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Give it all to God

"But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave in the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."  James 1:6

A young woman almost 8 months pregnant walks into a doctor's office for her regular appointment. After what appears to be routine blood work and ultrasound, the doctor tells her she is sending her for another test with a specialist.  The doctor has spotted what he believes to be a hole in her baby's heart and is a sign of Down Syndrome.  Over the next week, more tests are performed and even the specialist could not say for sure what she saw.  The doctor goes over all the scenarios and even the "challenges" of raising a baby with Down Syndrome.
The young woman and her husband do the only thing they know to do.  They pray.  This young woman bows herself before the Lord, begging Him to take care of her baby, no matter the result.  She already loves this baby no matter what health issues it may have.  This young mother-to-be freely gives her worry and anxiety away to the Lord.  She cries out for God to take away her worry, to not allow the devil to steal her joy over this baby, and to allow her to spend the rest of her life loving this baby.  She believes in the Lord.  She trusts the Lord.  She gives away her worry and leaves it at the altar of the Lord.
This young mother-to-be was me.  I cannot tell you that I knew that my baby girl would be fine, but I can tell you I knew that my God would take care of her.  My husband and I did the only thing we knew to do with all certainty --- give our fears and anxiety to the Lord.  For the rest of my pregnancy, I did not worry over those tests, over what my baby may or may not have, or even if we could care for a baby with Down Syndrome.  My God gave us joy and allowed us to spend the rest of my pregnancy in excited anticipation of our baby girl's arrival.
Were the doctors wrong?  Was there no hole in her heart?  Or did God work a miracle?  I can tell you that the doctors blamed refractions in the picture and every other possible malfunction of equipment and not one of them proclaimed a miracle.  But I can tell you that I believe God worked it all out for His good!  I didn't need my baby's birth to be proclaimed as a miracle in order for it to be special.  I just needed the Joy of the Lord and His unwavering love for me!
So when life hands you a burden that seems unbearable or when worry takes over, take it all to the Lord.  Take it and leave it at the altar.  You must not just take it to Him but leave it there.  He cannot bear it for you if you still try to keep it to worry over.  He wants to take it from you.  He wants to give you joy even in what seems like the darkest places, but you must give it all to Him.  When you do that, you may see miracles, but you will most definitely see the Hand of God and His unfailing Love for you!

Dear Lord, I pray that those who are walking in dark paths of worry and doubt will come to you with their fears and worries, that they will not only bring them to you but that they will leave them with you.  I pray that more and more of us will truly place our trust in you by giving our burdens to you.  Thank you for taking our burdens and replacing them with joy and love and grace.  Amen

The day of my Salvation......

"I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels."  Isaiah 61:10

I know the day of my salvation.  I was just 10 years old in the middle of a revival at my home church.  I remember crying and not understanding why I am crying.  Yet I also remember a peace washing over me.  I remember feeling like I had been clothed with garments of salvation as he wrapped his arms around me.  
When my daughter was 6 years old, she was saved.  I am so thankful to have that assurance that I will be forever with her in heaven.  I am so thankful that Jesus is in her heart.  I am thankful she can proclaim: "God's got me."  
I've had a couple of friends whose children have gone far too early to be with the Lord.  My mind cannot fathom that pain, that heartache, that loss; yet my heart is exceedingly glad that I will see those children again because I know who lived in their hearts.  I delight greatly in the Lord.  
Isaiah 61:10 gives me peace when I read it.  This verse assures me of His great love for me.  The God of all creation loves me.  The God who rescues the lost loves me.  The God who created the land and the sea loves me.  The God who heals the brokenhearted loves me.  The God of forgiveness loves even me.

Dear Lord, I am so thankful for your love, your grace, and your mercy.  I am grateful for your garments of salvation and I pray for all my friends who do not have the assurance of salvation today.  I pray you use me as a witness for you, O Lord.  Amen

I have never been more grateful until...

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are overjoyed.  Psalms 126:3

I have never been more grateful until yesterday for the ability to celebrate another birthday.  Though I have had a few trials over the last few years, I am grateful for being able to celebrate yet another year with my friends and family.
I love this verse from Psalms.  This has become my life verse after having a few health related trials myself as well as my husband and daughter.  I believe that your attitude can change the perspective of your own circumstances.  I want to share a story with you about a new mother who proclaimed this verse from Psalms in her worst circumstance...
"I remember the bright white lights as the doctors performed a C-section.  I remember sounds, yet the rest remains very foggy.  I remember my baby's face as she peaked across the curtain and the nurse escorting my baby girl and husband out of the operating room.  The next thing I remember is a doctor standing over me.  All I heard her say at first was "Did anyone tell her what happened?"  My eyes immediately shot open and I repeated over and over, "How is my baby?"  The doctor locked eyes with me and said, "Your baby girl is just fine.  Now you...."  Out I went again.  Yet I felt such a peace come over me in that moment that I had never felt before.  I proclaimed Psalms 126:3 over and over.  The next time I opened my eyes I saw my mother and my husband standing over me.  
Over the next several hours, I was wheeled into ICU, given a 50-50 chance to live, and had just a moment to see my baby girl's face. Yet I felt peace beyond my own understanding.  I felt peace that could only be from the Lord."
That young mother was actually me.  You see just 10 years ago, I was given a 50-50 chance to live, yet God gave me peace in the midst of a dark circumstance.  I believe that the peace given to me allowed me to have a very thankful and grateful heart no matter what was to come.
Today I am thankful for the gift of another birthday --- my 39th --- to celebrate with friends and family.  I choose to Celebrate!  You should too!
Have you told the Father how thankful you are today?

Dear Lord, thank you for another year to celebrate life.  Thank you for friends and family who help me celebrate.  Thank you for the peace that is beyond understanding and for giving us more than we deserve.  Amen

Is there Peace in your home?

The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.  Psalms 29:11

I will be honest and say that the mornings around our house can be quite stressful.  Though none of us are morning people, little has to be said to create a wake of chaos and short tempers.  From the missing homework to the spilt coffee to the empty tank of gas in the car on the way to school, little interruptions can cause a great stress in our house.
Too many times I have found myself taking a big sigh of relief after dropping my daughter off at school and entering a quiet house.  Then the guilt sets in.  I want my daughter or my husband to go off to school or work with a peaceful heart not the echoes of the stress of our morning.  
I am so thankful for Christ's example of a peaceful heart.  I recall in Matthew when Jesus went up to Gethsemane to pray that he left the disciples behind to keep watch.  After finding them asleep instead, Jesus did not lash out at them with a short temper or inflict his own stress upon them.  While I am positive he was disappointed in their actions and probably even a little frustrated, He showed grace.  
When is the last time I showed grace to my own family in the midst of my own frustrations or stress? 

Dear Lord, thank you for the grace that you show me each day.  I pray that I show grace to my family in the midst of my own stress or frustrations.  I pray that our house be filled with your peace.  Amen

My Story is His Story

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him."  1 John 3: 2

I heard the song, "My Story" by Big Daddy Weave, on the radio recently.  The words struck me and have replayed over and over in my heart.  This song is based on the famous Fanny Crosby song called "Blessed Assurance" that you will find in most hymnals today.  I want to share the words to Big Daddy Weave's version.  Take a moment and let these words sink in to you today:

If I told you my story
You would hear Hope that wouldn't let go
And if I told you my story
You would hear Love that never gave up
And if I told you my story
You would hear Life, but it wasn't mine

If I should speak then let it be
Of the grace that is greater than all my sin
Of when justice was served and where mercy wins
Of the kindness of Jesus that draws me in
Oh to tell you my story is to tell of Him

If I told you my story
You would hear victory over the enemy
And if I told you my story
You would hear freedom that was won for me
And if I told you my story
You would hear Life overcome the grave

If I should speak then let it be
Of the grace that is greater than all my sin
Of when justice was served and where mercy wins
Of the kindness of Jesus that draws me in
Oh to tell you my story is to tell of Him

This is my story, this is my song
Praising my savior all the day long
This is my story, this is my song
Praising my savior all the day long

For the grace that is greater than all my sin
Of when justice was served and where mercy wins
Of the kindness of Jesus that draws me in
Oh to tell you my story is to tell
For the grace that is greater than all my sin
Of when justice was served and where mercy wins
Of the kindness of Jesus that draws me in
Oh to tell you my story is to tell of Him
Oh to tell you my story is to tell of Him

This is my story, this is my song
Praising my savior all the day long

I think I am so struck by this song because of my shortcomings.  You see, I don't believe that people see my story as a Christ story.  I don't believe my witness for Him is present enough in my everyday life.  I can see my story as a story about God's faithfulness, grace, and love; but can others see my story the way I do?  I want to be able to proclaim with boldness each day and say "To tell you MY story is to tell of Him!"  

Though I fail Him daily, I know my Father loves me.  Though I fail Him daily, I know my Father forgives me when I ask.  Though I fail Him daily, I know my Father is faithful.  Though I fail Him daily, I know my Father is merciful.  Though I fail Him daily, I know my Father still...loves...Me!  

Dear Lord, I pray for those today who do not know you.  I pray that I will be a witness for you today, that I can be useful as a servant of Christ.  Oh Father, I thank you for your mercy and grace though I fail you daily.  I thank you for saving my soul and giving me new life.  It is my goal to be able to proclaim with boldness each day "to tell of my story is to tell of YOU!"  Amen

Raising Daughters of Worth

"Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti."  Esther 2:17 

I want to share some startling statistics with you.  As a mother of a pre-teen daughter, reading these facts saddened me and put a fear in me as well.
* A girls self-esteem peaks at age 9
* Only 2% of women describe themselves as "beautiful."
* 62% of girls are insecure about themselves
* One in Four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime.

When I think of these statistics, many emotions are conjured up.  Yet I also think of Esther.  Yes, the Esther that the Bible says was beautiful, brave and obedient.  Elizabeth George states in her book, "The Remarkable Women of the Bible," that God chose Esther to help save His people, the Jews.  She had acquired the beauty of being useful to God?  What does that mean?
Elizabeth George shares Esther's Beauty of Usefulness came from several aspects --- Heritage, Parentage, Tutelage, Advantage, and Homage.  (I encourage you to read this great book if you haven't before!)
The people around Esther only saw her outward beauty, but God was weaving so much more beauty in her life than even she probably knew.  I want to teach my daughter that outward beauty is not the ultimate goal, but the beauty of the heart.  From that beautiful, kind-hearted, and caring heart, I pray springs for the beauty of courage, the beauty of wisdom, and the beauty of love.
From a very young age, girls are taught to be beautiful you have to look a certain way and act a certain way.  If you do not measure up, you are shunned, devalued, and even overlooked completely. Our girls are taught that if others don't show them worth, they are truly worthless.  Why do we stand for that?  Why do we as parents stand by and let this negativity breed in our child's heart?
Those devalued and overlooked girls grow up to be women with little self-worth.  She becomes the girl that never saw herself as beautiful or worthy.  She becomes the woman who defines her worth by the way a man treats her.  She becomes the woman caught up in a relationship of violence.
It is time to share with our daughters the value that God places on them.  Our girls need to see the beauty that God sees in them.  Our girls need to know the beauty of courage, wisdom, and love!
Recently, I heard a mother say, "As for my girls, I will raise them to think they breath fire!"  What did she mean by this?  I think she wants to instill in her daughters that they are powerful; they are filled with courage; they are filled with worth; and they should accept no less from themselves.
What do you think?  Do you have daughters?  What do these numbers say to you?

Dear Lord, I pray for all the girls who feel worthless, for the women who grew up thinking they were not enough.  I pray for all the girls today who are not taught to see the beauty you have instilled in them.  I pray for all the women today caught up in relationships where they feel they have no value.  Lord, use me to reach out to these girls and women and be a beacon of hope and love in your name!  Amen

Are you Disappointed by People?

Psalm 146:5   Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob whose hope is in the Lord their God.

I will always remember my Father saying, "When people want to, they will make time.  When they don't, they will make excuses."  Throughout my many, many years on this earth, my Father has reminded me of this.  People will disappoint you.  People will not show up.  People will make excuses.  People will hurt you.

They won't always mean to.  They won't always know that they have hurt you or even disappointed you.  Sometimes they will and they just won't care.

I had a friend who constantly would back out of things on me.  Whether it was a meet up at the gym or a lunch date, there always seemed to be an excuse for her absence.  At first, it hurt.  I felt disappointed every time she flaked.  After a while the disappointment ceased and the bitterness took over.  A wedge had been forming not only in our friendship but in my heart.  You see, I allowed the seed of bitterness to rob me of my joy.  I allowed one person's actions to disappoint and hurt me so that bitterness toward her robbed me of my joy for many days.  

God often gives me verses in times of need.  Psalm 146:5 is a blessing to me because it reminds me that my God is faithful.  He will never not show up for me.  He will never disappoint me.  He will never leave me alone.  My God is faithful!  My God is the God of Hope!  He takes my bitterness and exchanges it for Joy!  

Have you taken the time to pray over your disappointment?  Have you asked God to take away your hurt and maybe even bitterness and exchange it for joy?  Have you come to His throne with Faith and Hope?

Dear Lord, thank you for never disappointing me. Thank you for always showing up for me! Though I fail you daily, Lord, you never fail me!  Help me to forgive those who disappoint me.  I pray I look to you when I need someone steadfast, steady, and always present!   Amen

The Lord is Good

“The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him.”  Nahum 1:7

I have a friend whose daughter has suddenly become very anxious when she leaves the house.  Her daughter begs her to not leave and is fearful her mother will, for some reason, not return.

Irrational? Maybe.  Common? Yes.

Are you ever fearful?  What fears have a stronghold on your life?  Would you consider it irrational?

I find great comfort in this verse from Nahum.  Just look at the first 4 words --- "The Lord is good."  Yes, He is!  The Lord is good.  He is also a "stronghold."  He is a place that provides refuge against attack.  Yet often times I am so guilty of looking for refuge in my own strength.  I get so very frustrated with myself and find myself often discouraged and helpless.  How could I not look to the Lord first?  

My God has saved me from many trials, many poor choices, and many days of darkness.  My God is good.  He is good even to someone as undeserving as me.  He has given me chance after chance.  He has forgiven me more times that I can remember.  He has wiped away my sins forever because My God is good.  

Just like my friend's daughter, we all have fears.  We all have that one thing that holds us back, that keeps us from achieving our dreams, or that cripples us in our place.  Our fears are strong, yet My God is stronger!

My God "knows those who trust in Him!" Does He know you?  

Dear Lord, I pray today that anyone that does not know you will come and fall at your feet, confess their sins, and believe that you are the one, true God.  I pray that they will know that you are Good. Lord, use me as a vessel to share your goodness with others.  Amen

Is Your Busyness keeping you from His Peace?

“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” Isaiah 26:3

I am guilty.  I allow my busyness to consume me.  I am guilty of being caught up in every"thing" that takes up my time.  I realize I have the same 24 hours that everyone else has yet I seem to squander mine with unfulfilling activities.  I am guilty of spending too much time on social media.  I get sucked in so easily.  I jump on to take care of business or look at my own Facebook wall and get sucked in to everyone else's stories, lives, posts, and even the drama.  I become so consumed that what I thought would take 20 minutes actually lasts an hour.  My mind strayed away.  I did not stay focused.  

Then there are all the extra activities of our days.  From volleyball practices to doctor appointments to orthodontist visits, often our days are full of extra stuff.  I often feel rushed in getting dinner on the table, baths taken, and everyone in bed by 10pm.  Where did my day go?  I often feel overwhelmed and exhausted by the end of the day. 

The peace that God so freely gives to me is layered under all my piles of "stuff."  It takes me removing my own self-inflicted stuff that has made room in my life to find that peace that I've been trying so hard to find.  Yet, Isaiah tells me I need to keep my mind on Him!  My focus should be on the Lord.  My thoughts should be more of Him and less of Me!

Dear Lord, thank you so much for your perfect peace.  Help me to stay focused on You and what you have in store for me each day.  May my thoughts be more of YOU and less of Me!  Amen

You are NOT Invisible to God

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new."  2 Corinthians 5:17


In continuing our thoughts from yesterday, I wanted to study more and understand better not only what it feels like to be invisible but how God can work in those same lives for His good.  I thought about the life of many women in the Bible after our look into the lives of Sarai and Hagar yesterday.  I began to remember a certain woman who I think felt pretty invisible.
The book of Joshua tells us about a certain woman whose name alone tells us so much about her life and probably most importantly how she felt about herself -- Rahab the harlot.  Imagine for yourself what Rahab must have felt about herself.  Here she is a prostitute.  Everyone in town knows her as "Rahab the harlot."  Her worth is derived by the number of men who seek her for pleasure yet none of them ever offer her love or commitment.  Rahab has probably convinced herself that this is her "job" and that there is nothing better for her.  I can only imagine that she feels invisible to many of the men who enter her presence.  I imagine she feels pretty invisible most times she walks through the marketplace.  No one wants to be her friend, least of all another woman.
Yet God had a remarkable plan for Rahab's life.  I believe that the Lord touched Rahab and carved 2 Corinthians 5:17 into her heart to remind her that her past did not define her future.  I believe that Rahab found out that she was not invisible to God when he filled her with His love.  After God touched Rahab's heart, God used her and the Bible chronicles many heroic acts of faith by Rahab.  Fast-forwarding a little, marvel at these two blessings of Rahab -- 1.  Rahab married Salmon, a prince in the house of Judah; 2.  Rahab bore Salmon a son named Boaz, who son was Obed, whose son was Jessie, who son was David, through whose line Jesus was born.  Whoa!  Rahab was used by God and given many blessings.  Rahab was not invisible to God!
What is your Remarkable Story?  Do you have a personal before-and-after story?  Does your story include a hard spirit toward God or others?  Or is it marked by an icy, stone-cold heart towards the things of God?  Maybe you were never a harlot like Rahab, but you have probably felt invisible.  You have felt the pain of isolation, low self-worth, and hopelessness.  But God loves you greatly!  You are NOT invisible to Him.  He wants more than anything to have a relationship with you if you only allow Him to speak to you!
Dear Lord, Thank you for the story of Rahab.  Thank you that you can use "broken-down Jesus girls" to speak to the world.  We praise you for seeing us in love.  I pray for those who feel invisible, Lord, that they will find you even in their darkest hour.  Amen

Are You Invisible?

"The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur.  And he said, 'Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?' 'I'm running away from my mistress Sarai,' she answered."  Genesis 16: 7-8

I have recently been reading a book by James Dobson called "Bringing Up Girls."  Dr. Dobson discusses numerous emotions, physical transformations, and mental thoughts that girls often encounter in the young lives.  I was astonished by some of the reading, and at times, I was close to tears.  He tells stories about many young girls who are now adults that once felt invisible.  They felt invisible in their homes.  They felt invisible in their schools.  They felt invisible to boys.  They felt invisible to God.
Dr. Dobson discusses how this feeling of being invisible as young girls has molded them into young adults today.  Some found a true relationship with God through a caring friend or family member.  Yet others carried their feelings or unworthiness and low self-esteem with them where they instead put their focus on drugs, alcohol, prostitution, and homelessness.
I truly believe that there isn't a girl alive that has not experienced a time when she felt invisible.  As a child, I remember feeling somewhat invisible at school.  I was not the smartest of the kids in my class nor was I at the bottom.  Often I was left drifting somewhere in the middle. I grew to like the middle because it felt safer.  I rarely was called upon to answer questions or be the student at the front of the class helping the teacher.  Yet safe did not mean I didn't sometimes feel invisible.  It was in second grade that my teacher, Ms. Slover, took an interest in me.  She saw my potential.  She didn't let me fall to the middle anymore.  She gave me a precious gift that I could never repay --- she gave me hope.  You see, she taught me that being the smartest kid in the class shouldn't be my goal nor should drifting somewhere in the middle.  Ms. Slover tapped into me, into my interests, and found that I was smarter than I even imagined.  No one had bothered to tap into my potential.  So I grew to understand that I probably would never be the smartest kid in my class but guess what!  Out of 300 students to graduate in my high school in 1995, I was in the Top 32 for my GPA!
As I read back over the story of Abram, Sarai, and Hagar, I truly believe that both Sarai and Hagar experienced the feeling of being invisible.  Sarai felt unworthy of Abram's love since she could not conceive and handed over her maidservant, Hagar, to her husband.  Can you even begin to imagine the feelings that Sarai had?  The pressure she must have felt?  The hopelessness she was in?  Imagine attempting to conceive for so many years and being unsuccessful.  Many of you know exactly what she felt.  Now imagine feeling so hopeless that you decide to hand over your servant to your husband as an alternative to yourself to bear children.  Sarai must have also felt invisible during the time that Hagar and Abram were together.  I can only imagine she spent that time crying in her bed pleading with God.  Then when Hagar finds out she is pregnant, I believe that Sarai became, first, bitter and then jealous and finally enraged.
Then there is Hagar.  Oh Hagar.  As Sarai's maidservant, never did she imagine that she would be given over to Abram to bear his child.  Never did she imagine the abuse that Sarai began lashing on her due to her jealousy.  Hagar probably felt shame for sleeping with Abram in the first place.  Then to find out she is pregnant with his son.  Hagar had gone from being invisible as a maidservant to being the center of attention carrying the child of her master's husband.
The angel of the Lord finds Hagar as she has run away from Sarai's torture and jealousy.  Here the angel of the Lord tells her to return to Sarai --- AND to submit to her!  Do you think Hagar felt invisible upon hearing these words?  "You want me to go back to the woman who hates me so and do whatever she says?" Hagar is thinking.
I cannot even begin to imagine the pain that so many of you Ladies and Girls are dealing with this very moment.  I cannot begin to imagine the life struggles, the ordeals, the abuse, the neglect, the desperateness you have lived through.  But I do know what it feels like to be invisible.  I do know what you feel when you feel unworthy.  The one thing I pray for you today is that you find Hope.  Hope in the Lord Jesus who can turn your crimson-stained past into something pure and beautiful.  He can take your pain and heart ache and weave it into the greatest love you have ever known.  He, alone, can love you unconditionally and fill your heart with peace, joy, and hope.  I pray you seek Him today!

Dear Lord,  Thank you for loving us more than we sometimes love ourselves.  Thank you for seeing our pain, feeling our heartache, and embracing our brokenness.  You, alone, have the power to cleanse us of our past and lead us to a bright future.  Thank you for your son, Jesus, who died on the cross for me --- Me!  The no longer invisible ME!  Amen

A Woman of Wisdom

"She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue." Proverbs 31: 26


As the mother of a 6 year old daughter, I know the struggles that she has from adjusting to a school schedule to making new friends.  Yet I had been blind-sided by the self-image, self-worth, and peer opinion really matters to her at this age.  If you were to meet my daughter, you would come away probably thinking how sassy and cute she is (maybe I am biased on the cuteness).  Yet the longer you are around her, you will listen to her as she talks about what she likes to wear and what her friends think of her.  
For the past year we have "battled" over the clothes that she wears.  Last year I bought several outfits (shorts and shirts) on sale that I thought she would be able to wear this year.  While those outfits do fit well, she cries and is obviously hurt that she has to wear such.  She says the shorts and shirts outfits do not look good on her and her friends will not like them.  If she could pick what she wears everyday, she would pick dresses and skirts.
Lance and I have previously been somewhat flippant in our reactions to her appeals. For example our reactions include --- "who cares what your friends think?  did they buy your clothes?  why does it matter that you are wearing shorts?"  Lately, we have tried to focus on the beauty in her heart.  Lance and I have been intentional in telling her that she is beautiful no matter what she wears and that God made her beautiful.  Yet, is this enough?  As I listened to her petition this morning about not wanting to wear the shorts outfit, I began to pray.  I prayed that the Lord would help us to see where the root of this is coming from.  I began to pray for Wisdom.  
After I dropped her off at school this morning, I began to think about scripture and Proverbs 31:26 came to mind.  I want to speak to Alex with wisdom and that my instruction is what she needs to hear.  
I have read many articles that discuss the importance of the father-daughter relationship, and Lance has always recognized the importance of his relationship with Alex.  For example, did you know ---

Father's can help daughter's build self-reliance and self-confidence by letting her know she is special and can achieve anything she wants to.  Daughter's who have actively engaged fathers are also less likely to experience depression, become a teen mom, develop body image problems, use drugs/alcohol, or engage in criminal activity.  

Father's teach their daughter's adventurism and achievement, assertiveness and self-worth.  The way a father relates to his daughter will determine how she will relate to herself and others, and what type of a family she will create in her future. Father's also teach their daughter's leadership, humility, and courage.

From Healing Hearts and Families counseling

A daughter is profoundly affected by the kind of relationship she has with her father—often more so than by her relationship with her mother. The girl who grows up having a comfortable, communicative, supportive relationship with her father generally has advantages over other girls when it comes to:

• Academic achievement and future jobs and incomes—especially in areas related to science, math, and technology;
• Avoiding teenage pregnancy and early marriage;
• Being self-confident and self-reliant;
• Setting long-term goals;
• Avoiding emotionally or physically abusive relationships;
• Resisting peer pressure to have premature sex, smoke, drink alcohol, or take drugs;
• Not being overly dependent on boys in order to feel good about herself;
• Asserting her opinions and standing up for her beliefs;
• Dealing well with people in authority (teachers, employers, etc.);
• A willingness to try new things and accept challenging tasks; and
• Having less chance of becoming depressed or developing an eating disorder.

From www.pta.orghttp://www.pta.org/2577.htm

It is my prayer that if you have a daughter, that you strongly encourage her to have a relationship with her father whether he lives in the same house or not.  I pray that your daughter, like my own, will find her value and worth, not in the things of man, but in the heart of the Lord.  I pray for wisdom for myself as I seek to raise my daughter where peer pressure and image are already invading her life at the age of six.

I LOVE the Lord!

"I love the Lord, for her heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.  Because He turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live."  Psalm 116: 1-2

Many times in trying to explain something to my 6 year old daughter, I find that she can take my long explanation and spit out it simply and plainly back to me.  I sit there then wondering why didn't I just try to say it that simply to begin with!  As I read this verse, I was reminded how simply I love the Lord.  Yes, I love Him for many, many reasons that I could talk for hours about; yet I simply love Him because He hears my voice -- because I am His child and He my Father!
I find my daily life super busy like many of you.  My mind drifts from one thing that needs to be done to the next million things on my list.  I feel guilty when I don't spend enough time with the Lord each day, taking time to praise him, thank him, and spend time with him.  Yet I focus on this verse and realize that during my time with the Lord maybe I should focus on my love for him.
I have always had a self-image problem.  I hate the way my body looks.  I hate the way clothes look on me.  Blah, blah, blah.  I say that to say this --- I love the Lord not because He looks a certain way but because he loves me.  God loves me not because of the way I look but because I am His!
I leave you today with this thought from Kay Arthur --
"You have been created by God and for God, and someday you will stand amazed at the simple yet profound ways He has used you even when you weren't aware of it."

You are a Sinner!

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."  Romans 3:23

I had the privilege of working with some AWANA kids at church last night and this was one verse we went over.  I got to also talk with the small group about what this verse means.  It is amazing to know that at only 6 years old many of them already knew what Sin meant and who was the only perfect, sinless person who ever walked this earth.
In the last week, my own daughter has begun to ask questions about being saved and being baptized.  While this is something I don't want to be pushy on, I can't tell you how excited my heart was to know that she was having these questions!  In her 6 year old mind, she understands sin and how Jesus was sinless.  She is fascinated with the idea of baptism and loves to watch others being baptized.
This verse came to mind this week as she and I talked.  I also love, love, love the children's book by Stormie O'Martian called "The Prayer That Makes God Smile."  It is a great book for children and helps them understand the sinner's prayer.
As I reflect on this verse, I realize that most days I walk through this life with little thought on how my sin separates me from God.  I struggle with self-awareness of my sins yet this verse helps me to see my own sins more closely.  I think that starting each day reciting this verse would help me be more aware as I walk through my day.  Then to turn around and recite John 3:16!  What a way to start my day!

How do you start your day?  Do you recite a verse?  I would love to hear about it!

God is Our Refuge

"....God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble."  Psalm 46:1

Is anyone else just automatically comforted by that verse?  Every time I read it I feel peace and joy washes over me.  My God is ever-present!  My God is my strength!  My God is my refuge!  Glory Hallelujah!!!
If you ever turn on the television, you can see the violence, the deterioration of our world through sin.  You can see those who are starving for a bite to eat.  You can hear stories and see images of those hurting or mourning.  If you turn on your computer and open up your Facebook, you can read the statuses of your friends who are hurting or in a battle with sin.  Many of you even know people who are in bad health or even battling for their lives.  Yet with all the "bad" that is out there, God tells us assuredly that He is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.  He, alone, can shoulder all of our health problems.  He, alone, can lift heavy burdens.  He, alone, can defeat the enemy.  He, alone, can help us in times of trouble.  What does He require of us?  Our faith and trust in Him.  That's it.
I encourage you today to lay out your troubles to the Lord today.  Allow Him to be your strength and refuge today and everyday!  May you find peace, joy, and love in His arms!

The Sin of Pride

"Then they said, 'Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the earth."  Genesis 11:4 (excerpt from 11:1-9)

The sin of pride has been around since Adam and Eve walked in the garden.  Pride can sometimes slip up on us, blinding us of our true intentions.  According to Dictionary.com, the word "pride" means a high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance,merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc.  I believe that the sin of pride is one sin that can be one sin that is not premeditated in our hearts.  I believe that sometimes we become prideful and only after God convicts us of the sin do we realize how our pride has overtaken us.  Other times, like in the case of the builders of the tower of Babel, we can seek out a prideful nature, seeking a high opinion of ourselves or our own importance.  The builders of the tower of Babel allowed the foundation of the tower to be built on pride.  They had one purpose for the tower -- to build a name for themselves.
I have been reading a wonderful book called "Gods and Kings" by Lynn Austin.  In it, King Ahaz is ruling over the land with a huge sense of pride.  King Ahaz is worshipping any god that comes along that he thinks will bless him.  He even offers his eldest son to the pit of fire as a sacrifice.  King Ahaz believes his title makes him superior and pride has taken hold of his heart.  As I continue to read through this book, I see how much pride can destroy not only your own heart but can also affect the lives of the people around you.  For King Ahaz, his position of leadership and sense of entitlement gave him an inflated sense of self and the foundation of his reign was pride.
Several years ago I had the privilege of serving in a leadership position in my former church.  I fell in love with the opportunity that God had placed in my life.  I loved serving with other women and feeling like I was doing what God had called me to do.  Yet I did have a battle over pride and my own prideful spirit at that time.  You see, while I was serving in this capacity of which I loved, I sometimes found myself thinking very highly of myself and the works that I had accomplished while serving.  I started allowing other women's compliments of my service to inflate my ego.  I remember a sermon that my pastor preached on those sneaky sins such as pride.  I remember sitting in that service thinking I don't think I have any such sin my own life.  Over that week, God began a full assault of conviction to get me to recognize my own sin of pride.  While my head was being inflated with compliments and cherishing in my own mind, my heart was turning dark.  God worked that entire week to get me to acknowledge my sin and turn from it.
Sometimes we seek to make a name for ourselves.  Many times we seek to crave an inflated sense of importance and merit.  Yet in other instances, the actions we take hide the foundation of pride underneath, and we find ourselves acknowledging the prideful heart after much prayer and realization of the conviction of God.  Whatever has created a Prideful Heart in your life, I pray that you will allow God to show it to you, acknowledge its presence, and seek His forgiveness.  All praise and glory to the One who earned it!

Listen and Act

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says."  James 1:22 NIV

I open my Bible, read a few passages, say a short prayer, and move on with my day.  I feel proud of myself for a moment as I check my quiet time off my list.  I look down in judgment over those who don't have a daily time with the Lord and find myself even saying a quick prayer for those I deem to be "in need" or "out of God's will."
It is very easy to be prideful, feeling as we have done a good deed by reading a few passages and spending a moment with God.  Yet have we really learned anything?  Did our actions during the day prove that we had listened to the Lord?
James 1:22 we are commanded to go further -- do not just listen to the word but DO what it says!  Put those words into action.  Let the world see Jesus in your heart.  God did not call us into His Kingdom just to sit in a pew and "soak" up the Word.  He commanded that we place His Word in our hearts, go out into the world and preach the gospel, seeking to save the lost and bring all the praises to the Lord.  Have you fulfilled your duty today?

Sin that So easily Entangles.....

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us," Hebrews 12:1


Man, did I need to hear this one!  I have really been praying and actively seeking to do better on time management at home.  My at home business is booming and I love it so much I could work all day on it.  I have to watch the clock and no allow my home and family to suffer while lost in a time warp of work.  God laid this verse out before me yesterday, and I knew it was a confirmation for me in my life right now.
Yet, your challenge before you may not be time management.  You may be finding it hard to have quiet time with the Lord every day because of the daily snares that "entangle" your time and energy.  You may be finding it hard to attend church on Sundays or Wednesdays because other things in your life seem to get in the way.  You may be disobeying God by not serving in the church as He desires because you think you have too much on your plate.  Or you may be struggling with a sin that you still have no confessed and is, therefore, keeping you from serving God the way you should.  Whatever your snares are, I pray that you will meditate over this verse this week and pray for God's help in "throw(ing) off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles."


Dear Lord, thank you for your everlasting love.  Thank you for always loving and longing for us when we seem so far away from your will.  I pray that you will help me cast off all the things that keep my mind, my time, and my energy away from you and your will.  Help me to persevere in the race of life.  Amen.

God Ordains Marriage

"For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh."  Genesis 2:24

This verse if often referenced in such debates as homosexuality or polygamy.  I, however, want to focus our thoughts today on the sanctity of marriage.  Those of you who are married can easily remember the day that you pledged your life and love to your spouse.  We can easily remember the decorations, the food, and even most of the people in attendance.  Yet how many of us remember the vows we took?  How many of us remember the gravity of the words we spoke that day as we pledged our love to the one across from us?
As I look around today, it appears that more and more young adults feel the desire to have a wedding more than the desire to be married.  As young women we dream of the perfection of the wedding day and how we will feel.  For young men we see it as a right of passage.  Yet it often seems as though we fail to see the future and how our lives will be forever linked as "one flesh."  I had a young person tell me not long ago that as she looked around at her friends who are newly married and headed for divorce, she believes that too many times young people are running into marriage with little commitment to stay when times get rough.  Divorce is an easy way out too many times for her friends.
For those of you who have been married for years, you know that there are times when the going is great and others when it takes both of you standing firm to make it through.  I pray that you always remember that your spouse is your forever partner.  Though you've been married a year or 70, your faith must be in the Lord, your love in your mate, and your backdoor barred shut!  Remember that God ordained marriage --- your marriage.  For better or for worse......for richer for poorer......in sickness and in health.
Dear Lord, we pray that your blessings pour over those who call you Father.  We pray blessings over our marriages and our marriage beds.  We pray that we, along with our spouses, turn to you in times of need.  Thank you, Father, for sanctifying our marriage and gifting us with a devoted love with a partner for life.  Amen.