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Is Christ truly my first priority? I don't mean like you know, He is important and that He should be your first priority. I mean, He IS your first priority. As Christian women, we often wear many hats that are seen and unseen. Mother, wife, sister, friend, professional, volunteer, and the list goes on and on. Our calendars fill up quickly, and before we know it, we’re running on empty, wondering where the day, week, or year has gone. But in all the chaos, we often forget the most important relationship in our lives: our relationship with Jesus. Over the last few weeks I have been praying about what to share with you all and one theme keeps coming up in all of my personal reading, sermons I’ve listened to, and in conversations I’ve had with my brothers and sisters in Christ…Relationship. Let’s pause for a moment and ask a hard question… Is Christ truly my first priority? I don’t mean like, you know He is important and that He should be your first priority.  I mean, He IS your first priority. It’s easy to say He is, especially when we're involved in ministry, attend church regularly, or post Bible verses on social media. But prioritizing Christ goes beyond outward appearances and actions.  It’s about the posture of our hearts. In Luke 10, we see the story of Mary and Martha. While Martha was “worried and upset about many things,” Mary chose to sit at Jesus’ feet and listen. Martha wasn’t doing anything wrong. She was serving, working hard, being hospitable, all the right things, but Jesus gently reminded her that “only one thing is necessary.” Mary chose it. She prioritized Him. We often live in Martha-mode, rushing from task to task, even in service to others. I am so guilty of living in Martha-mode, often running out of steam before I realize that I haven’t chosen the right thing…to sit and be still at the feet of Jesus. Jesus calls us to a Mary-heart.  That’s a life that begins with Him. A life that truly prioritizes Him before all else.   Making Christ first matters for many reasons, but I’ll point out these three: 1. Everything flows from Him. When Christ is first, everything else aligns. Peace takes root. Wisdom grows. Joy becomes a daily companion, not because life gets easier, but because He becomes your center. 2. It deepens your identity. The world is loud with opinions about who you should be. But when you abide in Christ, you discover who you truly are.  You are chosen, loved, forgiven, and equipped. 3. It strengthens your relationships. When Jesus leads your heart, you love your family better. You lead your children with grace. You forgive more easily. You become the friend, wife, or mother you were called to be. Not out of striving, but out of overflow. So, what have I learned and reflected upon while thinking about making sure that I’m living a Mary-life and that I’m intentionally seeking a strong relationship with Christ? • Start your day with Him. Even if it’s 10 minutes before the house wakes up. Read Scripture, pray, worship. Let your heart hear His voice first. • Protect your time with God. Schedule it like you would any important appointment. Don’t let it be the first thing to go when life gets busy. • Stay connected throughout the day. Whisper prayers. Play worship music. Meditate on a verse. Invite Him into your everyday moments. • Be part of a faith community. We were never meant to walk alone. Find women who will pray with you, challenge you, and keep your eyes on Jesus. Take a moment today to honestly reflect: What have I placed above Jesus in my life? It may not be something bad. It could be your family, your job, your ministry, or your comfort. But anything that takes His place becomes an idol, no matter how good it is. Idols are not always the gold, bronze, and wooden statues that we immediately think of.  An idol is anything… let me say that again, ANYTHING that takes the place of God in your life. The good news? He’s always ready for you to return. His arms are open, His grace is enough, and His presence is the only place your soul will truly find rest. Let’s be women who choose the “one thing that is necessary.” Let’s sit at His feet, walk in His Word, and let every part of our lives be shaped by the One who gave everything for us. You don’t need more time. You just need to put first things first. Start with Jesus. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.” — Matthew 6:33 Written by Melissa Eastwood- Read her bio in "writers" of the menu.

We are in a state of spiritual warfare and if not prepared, Satan will tear us down & possibly detour another person from coming to Christ. It is very unusual that I would ask you to read a chapter in the Bible when reading one of my blog entries. It is also very unusual that I speak of Godlessness in the last days in contrast to a Christian being complete in Christ and living in the last days. However, due to a situation that I have been involved in and just observing the world around us, this chapter has been on my heart in so many ways lately. Oh, how my heart hurts for those going through the motions of attending church, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power (2 Timothy 3:5). Those that are completely wrapped up in religious practices and routines without a thriving relationship with our Lord and Creator. Often these people truly are “always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth” (vs 7). True knowledge and wisdom come only through God as seen in Proverbs 2:6, “For the Lord gives wisdom, from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. James 1:5 and Proverbs 2:6-8 also address the wisdom that comes only from God. My blog would be much too long if I were to print the entire chapter here, so I encourage you to use your Bible App or pick up your Bible and read 2 Timothy 3 now or immediately after reading this blog. There is so much to gain from this chapter! Sister, we are in a state of spiritual warfare and if not prepared, armed and ready for the enemy, Satan, who is lurking around waiting for a moment of weakness, will tear us down and possible detour another person from coming to a saving knowledge of Christ. Don’t allow him to even get a foothold in your life. The Godless people described in verses 2-5 describe most of our society today. Indeed, as verse 1 says, “in the (these) last days, there will come times of difficulty”, we are there! Many of us question what we should do, how should we act and react, will we really be persecuted? Who are the “deceiving impostors” going from bad to worse in verse 13? How do we guard and protect ourselves? Sweet sister in Christ, the answers to all these questions and fears are found in God’s Word and we can begin in the final verses of 2 Timothy 3. Beginning in verse 13, I am going to simply list Paul’s instruction to Timothy. CONTINUE in what you have learned and firmly believe KNOW/ ACKNOWLEDGE the Source (God) of your knowledge TRUST in the foundational role and power of God’s Word to guide you CLAIM the power of Christ rather than fear evil/ your opposition READ scripture that you may be complete/ capable and equipped/ proficient in everything you are called to be and do John Piper said, “I have never met a mature, fruitful, strong, spiritually discerning Christian who is not full of Scripture, devoted to regular meditation on Scripture, and given to storing it in the heart through Bible memorization”.  Friend, these words from John Piper are a lot to think about especially considering the scripture shared with you here from 2 Timothy 3. Here are some “heart check” questions for you to think about and consider. Are you allowing God’s Word to teach you? You must read it to learn. Do you respond when God’s Word convicts you of weaknesses and shortcomings or do you ignore your precious Holy Spirit’s call? Do you allow/ make effort for correction? Is scripture memorization important to you to build a strong foundation and defense for living in these last days? The devil will attempt to defeat scripture memorization in every possible way- don’t let him win! Are you preparing your family (children) to stand firm? Are you setting an example in reading God’s Word and hiding it in your heart. They will need a firm foundation and much spiritual strength in the days ahead.   Although this is not the ordinary for my blogs, I want you to be encouraged through this scripture. Read and reread verses 14-17. Rejoice in God’s plan for your life. Rejoice that God is your “Firm Foundation”! Rejoice that you know the end of the story and that your “Abba Father” holds the future in His hands. He is ALWAYS faithful, but “Are we faithful to Him?” It is never too late to start! Pick up your Bible, read, memorize, pray. Prepare and arm yourself today for the battles you will face tomorrow.     {I decided to give you the passage here} 2 Timothy 3- But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. 9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men. 10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.   **Extra info: Jannes and Jambres are believed to be the two chief magicians (sorcerers) who withstood Moses and Aaron in Exodus 7. They exerted a wicked influence on Israel.   `Live Sent

Their relationships may look different from other families, but they are rooted in love and care. 2025 I’d like to share our family’s adoption story. It’s a story about how God’s plans are often different from our own, and how His ways don’t always look like the path we might have chosen. It’s a story of listening, of trusting, and of saying “yes” even when we weren’t sure what would come next. The verse that has carried me through is Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” That has been the heart of our journey—trusting God to direct our steps, even when we didn’t see the whole picture. The Call to Adopt When Jason and I got married, we thought we knew exactly how our family would look. We dreamed of two children—a girl and a boy. God was so faithful to bless us with that dream: our daughter was born in 2002 and our son followed in 2004. A few years later, while attending Centrikid with our daughter, I felt something stir deeply in my spirit. During one of the breakout sessions for leaders, I sensed God placing adoption on my heart. Looking back, I think He had been gently whispering this for some time, but that day His voice became clear and undeniable. Excited but a little unsure, I shared what I felt with Jason. He wasn’t sensing the same call just yet, which left me puzzled. For weeks I prayed, asking God to guide us. If this truly was His plan, I knew He would bring both of our hearts into agreement. On August 5, 2012—our daughter’s birthday—we were in church listening to a guest evangelist. I can’t remember the sermon, but I’ll never forget what happened afterward. As we got into the car, Jason turned to me and simply said, “Okay. I hear it too. Let’s start the process.” In that moment, God confirmed His calling for both of us. Meeting Toby I had already been quietly looking at adoption agency websites and waiting children. Deep down, I knew God was leading us to a child from a waiting list. That evening, as Jason and I sat together scrolling through profiles, we saw a little boy whose photo stopped us in our tracks. His name on the website was Jacob, but as soon as we looked into his eyes, we both knew: this was our son. The next day, I reached out to the agency. At first, though, it felt impossible. The financial requirements for adopting from China seemed out of reach. We prayed and wrestled with the numbers until one day Jason asked if we had included his retirement account. We hadn’t—and once we did, everything changed. We qualified. God had already provided the way forward. Then came the paperwork. Adoption agencies call it a dossier, but really, it’s stacks upon stacks of forms, documents, and background checks that take nearly a year to complete. Thirteen months later, we were boarding a plane to China to meet the little boy God had chosen for our family. Bringing Him Home Traveling across the world without our older two children was hard. We leaned heavily on our church family for prayer and support. They were incredible—donating, encouraging, and walking alongside us every step of the way. Our extended family, some of whom had been uncertain at first, also supported us as they saw our hearts set on following God’s call. When we finally met Toby, it was love at first sight. Though the government gave us 24 hours to “decide,” our hearts had already decided months earlier when we first saw his picture. We brought with us a Thomas the Tank Engine train—Toby—chosen just for him after we said yes to adoption. His face lit up when we placed it in his hands, and in that moment, we felt such peace. Later that night in our hotel room, however, the weight of change sank in for him. He realized he was in a new world with new faces, and he cried himself to sleep as I rocked him, whispering reassurances. That first night was tender and hard, but it was the beginning of trust. Life as a Family of Five Back home, our older two—Caroline and Nolan—couldn’t wait to welcome Toby. They had been cheering us on from afar, and now they finally got to hug their little brother. The transition wasn’t without bumps. There were moments of frustration (including one memorable brotherly bite!), and the language barrier made things tricky at times. But just like any siblings, they learned to love and adjust. Their relationships may look different from other families, but they are rooted in love and care. We knew from the beginning that Toby had cerebral palsy, and we were ready for that. Over time, however, more diagnoses came—intellectual disability, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, visual processing disorder, and oppositional defiance disorder. While those labels explained some of his struggles, they never defined him for us. If given the chance to choose again, we would say “yes” without hesitation. He is fully ours—not born from my body, but born from our hearts. God’s Preparation Along the Way When I look back now, I see how God was preparing us long before adoption was ever on our radar. Years earlier, financial struggles led us to sell our dream home and move to St. Mary's, GA. At the time, it felt like a setback. But in that move, God gave us a new church family at Kingsland Baptist and opened the door for me to work in special education—an unexpected path that would later prepare me for parenting a child with special needs. God was weaving the story even when we couldn’t see the threads. Saying Yes If there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s this: when God calls, He equips. Saying “yes” doesn’t mean the road will be smooth or easy. Our family is far from perfect—most days feel a little messy. But His blessings and faithfulness have carried us through. James 1:22 reminds us, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” And Luke 11:28 says, “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.” My encouragement to you is simple: if you feel Him calling, trust Him enough to say yes. The journey may not look perfect, but the rewards aren’t meant for this world anyway. They are eternal. And at the end of it all, my deepest prayer is to one day stand before Him and hear the words: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

What is your relationship with your body? Would you call her a distant acquaintance, an enemy, or your best friend? Perhaps you have had a journey full of ups and downs, quick fixes, weight loss programs, diet fads, fitness challenges, or seeking vanity versus ability. My dear sister, you are not alone. My story encompassed many of these lies which led me to doubt, distortion, distractions, discouragement, and defeat. I often found myself asking or thinking “what is wrong with me?” “You are just not good enough” or “do more and be better.”   Yes, I am a Christian and glad to have Jesus as My Savior. In 2019, I found myself tired of the weight loss journey, comparison, health issues, and lies that I had believed for many decades. I so desired a change to be healthy and whole with a longing for joy and peace.  I had just moved to a new area and was in pursuing a faith-based community of believers when a fellow sister in Christ, invited me to a Revelation Wellness Sugar Fast Challenge. I was thrilled and excited, I found my community and yes, it was online!  I began my new journey from striving to thriving, grace and mercy, to love God more and to steward my body well. I have been blessed with the opportunities to become a certified Revelation Wellness Instructor, Platoon 27 and certified Christian Health Coach where I have grown through deep spiritual healing, physical health practices, and transformational love of Jesus!   As a Christian Health Coach, we want you to have lasting sustainable change not just a quick fix as the world tells us. We want you to be transformed with God at the center!  Romans 12: 1 reminds us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Here are some key benefits of having a Christian Health Coach… 1.      Don’t expect you to rely on your own willpower but through God’s power!  As a coach, we serve as your guide along the side of the Ultimate Guide for His discipline.  As a coach, we understand that when you rely on the strength of God, through Him is the only way to make lasting change. Scripture:  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 2.      Will pray for you on your journey.   As a coach, we are honored to pray for you throughout this journey and where God is leading you. Scripture:  “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:19-20   3.      Understands that the real battle is spiritual .  As a coach, we understand making new choices are hard and challenging, we will celebrate your small wins and big wins!  We understand that every day we fight a battle against an enemy who want to wage war in our minds to include shame and guilt. We understand you are facing an overwhelming number of demands, distractions, responsibilities, obligations, and yes, perspectives from our homes, work, church, groups, and communities. As your coach, there is no should, shame, or guilt to move you forward on those difficult days. We will encourage you with love and truth about how stewarding your physical body is an act of worship that honors the Lord. Scripture:  “ For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.” Romans 7:15-20 4.      Supports you with God’s Word.  As a coach, freedom is the goal and true freedom is only found in Christ!  We share scriptures that help you lock your eyes on our King and lock on to what He says is true about each of us (mind, body, soul, and spirit).  We take Him at His word and believe what He says about us. Being rooted in the Word continues to build the spiritual strength necessary to preserve on this journey for your whole transformation that God wants for you. Scripture:  So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 5.      Wants you to find WHOLENESS in Christ.   As a coach, we encourage people to love God and their body.  Yes, Satan is very much a punk who whispers lies to try and deceive you every step along this journey. He will do everything he can to keep you from reaching your goals. But God has invited you to have an intimate relationship with the Almighty!  He has won this battle and has invited you to all the abundance He offers.  He will help you to be the overcomer and take back territory!   Scriptures: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33   Having a Christian health coach who understand your heart for change will help you find freedom and help you reach your goals.   You are invited to reach out to Coach Terri at Coach.TerriPearson@gmail.com  or 785-817-2812 (phone/text) for your free 30-minute consultation today! Check out upcoming events: https://linktr.ee/freedompursuer

As we finished celebrating the Easter season a few months ago and were so focused on giving praise to God as our risen Savior, I was reminded again how so many want Jesus when it is convenient or benefits them! Since Easter, I have been pondering a question that demands an answer from every one of us. It's a question that every one of us answers on a daily basis whether we realize it or not. What is the question that is consuming my mind right now is "What shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" (Matt. 27:22). What am I doing today with Jesus who is called Christ? The crowd who shouted "Crucify Him" in verse 22 of Matthew which revealed their hearts to this question. Pilate answered, the crowd answered, and we ALL will answer that question. It must be answered because refusing to answer it would really be an answer: "away with Him." There are some things we can remain neutral about, but there is nothing neutral about our answer to what we will do with Christ. Sweet sister, you answer this question every day by the way you live your life. Being neutral, not taking time daily for Christ, and putting daily idols above your time with Him is indeed revealing of your heart. Pilate was warned by his wife not to have anything to do with Jesus after having a bad dream, so Pilate handed Jesus off to Herod (Luke 23:1-12) who took pleasure in mocking Jesus before handing Him back over to Pilate to sentence Him to death. Pilate thought he could pass the buck to Herod (and Herod did the same) and not have to make a decision regarding Jesus. Matthew 12:30 says, " Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters." Sweet friend, again, a neutral answer or not answering the question means you are against Christ. Both Pilate and Herold were guilty - they were against Christ. I think in the world today many people think that if they do not answer questions it's "ok" but with God, this question demands and answer. This mindset reminds me of Eve in the garden when the serpent was adding to what God told them. Eve (and the serpent) was trying to twist God's Words to get what she wanted. Her heart was divided between self-pleasure and obedience to what God said. In John's account of events leading up to Easter, we see what Judas did with Jesus. John 18:5 says, "... And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them." As Judas stood beside Jesus, he knew in his heart exactly what he was doing. He was betraying Jesus to the Jewish authorities for 30 pieces of silver. The close, intimate bond that Jesus had with His disciples was no doubt such a sweet relationship, yet Judas made the decision to betray Jesus with nothing less than a kiss. When Judas Iscariot bargained with the leaders of Israel for the betrayal of Jesus, he asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him to you?” The leaders then counted out a mere “thirty pieces of silver,” ( Matthew 26:15 ). They considered the cost of Jesus’ death to be that of a slave. Later, when Judas was overcome with guilt for betraying Jesus, he fulfilled Zechariah’s prophecy and threw all he was paid into the temple ( Matthew 27:3-5 ). Then the leaders used the money to buy a field from a potter as Zechariah had predicted ( Matthew 27:6-10 ) . Later Judas, filled with remorse for his betrayal, threw the coins back at the priests in the Temple before he went to a field and hanged himself . Whew - what a heavy answer Judas had to this question! Before we throw Judas under the bus, let's take a quick look at Peter who was also one of the 12 apostles. He was told that he would deny Jesus 3 times (John 12:37-38), yet he was not alert to the devil's schemes and fulfilled exactly what Jesus had warned him about. Read Mark 14:72 to see Peter's reaction. I think we can all relate to Peter's failure at this time. Peter's heart was for Jesus, but his flesh was weak. In full forgiveness and with the help of the Holy Spirit, Peter later becomes a leader of the church, present at Pentecost and writing 1 & 2 Peter which encourages believers to "be diligent to be found in Him in peace, without spot and blameless," looking forward to the return of Christ. Praise God that although we all sin just like Peter, by the grace of God He helps us to accomplish the things that align with His will! There were also faithful followers who answered this question with absolute love and devotion for Jesus. The women and crowd following Jesus mourned and lamented over the death of Jesus (Luke 23:27). One thief on the cross acknowledged Him even as he was facing death (Luke 23:39-43). Joseph of Arimathea retrieved the body of Jesus, took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in the tomb (Luke 23:50-56) as women followed with spices and perfume to prepare the body. Oh, how wonderful to have these things as the answer to what you did with Jesus who is called Christ! We could dive into many faithful followers of Christ: John the Baptist, Paul, Philip and Nathanael who answered this question dropping everything to follow Jesus, but it would be more of a study than a blog. You can take the opportunity to research some of these if you'd like to read these great stories. Just know that the influence that these faithful followers had on others to draw closer to God can never be underestimated. Neither can the bad influence of the previous characters! We live in a world of people searching for answers, needing to learn about what Jesus was really like and why He died on a cross. Many know ABOUT Jesus but have no idea what a relationship with Christ is about. Our answer to the proposed question, "What will I do with Jesus" should be that we would commit our lives to His will - sharing the gospel and growing spiritually and giving our lives as a living sacrifice for Him. We can't put off until tomorrow what God wants us to do today. Proverbs 27:1 warns us that we need to be about Our Father's work today while, Ephesians 2:8-10 encourages us that we are His workmanship created for good works , which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Sweet sister, I encourage you to spend time this week considering this question, "What will you do with Jesus, who is called Christ?" Will you live an uncommitted life neither hot nor cold for Him? Will you allow your fleshly desires to deny Him, or will you forsake everything on this earth to follow the Savior who freely gave His life as a ransom for you? What is He calling you to do today, this week and this year for Him? Pray and ask Him to reveal His desires to you and He will. Verses to Meditate on: Proverbs 27:1; Matthew 12:37-38; Mark 14:72; John 1; Ephesians 2:8-10; 1 Peter; 2 Peter Prayer Prompt: Our Heavenly Father - sacrificed Lamb for my sins, I pray that you will help me to take an honest look at my life as well as the answer to today's question. Search my heart to see if there be any wicked way in me. I pray that your Holy Spirit will fall fresh on me as I commit to give my life as a living sacrifice for Your service. May I be found faithful and may all those who know me see that You hold first place in my life. Knowing that I have a sinful nature and that I will fail, I pray that you will guide me daily convicting me when I falter so that I may confess and restore my relationship with you. Sin puts separation between me and You and my desire is to walk closer and closer in obedience with you. Help me to make conscious choices in my life that will lead to more of the Your presence. Lord, Proverbs 8:17 says, "I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me." Help me to seek you in everything that I do. Thank you for bearing my sins on the cross. I love you, Lord. Amen. `Live sent

Polish pottery is hand made and the artist's signature or piece number is stamped on the bottom. God's signature is written all over your life and all will be blessed as you display His handiwork. If you have never experienced shopping for Polish pottery in Poland, it is like nothing you've ever experienced! Many women who have experienced living in Europe while working for the U.S. military or being married to someone working for the military have fallen hopelessly in love with Polish pottery. I'll just go ahead and confess... I fell prey to the Pottery bug! Upon walking into one of the pottery stores the first time it is totally overwhelming and a sensory overload of colors, styles, and choices. There are more styles of coffee cups than I ever imagined. Then there are dishes, spoons, regular cups, platters, casserole dishes, napkin holders, wall decorations, cabinet knobs and so much more. Did I mention the many different patterns that abound for everything that I've just mentioned? Just as you begin to adjust to your surroundings someone mentions grades and 1st-4th qualities! What makes this pottery so special? Polish pottery has a reputation for its exquisite craftsmanship, vibrant designs, and exceptional quality. That's the main thing but the other half is taking trips with friends to purchase it it Poland! This is how I got hooked... just a group of girls from church on a weekend trip. Polish pottery is meticulously crafted by skilled Polish women or men. Each piece undergoes a labor-intensive process that involves hand shaping, hand painting, and hand glazing. Now they do produce with molds but the hand painting and glazing makes these pieces once of a kind. Many women visiting Poland for the pottery enjoy taking a class to make a piece- oh how proud they are of their masterpieces! The meticulous concentration to pain it, the thought process of picking just the right colors and the joy of a beautiful creation means oh so much to these creative women. I'll spare you lingering on and on by moving on to the greatest Creator- the Creator of everything. Those special, hand-created pottery pieces are nothing compared to the handiwork of our Creator! Isaiah 64:8 says, "Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter: we are all the work of your hand." Sister, when God created you he picked colors, size, personality, emotions, cellular activity, and yes, even down to the number of hairs on our head (Matt. 10:30) among other things. I'd say that makes you pretty priceless! Polish Pottery is priced according to the amount of time required to paint the piece. The primary elements that determine this are the specific shape and size, the number of colors in the design and its intricacy. Many designs now days are painted entirely using stamps, which are quicker to apply. Think about the imagination that God must have to make each and every one of us different! Even identical twins have different fingerprint patterns and hair whorls, even though they share the same genes/ DNA. They also often have different personalities, interest and preferences- all created by God. Psalm 139 (which I have mentioned in previous blogs) assures us that God planned every single detail about us before we were ever formed in our mother's womb (Jeremiah 1:5). He not only created each of us in a special way, but He charted our course of life designed to bring Him glory! Oh, how special each and every one of us are to Him. There are times when we mess up, we are broken or due to circumstances our design gets a little "smudged" but every time those "mistakes" or "flaws" come up, we need to remember that just like that Polish pottery, those are the things that God continues to use to set us apart and use for HIS glory. Ephesians 2:10 and Jeremiah 29:11 assures us that "we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works..." and God has plans"... to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". As silly as it sounds, the creators of Polish pottery pieces have a plan for each pottery piece that they form. That's why they take such time pouring into making the pieces. My sister, God created you in His image for His purpose in His time. Embrace your flaws, relish your uniqueness, and give praise that you are wonderfully made in the precise way God wants you. I took speech therapy for many years as a child and even today I really have to think when forming some words. It was very hard for me to begin to fathom speaking in front of ladies to share God's Word but as I trust God, He continually makes a way to cover my imperfections using me for His glory. Give Him full reign in your life to complete the work that He has begun in your life. Trust me when I say He will do a much better job in making your life beautiful than any of us could trying to be in control of our lives. Give Him the brush and let Him finish what He has begun in painting the masterpiece that He created you to be. Let God turn your flaws into the fascinating finishing that He has planned for you! Pray that you will not only hand the brush back to God today but that you will resist the urge to take the brush back into you own hands again. I promise, His masterpiece (you) will be a stunning story weaved into His story as He completes His plan for your life. A grade "A" quality 1 that will shine stunningly for Him as well you weather Satan's attacks. Let others see His Signature on His creation as you walk through daily routines in your life and praise God for His wonderful creation! Verses to meditate on: Psalm 139; Isaiah 64:8; Jeremiah 1:5, 29:11; Matthew 10:30; Ephesians 2:10 `Live sent

Those of us who are blessed to have sisters are all too familiar with the drama that comes with sisters. Happy times, hormones, hopes, husbands, and more can create quite the joy, as well as uncomfortable situations at times. This "Sister Saga" between Leah and Rachel could have made a best seller with their lives as weddings woes, husband drama and trials, baby battles and pure conniving. This week we will learn much from these two sisters born to Laban and married to Jacob. If you aren’t familiar with the story, you can find it in Genesis chapters 27-35, 49:30-32 and 50. You may want to go back and read it - there is SO MUCH in their story that I can’t cover in a short blog. You won't be disappointed in going back to read the entire saga in Genesis 29-50. A few bits of information about these sweet sisters will help you understand their story. Rachel is the younger sister, beautiful, Jacob’s first choice for a wife, greatly loved by Jacob, resented by and also jealous of her older sister, lived a shorter life, and died giving birth to her second son. Leah is more tenderhearted, not as beautiful as her sister, a seemingly pawn in her father’s hand, Jacob’s first wife but not his first choice, hangs onto hope for love, mother of seven in a loveless marriage, and was part of the lineage of Jesus through her son Judah. Such differences in the lives of these sisters make you wonder what they possibly had in common. Here ya go- they were married to Jacob at the same time, lost trust in their father, and possibly the most important thing is that they had prayers answered by God. Here is the spoiler already: this week’s focus is about this woman of prayer despite feeling second best, unwanted, and experiencing various trials. Her prayers went from focusing on her husband and herself to pleasing God. Can you imagine the emotions, words, actions and heartbreak these three caught up in this love triangle were experiencing? This triangle was conceived by Laban (the girl’s father) but it affected the entire family. These girls really couldn’t change their circumstances due to the period that they lived in. Jacob met Rachel at the well. It was love at first sight and Jacob seals it with a kiss that first day. Jacob offers to work 7 years for Laban (Rachel’s father) in order to marry Rachel and Laban agrees. Fast forward 7 years and we find a wedding planned, guests invited, a feast and drinks for all. A beautiful sight until Jacob wakes up the morning after and realizes that he didn’t marry the love of his life but married her older sister (Leah)- who was apparently not quite as radiant as Rachel. Right now, you are thinking, how did Jacob not know who he was marrying. Some background information is that one of the customs at Middle Eastern weddings at this time is that the bride remains completely hidden by heavy veils both during and after the ceremony. There was also much wine at wedding celebrations so this may have contributed. I have no definite answer, but I think I’ll ask that in heaven. Jacob confronts his father-in-law who reminds Jacob that it is customary to marry off the older daughter first. Jacob then works out a plan with Laban to work another 7 years for Rachel’s marriage and marries her about a week later. Of interest, Jacob only had 1 week with Leah as his wife before marrying Rachel as well. Then he began working the 7 years as payment. Can you imagine the interactions at this time between these sisters? The words? The emotions? Genesis 29:30 says, " his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah." How sad for Leah to feel second best and only have 1 week with her husband before her sister was married to him. Leah continued to love and desired to please Jacob for years to come. She really wanted to experience love from her husband. What must their lives have been like? There was quite the competition over who would have the most sons for Jacob as well as an encounter between the sisters regarding mandrakes for fertility, but you'll have to do some reading of the story to learn more about this. Leah was less loved, but eventually has six sons and a daughter with Jacob while Rachel has two sons and dies after the birth of her second son. With each birth of Leah's sons, we see a glimpse of her spiritual state. God knew the hearts of both sisters and God’s plan all along was for Leah to be a part in the lineage of Christ. God blessed Leah with the firstborn son of Jacob. His name was Reuben and after birth Leah said, “The Lord has looked upon my affliction, and now my husband will love me.” After the birth of their second son, Simeon, Leah said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, He has given me this son as well." And finally, after the birth of their third son she proclaimed, “This time I will praise the Lord.” These three statements tell us so much about her heart. Through what was likely the hardest time of her life, Leah continued to focus on and pray to God. Leah so badly wanted to experience true love from her husband, but through prayer and leaning on God she was able to embrace life without that. Leah learned to love the Lord even more as the years passed. She praised God for her blessings (her sons) and God blessed her as the mother of Judah. I love the strength that Leah had and the prayers and praise that give us a glimpse into her heart. Again, we can trace the lineage of Jesus back to Leah. Isn't that just like God to make the unloved His focus! The Bible doesn’t say that Jacob ever loved Leah. Rachel may have had the upper hand while she was alive, but her life was short, and she was buried in a tomb alone while Leah was buried with her husband and his parents, Abraham and Sarah (Genesis 49:31). Although Leah likely felt "second best" and unloved here on earth, she found comfort in the love of God and His provision. God showered His love on her in such a way that one of her sons (Judah) is in the lineage of Jesus. Not to brag on Leah but that's some testimony! S weet sister, you may be in a situation that isn't what you thought you were getting into. You may feel unloved or mistreated. You may not understand why you feel "tricked" into a situation, that you were not given all the facts, why you have tried so hard to experience love in the way you thought you would. But hear me when I say, "God knows!" God has a plan, and it may be that later you will see His plan. For now, trust Him. Pray. Pour your heart out to Him. Leah never saw the big picture - her lineage which included the Savior of the world. She took her eyes off of her own situation and focused on praising the Lord. She knew her position in the family but never walked away or gave up. She focused on God. When you take your eyes off of your circumstances and focus them on God, you'll begin to praise Him in the midst of the storm and find peace that can only come from Him. Peace comes from a relationship with Christ, and not from anything else! Prayer not only touches God's heart, but it changes our hearts. God is ALWAYS with us in every situation waiting on us to reach out to Him. The biggest take away from this story is GOD'S LOVE is for us! He gave His Son; Jesus came to give His life. I don't think we will ever be able to grasp just how great His love is for us. It's a gift, we must be willing to accept that great gift and all that comes with it. Below is a chart of the sons of Jacob that became the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Jacob did have children with concubines (all part of the baby competition) and were also part of the tribes. *Are you trusting God's ultimate plan in a current situation you are in? Have you given it to Him in prayer (and praise)? *Can you say in your current situation as Leah did, "This time I will praise the Lord?" *Are your eyes focused on God or your current situation? *Are you praying and giving praise for your children (born or yet to come)? Verses to meditate on: Genesis chapters 27-35, 49:30-32 and 50; Genesis 29:31, 35; Romans 8:28; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17; 1 Peter 3:3-4; Romans 8:28 "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose." (ESV) `Live Sent

"A praying mother is more precious and valuable than all the riches in the world" - V. James In 1 Samuel 1, we meet Hannah who was one of two wives married to Elkanah. Peninnah was the other wife and she had children, but Hannah was unable to conceive. The Bible tells us that Peninnah would irritate and provoke Hannah making fun of her because she was unable to have children. This behavior was so bad that when Hannah went up to worship in the Tabernacle she would weep and not eat. Isn't it sad that throughout time humans have been so unkind to others. Thankfully, Elkanah assured Hannah of his love and attempted to comfort her. But as we all know, sometimes we just need a little more than our husband's kind words. Peninnah and Elkanah were both looking at Hannah's outward appearance and reacting, but God was already looking at Hannah's heart and He already had a plan. Hannah was like us in that she had no way of knowing God's plan for her life or how He was moving to orchestrate things. Often when the winds of turmoil surround us, it seems that the storms of rain begin pounding. As they finished eating, Hannah got up and went to pray. Sister let me just say that if you have never experienced intense, heart-wrenching prayer you likely can't imagine this. There have been three times in my life that I was so burdened or heartbroken that as I poured out my heart to God it was heaving. The Bible describes Hannah during her prayer as "in deep anguish and weeping bitterly." During this time, she made a vow to God. I Samuel 1:11 “ And she vowed a vow and said, 'O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.'” As Hannah longed for a child, troubled, and broken-hearted she was counting on God to change her circumstances and life. She prayed this day and no doubt many other days trusting her God. As she was pouring her heart out, she was observed by the high priest, Eli, who thought she had been drinking and was drunk. Imagine how she must have felt. Once again, we see Hannah's heart as she answered Eli respectively explaining that she was pouring her heart out to God. The Bible does not say she ever retaliated towards Peninnah, she didn't blame her husband or God. She just prayed pouring her heart out and trusted God. We have all been in situations similar to Hannah and know the heartbreak of wanting something (or someone) so bad. How often do we pour our hearts out as Hannah did? In verse 17, Eli instructed Hannah to go in peace and that God would grant what she had asked. She thanked Eli and began eating again and was no longer sad. Friend, the Bible doesn't use the word "fast" here, but that's exactly what Hannah was doing. Some believe she was too sick to eat. My belief is that she was praying and fasting, trusting God completely. Fasting isn't something to be entered into lightly and there are correct ways and considerations that must be evaluated, but let me tell you that there is power in prayer and fasting!!! The next morning, they got up and worshiped the Lord before heading home. Are you catching this scene? Everything Hannah did was focused on God. She was a prayer warrior! Fast forward to the next year when Elkanah and his family was going on their yearly trip to offer a sacrifice- Hannah did not go because she was weaning her son, Samuel! Yes, God heard and answered her prayer giving her a son! Hannah told Elkanah in verse 22 that she would take Samuel to the Tabernacle and present him to the Lord, where he would live after he was weaned. She did as she promised God, as seen in verse 24 when she took Samuel as well as a sacrifice to the Tabernacle. I absolutely LOVE Hannah's heart in verses 27-28: " For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him.   Therefore, I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord." Hannah named her son “Samuel” which means, “heard by God” or “God has heard." Hannah made a promise to God, and she followed through on the promise after God answered her prayer. I want to pause here and say it isn't always a smart idea to make a promise during a prayer that you are not willing to walk through. To make a promise to God and then ignore the promise is not a good thing to do. Hannah loved God and her son so much that she gave up what she most wanted, her son, to be dedicated for his entire life in serving God. In truth, she was just giving him back to God. Hannah gave God the best gift that she had. Hannah continued to visit Samuel yearly, even bringing him a robe (2:19). Years later, Samuel lived in the hometown of Hannah and Elkanah. Hannah's prayer of praise for the gift of her son is found in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. I encourage you to read these 10 verses that give a wonderful glimpse of Hannah's heart. Hannah's refers to God as making her rejoice, making her strong, rescuing her, being holy, no Rock like God, knowing all that we do, our judge, giver of life and death, sovereign over all, protecting his faithful followers, and more. She no doubt knew God personally because of her prayer life. Let's fast forward from 1 Samuel 1:9-18 which is the passage I was just describing to 1 Samuel 2: 1-10. How sweet are both prayers of Hannah especially when we look at the time in history that this took place. Hannah went on to have three sons and two daughters. Her God was so faithful to her! Hannah's devotion, surrender, and trust in God resulted in years of goodness for her family and country. Samuel became a prominent prophet and judge in the OT, anointed Saul as first king of Israel, and later anointed David. It couldn’t have been easy for Hannah to hold onto her faith and continue in prayer, but the results of Hannah’s faithfulness and trust in God reaped more benefits than Hannah could have ever imagined! Sweet sister, just like Hannah, you will likely never know all the results of your prayers for your children either! Cover them, bathe them in your prayer’s night and day! Samuel was the most respected Judge that Israel ever had- do ya think that began with Hannah? How might your child's life be different through your prayers? Friend, determine to be like Hannah. She sought God instead of trying to fix her situation herself. She poured her heart out to God knowing that He loved her and knew exactly what was happening in her life. She trusted God with her needs, desires, and with her son for HIS plans. She considered the steadfast love of God and trusted Him completely. Verses to meditate on : 1 Samuel chapters 1-3 (esp. 1:10-11, 2:12-26), Psalm 107, Ephesians 3:16-21 What do you need to take to God in prayer today? Do you need to get away by yourself to pour your heart out to God, to weep, and petition Him humbling yourself before Him? Are there aspects about Biblical fasting that you'd like to learn more about? Today may be a great day to begin. https://youtu.be/6rOjU_F0GM0?si=dv5XENrx3IogxJJp `Live sent

Eve - the perfect woman created for the perfect man to live in the perfect place! What wouldn’t we give to have that title! No money problems, stress, fear, or time restraints. She is known by all as the first mother. Just like us, she had accomplishments, strengths and weaknesses. She is often criticized for getting things wrong but isn’t that just like all of us? As we picture Eve in all her beauty, we must all picture her sin and redemption. This mother helps us picture ourselves during our moments of doubt, anxiety, sin, and failure as well as a picture of a wonderful opportunity to rest in God’s great love for us. As we dig into this overview, we must begin by answering the question, “Why was Eve created?” I’m sure we all know that Eve was created for Adam but exactly what does that entail? Adam went to sleep and woke up to a perfect gift from God! A woman created specifically for Adam because God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone I will make a helper suitable for him."(Genesis 2:18). Right, there is the answer! Eve was to be a “helper” for Adam. When God created Adam, He knew it would be better for Adam to have someone by his side, someone to love and share life with. God designed Adam to need a woman to compliment him, to work together as a team. Didn’t God think of everything! Eve’s physical appearance is never described in the Bible, only the role that she was created to fulfill - helper. Sister, let that be our first lesson, God isn’t concerned about your outward appearance, but about the role He has charted out for your life. God placed protection over Eve by charging Adam (and all men) with the leadership of the family just like He has for those of us who are married. I wonder if Eve ever contemplated things such as the privilege of being a mother (much less the “mother of all"); the responsibility she had of raising children that would populate the earth; her role in training and discipling them to follow Christ; and even the example she would set for other mothers to follow. Following and obeying what God said would be a must for success. Eve’s problem began when she left the protection and authority of her husband to seek earthly knowledge. It was after the sin in the garden that God revealed their punishment for sin. It was at this point that Adam named Eve stating it was because she was “the mother of all the living.” Prior to this, she was only referred to as “woman.” This new name was confirming all that was to come with being a mother. What a precious moment after such a sad encounter with God. I can only imagine the love that Adam felt for Eve as they stood there together. Yes, these two were made for each other. To bear the good, bad, and the ugly together. Fast forward to Genesis 4:1, as we take in Eve’s response after giving birth to her firstborn, Cain. She said, “With the help of the Lord, I have brought forth a man.” Yes, Eve sinned but she also realized and acknowledged how great our God is! We all know the said story of Cain killing his brother (Eve’s second son) which must have crushed Eve. However, Genesis 4:25 shows us once again the faith that Eve had in God as a proclamation after the birth of her third son, Seth: “God has granted me another child, in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” Despite the pain of her second sons’ death, Eve stops to give God glory for the birth of her third son. She chose joy! I am sure that with every contraction and pain of giving birth to Seth, Eve was reminded of her very first sin. The sin that continues to affect mankind today. Sister, that’s called consequences. BUT God so graciously forgives us and gives us new opportunities when we turn to Him. John 16:21 addresses the joy of birth after being in labor if you’d like to look it up. Eve was fulfilling her call to multiply and populate the earth. Along with the joy of holding little Seth in her arms was knowing that she was a part of God’s plan. Not only was she multiplying but Seth had a son called Enosh and it was through him that “people began to call upon the name of the Lord” in Genesis 4:26. It was also through Adam, Seth and Enos that we can trace the lineage of Jesus back to the first human. God did grant Eve another son that would hold a very special place in history! Despite her failure, seeing the effects of her (and Adam’s) sin, and meeting the devil disguised as a serpent first-hand, Eve poured into her children teaching telling them what an Awesome God she was blessed to walk and talk with. How her God clothed them when they were naked and sacrificed animals for skins for them. How her God forgave them for their sins and continued blessing them even to the point of many children. Sweet sister, this story shows us the Goodness of God. The covering that we as mother’s have provided by God for us. Our desire should be to live as closely as we can in accordance with God’s Word and our husband’s authority. However, for those times that we fail, just like Eve, we are so blessed by His goodness when we repent. Oh, how I could go on and dig into a Bible study here, but I won’t. For this week’s focus from Eve - the mother of all, I want you to grab and hold on to God’s redemption. A mother forgiven as an example in the very first book of our Bible. Yes, she paid a price but oh how God blessed her and oh what a story for us to apply to our hearts. Momma, when you fail, when you sin or fall just a little short, don’t make God look for you. Do an about-face turning around in forgiveness and watch His blood wash over you. Renew yourself and rejoice in the Goodness of God!     Verses: Genesis 2-3 (esp. 3:15); Proverbs 5:9, 12:4; 1 Cor. 7:3,5,34, 11:8-9; Ephesians 5:21-34; Titus 2:4; Colossians 3:18-19; 1 Peter 3:1-7 This is one of my favorite songs and it goes so very well with this focus on the "Goodness of God". Take a few minutes to listen and then pause to give God praise for His amazing goodness in your life. https://youtu.be/9sE5kEnitqE 'Cause all my life You have been faithful And all my life You have been so, so good With every breath that I am able Oh, I'm gonna sing of the goodness of God   ~Live sent

Irene Click is the best Christian mentor I could have ever been blessed with. I honestly believe she was the reason we moved to Alabama. I’m quite sure God had many plans and purposes when He allowed the Charleson Naval Shipyard to be closed in 1999, but sending our family to Enterprise, AL, was no doubt a huge part of His plan for my life.  Mrs. Click took me as well as my daughters under her wing and began mentoring us from the moment we moved in as neighbors (even before that). One of the many things she taught me was how to preserve (can) food. What you should know is that in everything we did, Ms. Click had a life lesson with a Biblical base for me. Oh, how I miss her- she is worshiping at Jesus's feet today. Our first canning lesson was that of canning tomatoes. My vision was going to purchase beautiful tomatoes from the fields both for eating as well as canning. As we were choosing our tomatoes, Mrs. Click quickly made her way over to the “ugly tomatoes” buckets. She proudly announced to the owner that we’d take a 5-gallon bucket of “ugly tomatoes” and one bucket of beautiful tomatoes as well. I was smart enough not to question her until we got to the car. 😊 She began explaining that the “ugly tomatoes” were ½ price while the beautiful and would taste just as good as the full priced tomatoes. She picked just the right tomatoes for the job. In the same way, God has just the right job/ tasks to complete as you walk through life with Him. We washed our tomatoes taking care to get any dried leaves and dirt off them and proceeded coring them. We were careful remove any impurities, any worms that we found were killed so that they didn’t invade other tomatoes. As we sat there cutting away impurities my sweet mentor began comparing our cutting out the bad parts of the tomatoes to God cutting away sinful impurities in our lives. Yes, He picks us individually, washes us by the blood of Christ and then works on getting sinful habits and tendencies out of our lives. The process isn’t a pretty process and indeed it is tedious and time consuming, but you will never buy tomatoes in the store that compare to fresh processed tomatoes. As if washing, coring, cutting and cleaning wasn’t enough for those poor tomatoes to go through, it was time for our next phase. We put them in a huge pot full of boiling water and cooked them until they were tender and falling apart. Does this remind you of any circumstances that you have faced? Just when it seemed as it they would be mush, we either filled our jars with these beauties or pressed them through a food mill or sieve in order to get tomato juice. The jars were then sealed and processed so that they would last. Why go through this preserving process? We may want to use these tomatoes at another time, for a different reason, to keep them from spoiling or even as gifts to bless others with. Isn’t that just like our lives? God tenderly takes us through these same steps as he perfects us for His desires. God formed us, chose us, fashions us, perfects us and will finish us according to His plans. Mrs. Click and I had a vision of why we wanted to preserve those tomatoes while they were good for use, possibly for  chili, spaghetti, to eat with rice, grits or to use in recipes but we had a vision. Isn’t it so wonderful to bask in the love of God knowing that He has a plan for our lives! God does everything in order; steps just like we use in canning. We can’t skip ahead or get the steps out of order without having to go back and repeat that step again. Even Jesus had steps to take as He made His way to the cross. Moses, the deliverer was placed in a basket, snatched from the water, educated and prepared in Pharaoh’s courts. He was humbled and totally dependent on God as he wandered 40 years in the wilderness as He carried out God’s plan. Yes, we truly do know that, “All things work together” as in Romans 8:28. Psalm 91 assures us that God knows everything about us. When we lay down, get up, our thoughts, where we are, and preserves us by His loving power! Jeremiah 29:10-14 says that “Before He formed me in my mother’s womb, He knew me.” Sister, do you understand that God is always preparing us for a purpose and coping with life’s setbacks is easier when we accept That God has a plan for us- even when we do not always understand. Change can be hard, painful and it may bring us to our knees BUT… change can be a beautiful thing, especially when it is God who is changing our lives. In August 2020 I was an ER nurse and loved it but God had another plan. Through a series of events, I hung up my ER hat and began a journey as school nurse. There isn’t time for all that took place, but God used this new schedule to grow and work in ministry in ways that I could not have if I had continued with the schedule at the hospital. As we have just relocated back in the states from Germany, there has been much change and growth again. I’m not sure exactly where the coming years will take me but this one thing I know: I am preserved (and being preserved) by Christ for a purpose and the promise is this: “It is God who is at work in you (me), both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil 2:13), and “He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6). Praise God for His steps in preserving us even during the tough times. Sister, Jesus purchased us with His own blood, cleanses, cores out the sin in our lives, and processes us through daily refining so that we can be opened up and poured out at just the right time, to just the right person for His plans. Oh the joy we bring both Him and those around us when he chooses to use us. Just like those tomatoes when we opened them up- sweet to the soul. Next time God is preserving you, coring you, and putting you through the "cooker" remember that He has a purpose for your creation and for your life. Praise Him, grow and watch Him use you in the lives of others.   Verse to Meditate on : Lamentations 3:22-33; Psalm 91; Jeremiah 29:11-14; Romans 8:28;  Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 1:6, 2:13 ~Live Sent

We all love light. It may be Christmas lights, light from a flashlight when the power goes out, light as the sun rises each morning, or lights on our cell phones that are always accessible no matter the situation. This is the thing about light, we must plug in or welcome the light in order to see clearly. Prayer is to God's power what plugging an electrical cord in, turning the flashlight on, and opening a curtain or door to let the light in is. We only have access to God by plugging into the awesome power of prayer. Similarly, light allows us to stand in awe of so many things that we would otherwise miss out on. The sad truth is that we often take this wonderful privilege for granted and frequently are unable to remember the beautiful sights that we once were so intrigued by. Praise God we are able to capture many of these with our cameras and cell phones to help us remember. Prayer journaling is much the same for our prayer life. We often forget all the prayers that have been answered and just as often we forget to pray for things that we have committed to pray for.  By journaling our prayers, we are able to establish a more organized prayer time, remember requests, give praise for answered prayer, and realize the blessings we have been bestowed as well as look back in awe at God’s handiwork through the years. There is a saying, "What you care about, you pray about." A journal is a great way to keep track of those things that we care about as we watch God's handiwork in answering our prayers. Prayer journaling really began as far back as Biblical times as many of the Psalms are prayers set to music that were written by David and others. Praise God these prayers and thoughts were recorded for us. Proverbs tells us that without a vision people perish. What better way to have a vision, goals and stay focused on praying through than to write it down to have in front of your eyes and pray over. These are just a few reasons that I LOVE prayer journaling - hence the title of this post. The great thing about prayer journaling is that there is no right or wrong way to have one. For me, it is a notebook with various dividers that I’ll discuss later. For my husband, he has a list that has a column for the date prayer began, column for the request and then in another column for the date answered. This already gives you a peek into our lives - his is very black and white (just the facts please) and my prayer journal is full of color and notes. Both ways are 100% correct.  Darrell’s journal (list) is just prayer requests that he has as well as requests from friends, family, and those shared at church. My journal has the following sections: WOTY (word of the year - see my previous post), God Is, Blessings, Me, Darrell, Daughters & Family, Extended Family, Friends, and Church/ Missions. I do not pray for every section every day. There are some that I do pray for daily but there are also some that I have specific days to pray for. Let me add here that I do have a prayer wall that I absolutely LOVE as I can sit in my chair and read through special requests that are dear to me. The photos for this blog give you an idea of my prayer wall when we lived in Germany. I still have some of those same post-it notes on my wall now. I add a red heart as they are answered. Some people keep prayer requests in an index box with labeled tabs as well. The bottom line is this: The best prayer journal is one that you will use.  A few things to keep in mind as you begin journaling: This is a private journal between you and God. Share your heart. There was a time that I worried that if I died someone would read my journal. Ya know what, if they do, my prayer is that they will be as blessed by my journal as I am. Let them see your relationship record with the Lord. Leave a wonderful legacy of answered prayer and spiritual growth.  If there is a confidential prayer request and you have a prayer wall visible to others, I suggest you write only their name - you will remember the request. Finally, write scripture out that you would like to memorize and hang on your wall. This way every time you sit to pray, you can begin with the verse(s) you are working on memorizing.  There are many prayer journaling resources on the internet that are wonderful just by googling. I am also providing this link so that you have access to some of my resources. Warning… there are many! One of my favorite things to do is to pray. I pray in the car, in the shower, during my Bible study, devotions, during worship, as well as many other times. Studying about prayer and fasting continue to be a passion of mine so I have many resources. I will not overload you with a lot here but if you’d like more resources on either topic, send me a message and I’ll be glad to share freely. Here are aa couple of my favorite resources from a study our ladies did on prayer and fasting a couple years ago. I also have verses to pray for children and other topics. Let me know your interest/ need. I'll be glad to send you more resources. Just send me a message using the banner at the bottom of this site. Scriptures to Study : Psalm 51, 59, 101:1; Habakkuk 2:2; 1 John 5:15 ~Live sent

There seems to be much conversation lately regarding neglecting or forgetting to do things. It certainly has been a topic of discussion among those I’ve interacted with. Hebrews 13 is a final exhortation for the church to focus on things that are pleasing to God no matter where we are or go. We make lists, set timers and alarm, and even encourage others to remind us to complete needed things, even important things that we should remember without a reminder but are we remembering to do things that please God? God must have known that as humans we would struggle with remembering to do things because He addressed that several times in the Bible. Today I want to pause, focusing on two short verses in Hebrews 13. Verses 15-16 say, “Through Him (Jesus) then, let’s continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips praising His name. 16 And do not neglect (forget) doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased”. These verses sound so easy, right? Praising God, doing good and sharing with others are the actions in verses 15-16. How do we go about accomplishing these things without needing to be reminded? How do we make these three things a part of our day in- day out daily actions? How do these things become a natural part of our lives and not something that we are forced to do? Below are a few ways to begin accomplishing these things. 1. Seeking God first thing in the mornings is what I believe is most important. Spending time in prayer is so important in our lives. Ask God to show you His will for your day. As you seek God’s will, read at least one verse of scripture before you begin your daily tasks. It is amazing what God will reveal as we seek HIS will. Ask God to give you opportunities to “be the light of world, to let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16) Not doing this so that others will look at you but that you would live on purpose completing His plan for you. Ask for a humble servant’s heart.   2. Invite our precious Holy Spirit to prompt you as you go through your day to praise God, to do good and to share your life with others. Our Holy Spirit is active and alive inside of us, we just need to commune with Him. Jesus promised us that we have not because we ask not. Sweet sister, ASK for prompts during your day for opportunities to please God. Ask Him to renew your mind to know God’s will (Romans 12:2). Listen to that quiet prompting of the precious gift of our Holy Spirit that God has given each and every one of us. 3. Be where you are! Have your eyes and ears open to opportunities to serve, love, and pour into every opportunity God has designed for you. Look at where you are through God’s eyes- what can you praise Him for, who can you serve, how can you make a positive impact? Hebrews 10:26-27 commands us to be doers of the word so that we will be blessed in our doings. Strive for a soft heart to the needs around you. At times I feel overwhelmed trying to remember special things about people and special dates for them. Take notes: mental as well as written or in your phone. What is your friend’s favorite meal, color, writer, hobby? Is a surgery coming? What about a ballgame or tryout? An upcoming interview? Make note of these things and follow up with those that God places in your life. My friend (Crystal) always remembered everything (I thought). Then I realized that she makes notes and updates her daily planner. Yeap, I went out and purchased my very own planner. I’m doing better in this area. Plan to send a card, a message, or a phone call. It’s the little things that mean the most. Listen when you are with others and follow up with an “I was thinking of you” later. 4. Accountability with a Christian sister is something I can not stress enough. There are a couple sweet sisters in my life that help me along my way when hard times come, I get busier with earthly things, or I just need to grow a little among other things. Hear me when I say I wouldn’t take a million dollars for one of them! I mean that with all of my heart. God has richly surrounded us with other Christians for a reason. Plug into the power that comes from a three stranded chord, with praying together! You, God and another Christian. When your energy is fading, hard times come, or you are becoming stagnant, give one of those lady’s permission to lovingly draw you back in. Tell her your struggles and goals. Ask you to hold your hands up when they are getting tired. This is exactly what Aaron and Hur did for Moses and guess what!!!??? IT WORKED and will word for you. Verses to Ponder: Hebrews 13; Matthew 5:13-16; Romans 8:14, 12:2, 10; Exodus 17:12-14, Hebrews 10:24-27, 11:6; Galatians 6:1-2, James 5:16, Proverbs 27:17 ​ 2 Corinthians 5:9 - Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences. Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that you will help me to see You first every morning and throughout my day. Remind me to begin my day in prayer as I commune with You. Show me Your will as I go through me day and as your Holy Spirit prompts and leads me help me to be attentive. Renew my sinful mind of you and Your ways so that my entire being and doings will be a holy sacrifice, acceptable to You. In every moment give me vision through Your eyes. May I be the hands and feet of You wherever You place me. Help me to walk in Your steps. Thank your for not only opportunities that You give me but also Christian sisters to hold me up when I am weak or tired, that hold me accountable and that build me up. Oh Father, you thought of everything that we need as we tarry here on earth if we only plug into the benefits that you have in place for us. Thank You so much for my friends and help me to reach out to those you have blessed me with even before I am in need. May they hold me accountable in spiritual growth as well as be a blessing to me. I love you and am so thankful for all that You have done for and provided for me. May my actions and my life be pleasing to You - that is my desire.