused inwardly so that we can see how we might serve others. Romans 15:3 tells us to "Serve one another as Christ served you." We see a perfect example of this when Jesus washed the feet of the disciples in John 13:14-15. These are just three ways that we are commanded to minister to one another. There are many other verses addressing "one another" opportunities that we have to pattern our lives after that of Jesus. Not judging, having patience, submitting, being kind and compassionate to one another are other ways (as well as many others) that are commanded in the Bible. Philippians 2:3-5 perhaps best sums it up encouraging us not to look out for our own interests, but to take an interest in others too, having the same attitude that Christ had. If you have spare time this week, do a google search on the "one another" verses in the Bible. Make your Heavenly Father even prouder than He is of you as you seek the priority of others in your life as you serve Him. This week, ask God to reveal how you can uplift, love, build up, and serve those nearby. Pray to view others as Christ does, and to act as His hands and feet in ministering to those in need. Reflect on the verses mentioned earlier this week. Positive commands for us to minister to each other: "One Another" Passages! ` Go Sew Seeds for our Savior `Live Sent

Choosing a word from the Bible to focus on for growth, change, and prayer this year! What will your word be? Take a moment to consider a word that describes your current situation, what situations you will face this year, or one you wish to explore further. You might want to delve into the meaning and application of a particular word in the Bible. Perhaps you aim to cultivate more grace, patience, or joy. Although the idea of having a "word of the year" (Wort des Jahres) originated in Germany in 1971, I only became aware of it a few years back. In recent years, I have selected a single word annually to study, research in scripture, and integrate into my life through prayer, aiding my personal growth. I actually focused on the word "GRACE" for two consecutive years because not only did I gain a deeper understanding of grace, but I also felt the need to extend it more generously to others. I've never been a supporter of New Year's Resolutions, but I am passionate about concentrating on a word each year and am particularly enthusiastic about exploring scripture to learn more about a specific word. Just as an aside, some people advocate for a "thought for the year," which is perfectly fine, but for now, I will continue with a word. My first word of the year was "wisdom." Oh, what joy it brought me to create a notebook on wisdom! I defined it, recorded quotes about wisdom, searched scripture regarding it, and wrote prayers asking for more wisdom for myself as well as others. I refer back to my wisdom notebook quite often and am blessed every time I pick it up. Just a tidbit, the word "wisdom" is used over 200 times in the Bible! Think it's important? Some other words that I have chosen or considered are abide, patience, prayer, complete (complete in Him), blessed, trust, wait, vision, and many more. I am providing a sheet with suggestions in Google Docs until I can get it moved to the "Resources" tab on my blog: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aZ1Kerga2DhmfSHzpC5C3c-XahI2RcqUGEXZm2COUZI/edit?usp=sharing . I encourage you to walk through the following steps in choosing a word applicable to you. Make a list of words that speak to you. Words that relate to your life or words regarding areas that you want/need to grow in or learn more about. Pray over your list. Ask God to place on your heart a specific word from your list. Pray a scripture regarding your words asking God to open your eyes as to what word He can most grow you this year. Find joy in your word. You should be excited about the opportunity to learn and grow as God leads you and opens opportunities to learn and walk through your chosen word with Him! Yes, I have been convicted by learning what God says about these topics, but oh the joy to know that He is growing and leading me. For fun make a visual using the words using EdWordle and see if one jumps out to you. RELAX: Don't be in a hurry. Take it easy on yourself. You have 365 days in 2025 to think about and dig into your word. You do not have to have it picked or your method began by Jan. 1! Bask in God's goodness knowing that He knows you inside and out and is a patient Father as we strive to press on for Him. Grace is something that God is good at. Do yourself a favor and give yourself a little grace as well. Do set a timeframe to have a word picked and try your best to attain it. DO NOT stress yourself out in the process or give up because it takes a little longer. Slow and steady; little bites at a time. Pray again. While you are relaxing and thinking... pray again! It's your lifeline to God- use it. Sister, learn to saturate everything you do in prayer. God will bring situations into your life and place words in your head and heart when you ask Him to. Verses to meditate on: James 4:8; Jeremiah 29:11, 13; Isaiah 43:18-19; Proverbs 3:5,6; Ephesians 4:22-24 Prayer Prompt: Dear Heavenly Father, As I seek you in the coming year, I pray that I will seek you with all of my heart. Thank you that I have the assurance from Your Word that when I seek you, I will find you when I search for you with all of my heart. As I search for a word to grow in spiritually this year, I pray that You will make it clear the word that You can most use to speak to my heart. Lord, you know my comings and goings. You know when I get up and when I lay down. You know my thoughts and heart. As I open my life fully up to You, I know that You will guide me and give me joy as I grow in this area of knowledge and Your truth. Thank you so much that I can search Your Word daily drawing closer to you. I am trusting that You will grow me this year as I strive to grow closer to You. Amen.

52 weeks, 365 days, 8,760 hours or 525,600 minutes is what we have in a year. Sounds like a lot of time doesn’t it?! Honestly, a year seems to fly by much faster as an adult. There is never enough time to accomplish all that we’d like to do, whether it is for our family, our church, our job or ourselves. How can we best evaluate our priorities enabling us to know what should take precedence over another task or opportunity? The Bible tells us that our life is “a vapor.” That verse is found in James 4:14 and says, “You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away,” and it is so true! The Hebrew word “vapor” means “meaningless.” Absolutely nothing that we do here on earth has lasting meaning other than what we do for God! Because we know this, we need to be cognizant of the time we are given and invest it wisely. If we were given a very large sum of money and told to invest it wisely so that it would have lasting effects on generations to come, we would apply ourselves to find out how best to do that. Sweet sister, that is exactly what we are given by our life from God. We were created by God for a purpose, we have the opportunity and ability to invest in eternity! Life is short and eternity is long- we must live applying that concept to our lives. God’s plan for us is that our minutes here on earth matter. Using time wisely is addressed many times, likely because God knows that there are so many things that distract us in this life. The devil also knows that’s an easy scheme to sabotage our relationship with God. In Philippians 2:26, Paul rejoices that “in the day of Christ” he did not run the race of life in vain or work in vain. Will we be able to rejoice as Paul was able to say? Ephesians 5:16 says, “It is required of stewards (me & you) that we be found trustworthy (worthy).” In this evil world, we must focus daily to complete this. We must  have a plan or Satan will generously devise a plan and hand it right over to us. Below are a few suggestions to help you stay focused on “The Reason for the Season” as we close out 2024 and head towards 2025. PRAY: Years ago a Pastor of mine asked me how he could pray for me. At that time my hubby and I were working as youth leaders. I immediately said, “Pray that I would have wisdom in leading.” Friends, that prayer has not changed! If ever anyone asks me, I will always ask for more wisdom. Knowledge comes from books; wisdom comes from God. When we pray scripture, we speak wisdom; when we talk to God, we gain wisdom and when we strive to be more like Him, we exhibit wisdom.  Praying for forgiveness is most important, but I cannot think of a better prayer than for wisdom after confession. Not only should we pray for wisdom, but we should pray that God would help us “number our days,” being attentive to our time with Him. Ask your Pastor, small group leader, spouse or friend to pray with you that you would be wise in making choices with your time. PLAN: This means intentionally setting aside time to meet your appointment with God. He is the perfect gentleman- patiently waiting for you to show up for your appointment with Him. The question is, “Is He prioritized enough in your schedule for you to keep your appointment?” This may look like getting up 20 minutes earlier, going to bed 20 minutes later, leaving that TV, phone or computer that you are giving your attention to --- you get the idea. Set an alarm on your phone for your special appointment with God. Start with 15 minutes and if you stick with it, soon you’ll be longing for more and find creative ways to spend more time with Him. Podcasts, music, jotting notes and verses are just the beginning of things you can do to focus on God and His love. SCRIPTURE: Memorizing scripture is HARD! Do you know why? Because that is our best weapon against the trials and temptations of life. To memorize a verse, I use every opportunity I can to see and hear it. I put a sticker on the back of my phone, an index card plasti-tacked to the dash of my car, record a note or message and play it back as I drive. Ask your child to memorize it with you and practice it together or ask your spouse or a friend. These are just 3 ways to begin a beautiful journey of spending more time with God. I may just follow this up with a wonderful Bible study on spending time with God, reading and praying His Words and the benefits of those but that is for another time. Oh, how blessed we are to have a wonderful Savior who will meet us wherever we are, whenever we are ready to meet with Him. Fill your tank basking in His love so that you can share His love with those around you this season. The time is there, it just has to be used wisely. 💜   Verses to Meditate on : Psalms 90:12; Proverbs 16:9. 21:5, 27:1; Mark 13:32-33; John 9:4; Phil. 2: 2; James 4:14; 1 John 2:17. There are many more. Perhaps you can do a study looking up verses regarding this topic. Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, thank you so much for our lives that you have planned for me. Help me to live purposefully according to Your will. Please remind me via our Holy Spirit that I must set my mind on You and seek You first and foremost in my life. Show me how to use my time wisely prioritizing my time with You as if you were here walking in the flesh with me. May I always be a doer of Your Word as I draw close to you as you draw close to me. In this busy world, let me seek you first, allowing You to direct my steps. I love You, Lord. Amen. `Go Sew Seeds and Live sent

PART II Our temptations, those things that really challenge our self-control, are as appealing to us as that fruit was to Eve in the garden! This is the thing: Eve could have called on God for help, but she made the wrong choice. She caved to her sinful desires and brought her husband along with her. Like Eve, the happiness that comes with temptation for us only lasts a small, fleeting time, and always brings disappointment.  God so graciously gives us the opportunity to call on the Holy Spirit to help us resist temptation. We don’t have to do it alone. When Paul was encouraging the Church of Ephesus in Ephesians chapter 3, he prayed for them to be empowered with inner strength by His Spirit (Holy Spirit) in vs.16. We also see the help of our Holy Spirit in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” When we seek help from our Holy Spirit, we can possess self-control more and more. The problem is that many of us are controlled by our sinful nature, hence we become slaves to it (2 Timothy 1:7). Self-control is often a by-product of practicing patience. As we learn to wait on God’s timing and trust Him during tough times, patience, and self-control blossom. Here are a few recommendations for developing self-control as we face trials and testing. Nothing is a quick fix, but as we feast on God’s Word and seek our Holy Spirit’s guidance, we can succeed. The first thing that I would recommend is setting a goal. Goals are to be short, specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and on a timetable. Sister, hear me when I say that setting a goal can make or break your drive! If chocolate is your temptation and you set a goal of “no more chocolate for the year” and it’s February - you will likely not make it. However, if you begin where you are with an attainable vision, you can rejoice in your victories. A better goal may be: I will not have more than 1 piece of chocolate every 2 weeks (or months, quarters) and then advance once you meet that goal. Be sure to address each of these “SMART” steps in making your goal. Track your progress, journal, and celebrate your success with someone. Once you set your “SMART” goal, begin searching for scripture applicable to your goal. When Jesus faced the temptation from Satan, He demonstrated self-control by quoting scripture. In the “Resource” section, there will soon be an area topics with specific scripture to help you with this. I speak from experience when I say that praying scripture will change not only your situation, but your life. Speaking the words of God has power. Learn to pray scripture if you have never practiced this previously. I’m going to end this blog with some practical helps that may seem harsh, but true. Avoiding your area of temptation is absolutely priceless! If you are prone to focus on your phone when you have the opportunity to be reading your devotions, put it in another room and silence it until after your devotional time. Walk past those Peanut Butter Cups or Thin Mints, leaving them on the shelf knowing that you have overcome! If going into Bath & Body Works is going to tempt you to spend money that isn’t in your budget, turn around saying to yourself, “Get thee behind me Satan.” Ladies, you can’t partake in sin if it isn’t in front of you! If eating cookies just before bedtime is tempting, leave the cookies at the store. These sound harsh, but you as well as your families will prosper.   Paul struggled with this very thing as we see in Romans 7:15-20. He couldn’t understand why he did things that he knew he ought not to do, and he admitted that it was sin living in him. Sweet friend, sin will be a struggle as long as we are on this side of heaven. As we hide God’s Word in our lives, sin will have less and less of a hold on us. When we call on our precious Holy Spirit for His help, sin will have less of a hold on us. And yes, when we reduce the opportunities for sin in our lives, sin will have less of a hold on us. As we overcome sin, reach our goals and focus on Him, God can use us more and more as vessels of honor, broken, and spilled out for His service. What more could we ask for? May we all set a goal this week, choose scripture to claim and pray that Christ will fill us to overflowing as we strive for more self-control over the weak areas in our lives.  Verses to Meditate On: Romans 7:15-20; Ephesians 3; 2 Timothy 1:7 Think about these questions: Can you recall a time when you ignored the Holy Spirit's guidance? Why do you think you ignored it? What could you have done differently? Do you think you learned something from that experience? Are you willing to try to cast all your temptation/anxiety upon God in the coming weeks, saying "no" to those sinful pleasures that will tempt you? Is there someone that you can share with and invite to pray with you about this? `Go Sew Seeds and Live Sent

After writing part one of “Self-Control,” I received a couple of emails inquiring how to or what it means to release our Holy Spirit in us to work. What does that look like practically? Is it praying with confidence that God has given us a spirit of self-control? I absolutely LOVE the feedback! If ever you have questions about anything that I write, please reach out to me. There are several very Godly and wise pastors that I will reach out to if I am unable to answer your questions or concerns. Many of us go through our Christian life doing our best, but that just isn’t enough. We must strive towards a life and attitude that cannot be attained through ourselves. The only way we can achieve the life God has designed for us is with our Helper that Jesus sent when He ascended into Heaven (John 16:7). Jesus knew we would need help and that’s why He sent a Helper! We are filled with the Holy Spirit when we accept Christ as our Savior (Acts 1:4-8), but how do we allow Him to guide us? Our Holy Spirit is working in our lives even though we may not realize it. We must do our part to recognize His leading. The more we know about our Holy Spirit, the more we will recognize His moving. Here are a few things we may recognize that He does for us (along with references) when we are intentional about seeking Him: assures (Rom. 8:16); convicts (John 16:8-11); directs (Acts 20:22); guides (Rom. 8:14); illuminates (John 16:12-15); intercedes (Rom. 8:26); teaches (John 14:26, 16:12-15); warms (Acts 20:23). I Cor. 2:11-12 assures us that our Holy Spirit knows our thoughts and that He also helps us to understand what God has given us. We must realize that the Holy Spirit is not an “it” or a “force,” but an active person who works with God the Father and God the Son in our lives. He is part of the Trinity. We will dig deeper into the Holy Spirit later. We must strive to be aware of His presence, which was first mentioned in Genesis 1:1-3. The Holy Spirit’s presence dwells/ lives in us as a resident forever once we are saved (Rom. 8:9, 11: 1 Cor. 3:16; 2 Tim 1:14).  The thing is that we are all in varying degrees of spiritual growth, and the more we grow the more we come to know our Holy Spirit. The more we get to know the Holy Spirit, the more we realize more and more our inability to live life on our own, and the more we realize that we need Him. We begin to “walk by faith” (2 Cor 5:7). We begin to turn to God more often and faster as we allow our Holy Spirit to guide us. Faith and prayer are the biggest components to allowing our Holy Spirit to have control over us. Praying scripture and trusting God no matter the circumstances get easier and easier as we practice them. Sisters, that is how you release the Holy Spirit in your life. Trusting (having faith) and prayer are the keys to having a life controlled by our Holy Spirit. Charles Stanley said, “Dependence and surrender go hand in hand. We can’t fully surrender our wills until we are convinced we are in a hopeless situation. As long as we see a way out, we will generally opt for it.” Sweet sister, when you fully acknowledge that you can’t do “IT,” whatever “IT” is, alone, then and only then can the Holy Spirit that God so graciously provided for you control and lead you.   Verses to Ponder: Acts 1:4-8; Galatians 5:18; 1 Cor. 2:11-16. How would you describe being filled with the Holy Spirit to an unsaved person? Are you willing to acknowledge that you can’t live in this sinful world without the leading of the Holy Spirit, or are you still trying to handle things on your own? `Go Sew Seeds Live Sent