I've been thinking a lot about the things I watch on television and the books I read.

I made a decision several months ago to stop reading secular fiction. For a bookworm like me, that decision was a hard one, but a necessary one. I realized that I was devoting more time to reading secular fiction than I was to reading the Bible and literature that honors God and helps me to grow in my relationship with Him.

Now I have to tackle the shows I watch on television. While I don't watch things on HBO (we don't have it) I do watch some movies and shows that definitely don't honor God.

When I mentioned to a friend in the not so distant past that I was strongly considering giving up some of my favorite television shows and stations, she said that it seemed too over the top. She said there was no way I could totally block out all the bad things, for then I wouldn't be living in the real world.

Today I'm thinking about that more and more. Maybe I don't want to live in the real world. Maybe I want to be over the top for God.

I Peter 1:13-16 says, "Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

I know I can't be perfect, but I can prepare my mind, be self-controlled, and not conform to the world. God has called me to holiness.

Philippians 4:8: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

Using Philippians 4:8 as a guideline, I can monitor what goes into my heart. I believe that what I see filters down into my heart, taking root and growing.

I want a clean and pure heart before God. I want to try my hardest to live a life that is pleasing to Him. If it means giving up some television shows for the sake of decluttering my mind and heart, I will do my best to do so.

Pray for me as I embark on this journey. It's a conviction God has placed on my heart. Does God call everyone to this? He didn't call my friend to do it but He has called me.

Will it be easy? I doubt it. Will I miss the mark? Probably. But I can try. Will it make a difference in my life? Definitely.

Psalm 27:9: " My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, LORD, I will seek."

Day 26 - List at Revive Our Hearts

Pray that your husband will discover and live his God-given purpose. Pray that he will offer all his dreams to the Lord, and pursue only those goals that will bring God glory and count for eternity. (Jer. 29:11; 1 Cor. 10:31)

Father, please enable Steve to discover and live the purpose and plans you have for him. Help him offer everything to You and pursue only what brings You glory and counts for eternity. Strengthen him and make his feet stand firm and stay on the path You have for him, Lord.

God speaks....

Yesterday, I talked with Jimmy, my uncle (pictured with his wife and twin boys, age 7), about his recovery process from brain surgery he had to remove a melanoma tumor.

He mentioned how evident God's handprints have been throughout this entire opportunity (I refuse to call it a crisis, stomping my foot in defiance).

He was telling me that he knows it's all God's doing that he's doing so well. While he acknowledges the skill of the doctors and thanks God for them, Jimmy knows that God is the one who deserves the credit for everything. Jimmy says this is not about him at all...it's all about God. I couldn't believe that he hasn't had to have anything stronger than extra-strength tylenol for pain (other than 2 darvoet that they made him take, he did not ask for them).


God has also been so at work reminding Jimmy of how much He loves him and is there for him as His Protector. One of the ways was that he was reminded recently was that a friend texted a scripture to him. That same scripture shows up in two places later. He was reading the Psalms before bedtime as his devotion and Susan was reading a devotion from a book.


Even in the small things, God reminds us that there are not coincidences.

The Scripture he mentioned that was showing up in the incident he talked about was Habbakuk 3:19. And it showed up for me today. Guess what biblegateway's verse of the day is?

“The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.”- Habakkuk 3:19

Thank You, God, for the reminder that You surround our family with Your ever-present strength and hope. Your love is eternal and timeless, it is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. I love seeing Your precious handprints, reminding me even in my own day to day opportunities, that You are my strength, You make my feet strong and able to stand firmly.

Day 25 - List at Revive Our Hearts

Pray that your husband will be courageous in his stand against evil and injustice, and that he will stand for the truth. Pray that he will protect you and your family from Satan’s attacks. (Ps. 31:24; Eph. 6:13; Ps. 27:14)

My dear and most gracious Heavenly Father, please enable Steve to be courageous in standing against all evil and injustice. Help him to stand for the truth, representing You well and praying for us against Satan's attacks. Enable Steve to put on all of Your armor and to stand victorious because not only of who he is but Whose he is.

Day 24 - List at Revive Our Hearts

Pray that your husband will have a balanced life—that he will balance work and play. Pray that he will fear God, but also gain favor with people he knows at work and church. (Luke 2:52; Prov. 13:15)

Father, this is my prayer for Steve. Help him to balance things well and to live a life worthy of You, reflecting Your love to the people he comes in contact with. Help them see his reverence and fear of You and help him gain the favor You so richly want to bless him with.

Day 23 - List at Revive Our Hearts

Pray that your husband will be a good father—disciplining his children wisely and loving them unconditionally. If he is not a father, pray that he will find a young man to mentor in the things of the Lord. (Eph. 6:4; Col. 3:21; 2 Tim. 2:1-2)

Father, thank You for providing such a wonderful earthly father in Steve for Kristyn. He loves her unconditionally and I believe that before she married and moved out that he disciplined her and raised her in such a way that You would be pleased with him. We all make mistakes along the way, but Steve is a great father to Kristyn. Thank You so much for giving him the patience, love, mercy and wisdom he so richly used in rearing her.

Thankful Thursday is hosted by Irene. Please visit her page by Clicking on the link and be sure to participate in this wonderful meme.

Irene chose gentleness as the theme for this week. The verse she picked is precious.

“You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great. You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip. I pursued my enemies and overtook them, and did not turn back till they were consumed. ~ Psalm 18:35-37
(emphasis Irene)"

Our precious Heavenly Father provides us with all the things mentioned in the verse above. What a loving and gentle thing to give us. Eternal protection from separation from Him. He extends His shield of salvation to us lovingly, with His precious gift of grace. We have only to reach out and accept it.

How many times I have felt the hand of God in my life. I wrote recently on how God demolished the brick wall of infertility in my life, but what I didn't write was that there were times when I measured the wall, prepared for the demolition of the wall, and even years after the loss of Sydney, I wound up in the pit of depression.

God's right hand supported me then and lifted me out of that pit. He was so gentle. I never felt His anger at me for feeling so wounded. I never felt His impatience with me as He waited for me to call on Him and reach up to Him as I felt so alone. He was gentle.

How gracious of God to provide such a wide place for us to step. Have you ever tried to walk on a balance beam? It seems so narrow, yet with God's power, it's as wide as our hearts and minds perceive it to be. God doesn't want us to lose our footing. He's so gentle and loving and coaxes us across those steps He has made sure and firm.

Thank you, God, for Your gentleness. May I become more and more like You in spirit, having that gentleness in my heart and mind.

Day 22 - List at Revive Our Hearts

Pray that your husband will practice forgiveness in your relationship and with others. Pray that he will recognize any roots of bitterness, and yield any resentment and unforgiving attitudes to the Lord. (Eph. 4:32; Heb. 12:15)

Father, thank You so much for molding our hearts. Please soften Steve's so that, as opportunities come up, he can be forgiving and yield any resentment or unforgiveness to You. I thank You that he's not one to hold grudges. Thank You for loving him and being so present in his life. He is my world, Lord.

God bless Amy for hosting WFW every Wednesday. Visit her site by clicking on her name.

Philipians 1:3: 3 - "I thank my God every time I remember you."

Today's WFW is dedicated to my friend, we'll call her "H". I truly thank God for her every time I think of her and remember her in all my prayers.

"H" is the perfect friend. She'll tell you when you're wrong, rejoice with you when you rejoice, weep with you when you weep, comfort you with words seasoned with salt, give you the shirt off her back and expect nothing in return, listen when you need someone to listen, give you advice when you need advice, and most of all pray when you need her to pray. She's always willing to send up a prayer, whether you've stubbed your toe or your uncle has brain cancer. No request is too small or too big.

Father, I praise You for sending "H" and I across the same path in life. The bond of sisterhood we share can never be severed, because it is rooted in You. We share the same Father, the same spiritual DNA. Thank you, God, for "H".

Day 21 - List at Revive Our Hearts

Pray that your husband will learn how to relax in the Lord and, in his greatest times of stress, find joy and peace in his relationship with God. Pray that he will submit his schedule to the Lord. (Neh. 8:10; Prov. 17:22; Ps. 16:11)

Father, this is a timely prayer for Steve. Please help him relax in You, finding joy and peace in his realtionship with You. Please give him a break from the problems he's dealing with and help his medication to work so he can focus and rest.

"In Other Words Tuesday" is hosted by Lori today. She's here at:

http://allyouhavetogive.blogspot.com/

I love this week's quote. Have you ever faced a brick wall in your life? If you haven't, let me ask a teasing question, "Is there room in your plastic bubble for me?"

I used to see brick walls as obstacles. I'm no longer conviced of that. Going through infertility and pregnancy loss has convinced me that the brick walls in my life are opportunities.

When I came to the brick wall of infertility, I had two options. I could let my life come to a screeching halt or I could find a way through it.

Having my life come to a screeching halt was *not* an option for this Mississippi girl. I didn't know exactly how, but I was going to break through this brick wall in my life. Slowly I developed a plan.

Measuring the Wall

I studied this wall. I measured it, found out it really was a wall made of immovable brick, and tried to find out how thick it was. I thought long and hard about how this wall got there.

To really study the wall, I had to study God. Did He know about it? Yes. God is fully aware of all the things in my life. In measuring the wall, I sought God's will. That's what measuring the wall is all about, really. In doing so, you prepare a better plan of action for how to proceed. Luke 11:9-10 promises, "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." If we truly seek God's will, we will find it. I rose early and prayed every morning. EVERY morning. I didn't miss. I pleaded my case for a child, asked for wisdom as to whether I should go through treatment, and ultimately turned the "wall" over to the Lord. I gave it to Him. This brought me to the next step...

Preparing for Demolition

I felt a green-light from God to go ahead with treatment. I was ready to tackle this wall. It wasn't going to slow me down. God assured me He was with me, regardless of the outcome of the treatment. I felt in my soul that to not try treatment to demolish the wall was to give up completely, and God assured me that relying on medicine was not an affront to Him. I still believed in His sovreignty and knew regardless of the outcome He would be worthy of praise. I went on some pretty potent stuff to try to conceive. I used a BBT and we did the baby-dance at the appropriate times. I ate healthier, went on vitamins, and still prayed.

Going Through to the Other Side

8 years later there was still no baby. I wasn't not even through the wall, but I thought I was. What was holding me back? The belief that I would not have a true connection with my husband unless I had a baby. 1 year after our miscarriage the verdict was in. I was not as faithful as I thought I was. I began to be obsessed. Doubled the double-dose of drugs and was scared I'd have a litter all at once, I sat down one day with my husband and said, "We're done. We are through the other side. This wall we have been relying on God to tear down is down. We've got to stop."

God was so faithful. Did I get the baby? No, but I turned it over to God and He showed me in so many ways that I had grown spiritually because I had spent so much time with Him in prayer. He showed me how the prayers had affected not only my reliance on Him with the baby that was not to be, but also how I had turned so many other things over to Him and how I wouldn't be as close to Him in prayer as I am now had I not gone through that brick wall.

I never felt like that wall was in my life for no reason at all. It was a lesson learned in prayer and faith.

Once the wall was demolished, I was rewarded. How? With a hysterectomy! At age 29 I stopped having, er, well, you know, and have been free in so many other ways. I have confidence that I can come to God with anything and He will hear my prayer. Some prayers take years to be answered, and the answers sometimes come in forms you never imagined.

I desired a "yes" answer and got "wait" in response. Eventually a "no" was given, yet still feel content with the answer.

And now I realize - I never demolished that brick wall. God did.

___________________

P. S. I got my wish to have a child, I just didn't get to keep her. She's in Heaven with God, born July 20, 1998. I'm okay with it. God has blessed me with a bonus daughter I love like a biological one, a grandson, Baby Nolan, who is 9 mos. old, and Baby Liam, grandson expected November 1.

Day 21 - List at Revive Our Hearts

Pray that your husband will learn how to relax in the Lord and, in his greatest times of stress, find joy and peace in his relationship with God. Pray that he will submit his schedule to the Lord. (Neh. 8:10; Prov. 17:22; Ps. 16:11)

Father, I pray that You would give Steve the calmness He so desperately needs in his life. Help him to be able to relax in You, to turn any stresses that take the joy and peace out of his life over to You and just be still and know that You are God.

Manic Monday #119

You have accomplished a difficult task and hear someone else taking the credit. How do you deal with the situation?

:::: I say let them have the credit. Although karma is not part of my religion, I'm a big believer in "what comes around goes around." Are they going to be able to follow through with more of the same type things? Probably not, because I'm going to be a lot more cautious in sharing my ideas with them, and it's not just that they got my credit, it's that they lied, and I don't need those kind of people in my life. :::::::::

If you had to marry someone that you presently know unromantically, and spend the rest of your life as their spouse, who would you choose?

::::: My current spouse. We could be unromantic if we had to and live as best friends forever and ever. He's my world. :::::::::

If you knew that in one year you would die suddenly, would you change anything about the way you are living now?

:::::: I'd probably try to make it to church more, but as far as the way I live? No. Not a thing. That feels good to be able to say! :::::::::

Day 20 - List at Revive Our Hearts

Pray that your husband will yield his mind and thoughts to the Lord. Pray that he will not entertain immoral or impure thoughts, and that he will resist the temptation to indulge in pornography. (Prov. 27:12; 2 Cor. 10:5)

Father, please keep Steve's heart pure. Help him resist temptations to dabble in things that are wrong. I pray that he would yield his heart and mind to You, Lord. This is an area that is geared toward entrapping men especially. I pray that You would set a guard around his mind and heart and that he would not entertain any immoral or impure thoughts.

Day 19 - List at Revive Our Hearts

Pray that your husband will be patient and a man of peace. Pray that he will not give in to anger, but will allow the Holy Spirit to control his responses. (Rom. 14:19; Ps. 34:14)

Father, right now this is a huge prayer request I have for Steve. You know the challenge he is facing and the desires of his heart. Please help him develop the patience You desire for him and help him to control his responses in a manner that pleases You.

Thoughts in Prayer Time

I came home from work earlier this afternoon with a headache. I headed to bed to try to sleep it off and as I prayed before falling asleep (I never did go to sleep) I kept coming back to this thought..."What a privelege to pray to God and know He hears me. Who am I that He would do this for me? I did nothing to deserve it my salvation and access to Him in prayer - it's all a gift of unmerited favor - grace."

Trying to wrap your head around grace and having access to the Most High God in prayer will humble you.

I really thought about it this afternoon. Really.

Paul reminds us in Romans 3:10, "There is no one righteous, not even one." We're told by Paul in Ephesians 2:8, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—".

What is this grace? It's unmerited favor, given by God to us through His Son Jesus' death on the cross for our sins! For *my* sins. He didn't have to do this. Going back to the Bible, Paul says in Romans 5:7, "Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die." So, I'm not righteous on my own, I already know that. Not even good. Yeah, I try to be, but really. I was born with the virus of sin in my body just like every other person on earth except for Jesus.

The key to understanding grace is this:

Romans 5:8: But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Why?

Oh, friend. You know the verse. We all memorized it in Sunday School and got our gold stars for it, right? (Well, I did. Momma made sure we were in church. She sang of His love to me before my memories begin, and because of her, I never remember "not knowing Jesus." It was later that I came to know Him through salvation, yes, but that's a story for another time.) Back to the verse...John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

How humbling is that? How *humbling* is that? He loved us enough to send His Son as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins!

Trying to wrap my mind around God's grace, that precious precious gift is just drives my heart to feel like it's going to explode with love and amazement. Why me? Because He loved me. Why not someone more righteous than I? Because no one is righteous. Not one. Can't earn my way into God's favor, it's only by grace.

It floods my heart with indescribable joy to realize that it is because God first loved me that He made a provision for me to spend forever with Him and have access to Him in prayer.

Praising my Savior never seemed so easy.

I was so excited to read about this in my original post (scroll down to view). I have actually thought about this several times since I read it. This morning my bubble was burst.

http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/91536

The Not-So-Lost Tribeby Mike Krumboltz
June 23, 2008 06:09:40 PM

Even in an age when cynical sleuths can hyper-analyze stories for truth and accuracy, the occasional hoax still slips through the cracks.

Such was the case with a so-called "lost Amazon tribe."

A few months ago, mainstream news outlets (including, ahem, Yahoo!) reported that a photographer had found a lost tribe of warriors near the Brazilian-Peruvian border. Photos of the tribe backed up his claim.

As it turns out, the story is only half true. The men in the photo are members of a tribe, but it certainly ain't "lost." In fact, as the photographer, José Carlos Meirelles, recently explained, authorities have known about this particular tribe since 1910. The photographer and the agency that released the pictures wanted to make it seem like they were members of a lost tribe in order to call attention to the dangers the logging industry may have on the group.

The photographer recently came clean, and news outlets, perhaps embarrassed at having been taken for a ride, have been slow to pick up the story. Now, the word is starting to spread and articles in the Buzz are picking up steam. Expect a lot more brutal truth in the coming days.

________________________________________________________

original post...

Brazil Discovers Uncontacted Indian Tribe in Amazon Jungle

Look at this! I was so excited to hear this, yet my heart went out to these people. Can you imagine never having contact with the outside world and now this machine with blades spinning around hovering in the air is staring at you? What must have gone through their minds? They have arrows ready. They must have thought they were under attack. Notice the different color paints they are wearing. I wonder what they represent? I find it interesting that one is painted black. I wonder if he/she is like their medicine man or tribal leader or what?

I wonder what their worship habits are? Do they know Jesus? How could they if no one has contacted them? Would they be receptive to it? How would you break the language barrier?

~ begin article ~

From foxnews.com - http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,360361,00.html

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — One of Brazil's last uncontacted Indian tribes has been spotted in the far western Amazon jungle near the Peruvian border, the National Indian Foundation said Thursday.

• Click here to view photos.

The Indians were sighted in an Ethno-Environmental Protected Area along the Envira River in flights over remote Acre state, said the Brazilian government foundation, known as Funai.

Funai said it photographed "strong and healthy" warriors, six huts and a large planted area. But it was not known to which tribe they belonged, the group said.

"Four distinct isolated peoples exist in this region, whom we have accompanied for 20 years," Funai expert Jose Carlos Meirelles Junior said in a statement.

The tribe sighted recently is one of the last not to be contacted by officials. Funai does not make contact with such Indian tribes and prevents invasions of their land to ensure their autonomy, the foundation said.

Survival International said the Indians are in danger from illegal logging in Peru, which is driving tribes over the border and could lead to conflict with the estimated 500 uncontacted Indians now living on the Brazilian side.

There are more than 100 uncontacted tribes worldwide, most of them in Brazil and Peru, the group said in a statement.

"These pictures are further evidence that uncontacted tribes really do exist," Survival director Stephen Corry said.

"The world needs to wake up to this, and ensure that their territory is protected in accordance with international law. Otherwise, they will soon be made extinct."

~end article ~

Day 18 - List at Revive Our Hearts

Pray that your husband will have an eternal perspective—living in light of eternity. Pray that he will reject materialism and temporal values and put God first in his life. (Matt. 6:33; Deut. 6:5; Eph. 5:16; Ps. 90:12)

Father, this is my prayer for Steve today. Help him to truly realize that the things of this earth that bother him are temporary and don't matter in Your grand scheme of things. You know his heart and what he's dealing with especially today. Help him to put You first and calm his heart.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 - 18 reads:

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.

Thank You, my precious Lord and Savior, for fulfilling so much prophecy as of late and making me aware of so many of the signs of the times that I believe Your return will be in my generation.

Thank you for the assurance, God, that unless I have been taken by accident or disease before You return I have the faith and confidence that I will meet You in the air and be with You forever in Heaven. I cannot wait to come home to Heaven and praise You for all eternity!

Hearing sermons or reading things about this day used to terrify me, mainly because I was young and unsaved, but also because it usually included the part about Armageddon. When I hear about it or read about it now, it puts a spring in my step and a song in my heart and the dread of old and sense of impending doom is but a distant memory.

I am so thankful that my feelings on the Rapture and later the Second Coming of Christ (I am a pre-trib Rapture believer) have changed.

I rejoice and thank God for this.

Are you ready for Christ to return? Are you absolutely sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that you will spend eternity with Him in Heaven? Click here if you want to know more...

Day 17 - List at Revive Our Hearts

Pray that your husband will enjoy his manliness as he patterns his life after Christ and strong men in the faith. Pray for his physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual strength. (Eph. 3:16; 1 Peter 2:21; 1 Cor. 10:11)

Father, I pray for all aspects of Steve's life as a strong man of Yours. I pray that his strength in every area mentioned above would excel and he would honor You in these areas of his life.

Luke 19:37-40 (New International Version)

When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!"

"I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."

Father, may a stone never have to cry out to You in praise out of my own neglect.

I will praise You

In times of joy and times of sadness

In times of tears and times of gladness

In times of sun and times of rain

In times of laughter and times of pain

In times of darkness and times of light

In times of day and times of night

I will praise You

Day 16 - List at Revive Our Hearts

Pray that your husband will choose healthy, God-honoring activities. Pray that he will not live in bondage to any questionable habits or hobbies, but that he will experience freedom in holiness as he yields to the Spirit’s control. (1 Cor. 6:12, 10:31; 2 Tim. 2:4)

My dear and gracious Father, please be with Steve in this area. I pray he would yield to Your control and walk in the freedom You desire for him. Help him to fully rely on You, leaning on You as he walks with You daily.

Thanks, Amy, for hosting this wonderful meme!

"If you'll live like no one else, then later you can live
like no one else." ~Dave Ramsey ~

Home is where the heart is.

Matthe 6:19-21 guides us: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

I usually stop reading there when I think of that verse. But let's go further.

vv. 22-24 instructs us: "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."

My heart is in Heaven, but my eyes here on earth get greedy sometimes. Trying to live like everyone else is not to be my goal! I say I don't, but I do find myself "keeping up with the Jones'."

"I just have to have *that* book someone mentions. I just have to buy *those* clothes so I'll look nice at work. I just have to have *this* 3 bedroom 2 bath house with a big back yard. (Okay, so actually the FIL wanted us to have *that* house.) I just have to have this, that and the other. "

What I really need is my treasure in Heaven and to look up instead of looking around me.

When my eyes are focused on God, I'm not swimming in insurmountable debt. When my eyes are focused on God, it doesn't matter what I'm wearing, what I'm reading, where I'm living, etc.

When my eyes are focused on God, I clip coupons, I cook instead of go out to eat, I visit with family instead of going out for entertainment, I focus more on reading my Bible than I do the latest good read.

Does this mean I'm to want nothing on this earth? No, it means that I'm to want God more than I want things that lead to debt or anything that takes my focus off loving Him and storing up eternal treasures. Everything on earth is going to remain here on earth. I sure can't take it with me! Bye-bye, Jones's. Nice knowing ya!

I don't know the context of the quote, but what Dave Ramsey said is true. Living like no one else now is going to help me live like no one else in the future. The eternal riches of Heaven far outweigh the material and temporary riches of earth.

Day 15 - List at Revive Our Hearts



Pray that your husband will choose his friends wisely. Pray that God will bring him men who will encourage his accountability before God, and will not lead him into sin. (Prov. 13:20; Prov. 27:17)



Father, I ask You to direct Steve in choosing his friends. Give him the wisdom to know with whom he should be close and with whom he shouldn't. Help him be continued to be surrounded men who encourage accountability before You and who are leading him in the right direction rather than the wrong one.

Day 14 - List at Revive Our Hearts

Pray that your husband will speak words that build you and your family, and reflect a heart of love. Pray that he will not use filthy language. (Prov. 18:21; Eph. 4:29)

Father, please guide Steve in the words that he speaks. Help him to replace any unclean language with language that glorifies You and to speak words of love and encouragement.

Day 13 - List at Revive Our Hearts

Pray that your husband use practical skills to build your family and make wise decisions for your welfare. Pray that he will serve unselfishly. (Gal. 5:13; Phil. 2:3-4)

Father, I pray that You would help Steve to use the practical skills and wisdom you have given him as he makes decisions in the direction our family is headed. I pray also that he will serve You unselfishly and without hesitation.

Day 12 - List at Revive Our Hearts

Due to today's mature theme dealing with intimacy, I'll encourage you to use the link above. :)

Yesterday's Bible trivia in a yahoo group I'm in was taken from Philipians 4:11-12. Paul writes, "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."

Was Paul some kind of superhero that he could do this? Did he just have such a reign on his emotions that he found it easy to be so even-keeled?

What challenges do you face in remaining content? How do you remain content in joy and in times of trouble? What's the secret? Who's the secret? Is it us or Jesus? How do you define contentment? Is it a feeling or a state of being? Is it based on the state of your heart and mind or is it based on where your heart is focused?

Paul was far from a superhero. He was human, merely a mortal, just like the rest of us. I believe that as a man he was probably more level-headed (read hormonally free) from acting on emotions, as I know I am prone to do as a woman. Paul faced some majors ups and major downs in his life as an apostle of Christ. If asked, I doubt he would say it was easy to remain so even-keeled. In fact, throughout his letters he showed us that he did indeed have a temper. He did become down. He was beaten and imprisoned for Christ. He was bitten by a snake! He was sick with fever. He sewed tents for a living. His duties weren't preaching 3 sermons a week and feeding one flock. He shephereded many and traveled extensively to do so.

I face many challenges in remaining content, but like the apostle Paul, I have Jesus on my side. Whether I am high on the mountaintop or in the throws of depression, I am content, or rather, I should say that I have the potential to become content.

To me it's all about Jesus. Looking up when I am feeling down. Looking up when I'm feeling up. Looking within to my heart where He dwells.

It's easy to be content when times are good, but truth be told, it's hard to be content all the time. I do believe there are some things we can do that can help us *learn* to be content. During the tough times we can:

Breathe. Psalm 39:5 reminds us, " You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath. Selah" Sometimes we just forget to breathe. Taking a deep breath re-fills our lungs and sends oxygen to our brains, clearing our thoughts, reminding us that God has us in His hands.

Focus. Isaiah 26:3 directs us, "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you." Focusing on Christ as the source of our contentment can help us find peace during the hardest of times.

Pray. Psalm 17:6 guides us, "I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer." God is faithful to hear our prayers. Just knowing He is listening is very comforting. Think back to a time when God has answered your prayer and remember His faithfulness.

Relase. 1 Peter 5:7 instructs us, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." Literally casting our anxiety on Christ, we can find true contentment. The key to this is not taking that anxiety back. Leave it with Jesus, who is far better equipped to deal with it than we are.

No matter what our circumstances are, let's learn with the apostle Paul to be content whatever the situation. Let's take a stand and decide today that we will no longer let anxiety or emotion keep us in the pit. Let's rest in the knowledge that with God on our side, the victory is won and there is hope for a better tomorrow.

Day 11 - List at Revive Our Hearts

Pray that your husband will have a humble, teachable spirit and a servant’s heart before the Lord. Pray that he will listen to God and desire to do His will. (Prov. 15:33; Eph. 6:6)

Father God, I pray for Steve's heard and spirit today. May he be humble and teachable before You. May he use the heart You have given him to listen to You, desire to do Your will and serve You in the best way possible.

What a mighty God we serve! My uncle was released from the hospital two days after brain surgery. He gives God the glory for answering the prayers, many many prayers, that have gone up on his behalf. He is recovering nicely and the doctor said that since there is so much staph in the hospital it's just better for him to continue his recovery at home.

Please join me in praying that he grows stronger each day and that God leads the oncologist in prescribing the right treatment for him to recovery fully and permanently from melanoma.

Thank you!

Day 10 - List at Revive Our Hearts



Pray that your husband will cultivate strong integrity, and not compromise his convictions. Pray that his testimony will be genuine, that he will be honest in his business dealings, and will never do anything that he needs to hide from others. (Prov. 20:7; 1 Tim. 1:5, 3:7; Eph. 6:10-12)



Father, I pray that You would be with Steve as he walks with You daily. Please help him to cultivate an even stronger integrity as he serves You. As he tells his testimony to others, I pray they are drawn to You and You will be glorified. Help him to remain honest in his business dealings and live life in such a way that it glorifies You.

Today is Thursday Thirteen.

Here are thirteen Bible Verses that are giving me hope for Jimmy as he fights cancer and help me reflect on how good God is, how He is able, how He is faithful, how He has shown Himself to be so present and with us.

My hope is in Him, and my prayer for you is that you will enjoy these verses as much as I have.

May they speak to your heart in whatever situation you are dealing with.

1. But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, - Psalm 33:18

2. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. - Romans 12:12

3. But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. - Jeremiah 17:7

4. For you have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth. - Psalms 71:5

5. Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD. - Psalms 31:24

6. Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. - Hebrews 11:1

7. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

8. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD - Psalm 27:14

9. but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. - Isaiah 40:31

10. The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. - Psalm 34:17

11. The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness. - Psalm 41:3

12. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. - Isaiah 34:2

13. The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." - Zephaniah 3:17

Romans 5:1-5

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into
this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of
God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings....and hope does
not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the
Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

This is a very special passage to me. We serve such a mighty God. He is so faithful to hear our prayers and give us strength during times of crises. Jimmy's angel, who some refer to as his neurosurgeon Dr. M., successfully removed a malignant melanoma brain tumor from the frontal lobe of Jimmy's brain today during a four hour operation. It went much better than he expected. The tumor was strongly attached to the speech area of the frontal lobe. It was a great possibility that when Jimmy woke up he would be unable to communicate.

God had other plans. With tears in his eyes, Dr. M. delivered the wonderful news. Jimmy was not only understood commands, but was verbally and physically able to respond to them. He squeezed their hand, held up 2 fingers when told to and told them his name. He knew where he was and what was going on. He was able to speak articulately and extensively. He recalled things from this morning, minor details that I wouldn't even have remembered.

God answered our prayers and has been a source of comfort and hope for us throughout this time.

The doctor, who is an angel in disguise, acknowledged the miracle of God in this.

Please join with me in giving the Lord a hand of praise for my uncle. Please also pray that his recovery during the next 15 days is not as hard as expected (he is expected to digress as his brain begins to swell) and that God will continue to prove Himself faithful as we continue to put our hope in Him.

Laurie Ann

Day 9 - List at Revive Our Hearts



Pray that your husband handle finances wisely, will have discernment concerning budgeting and investments, and will be a good steward of his money in regard to giving to the Lord’s work. Pray that money will not become a source of discord in your family.(Prov. 23:4-5; Rom. 12:13; Heb. 13:5)



Father, this is such an area that we need help in. Please give Steve the wisdom and discernment to handle Your money well and that he would honor You in our spending. We trust You to provide for us, and I ask that You give Steve a level-head and wisdom in dealing with this aspect of ministry for You.

Tuesday's Tip Jar from http://blogmommas.com/

It's summer, time for road trips for camping, vacation, etc., that is, if you can afford the gas!

Everyone hates those pesky bugs that get on the grills and bug guards of the cars and trucks. To make it easier to wash off, spray some PAM or another cooking spray on. It won't damage the paint and it makes clean-up quicker and easier.

Day 8 - List at Revive Our Hearts

Pray that your husband will work hard to provide for your family, to the best of his ability. Pray that the character qualities necessary for a successful career and ministry will be a growing part of his character – persistence, decisiveness, strength, an analytical mind, organizational skills, positive relationships with people, determination, etc. (Rom. 12:11; 1 Cor. 15:58)

Father, I pray that Steve will continue to work hard for our family. I thank You so much for his hard work these past years and pray that it will continue. I ask that You would bless him with the character qualities You need him to possess to be effective both in work and in ministry.

Day 7 - List at Revive Our Hearts

Pray that your husband will safeguard his heart against inappropriate relationships with the opposite sex. Pray that his heart will be pure and undivided in his commitment to you. (Prov. 6:23-24, 26; Rom. 13:14)

Father, my prayer for Steve today is that You will place a hedge of protection around his heart and guard his mind against inappropriate relationships with other women. He has such a pure heart and an undivided commitment to me, and I pray it will continue to be so. Thank You, God, for Your protection and please keep him from all the temptations for inappropriate behavior that loom around us.

Sunday Praise and Worship Meme is from Sunflower Faith's blog...

Romans 1:16: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

I praise God for saving me. I could never be ashamed of Him. Could I? Some quick self-evaluation shows me that there is potential for the appearance of shame. Oh, my precious Lord, may it never be so! I recommit my life right here right now to never being ashamed of You. May Your love be reflected in my heart, my soul, my mind, my words, and my deeds.

Questions I used for reflection on this...

1. Do I spend time daily with God in prayer?

2. Do I spend time daily reading His Word?

3. Does my speech (wholesome/unwholesome) indicate that I am committed to Christ?

4. Am I willing to share my testimony with others?

5. Is God so much a part of my everyday life that I miss Him when I'm not fellowshipping with Him?

6. Do I consider Him in who I choose to hang around with, what shows I watch, what books I read?

7. Am I absolutely without a doubt willing to talk about my love for my Savior with anyone and everyone?

Day 6 - List at Revive Our Hearts

Pray that your husband will love righteousness and hate wickedness, especially the evils of the culture. Pray that he will recognize and avoid wickedness in his own life, and if necessary, take a clear, strong stand against evil. (Prov. 27:12; John 17:15; 1 Cor. 10:12-13)

Father, please work in Steve's life in this area. I know that the current culture promotes a lot of wickedness and evil. Please help him to take a strong stand for You and to live a life of righteousness, pursuing You and not evil.

Day 5 - List at Revive Our Hearts

Pray that your husband will be faithful to his wedding vows. Pray that he will have a desire to cultivate your relationship as a sign of his loyalty and commitment to you, and as a picture of Christ’s love for the Church. (Prov. 20:6; Gen. 2:24)



Father, thank you for Steve's faithfulness to our wedding vows. May he continue to honor me, love me, cherish me and keep me only to himself as long as we both live. I pray for his desire to enrich and cultivate our relationship, causing it to grow, not only as a sign of loyalty and commitment to me, but as a picture of Christ's love for the Church. Thank You, Father, for Steve.

"Tagged" from Sunflower Faith's blog on the web

….and for something light! Lol; Tracy from “Thirsty for Him” tagged Sunflower Faith for this really neat meme and told me she tagged me the other day, but I didn't exactly understand what that meant. Now I know, LOL.

Sorry it took me a while, but here I go.

Here we go…The meme (from Evan’s Garden)

Here are the rules for this one:

1. Pick up the nearest book.

2. Open to page 123.

3. Find the fifth sentence.

4. Post the next three sentences.

5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.

The book I'm reading is Paul: A Man of Grace & Grit by Charles R. Swindoll.

"Think of it this way: By releasing them we enable them to obey.

And when you are called by God to go to a place you
would never have expected to go, there's no need to be afraid of change.

Change brings adventure, and adventure stretches your faith."

The five people I want to tag are:

Pam - http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hmschlmomto2

Melly - http://www.minipauses.blogspot.com/

I don't officially know anyone else who would let me tag them blog wise. Is it etiquettely correct to tag someone who has commented on your blog even if you don't know them well? They may not want me to do that. I'm still new at the blogging thing.

Day 4 - List at Revive Our Hearts

Pray that your husband will grow in leadership skills in your relationship—protecting and providing for you. Pray that he will lead you wisely and love you sacrificially, so that God will be glorified in your marriage. (Eph. 5:25-29; Col. 3:19)

Lord, I pray that Steve will grow and abound as he leads our home, continuing to protect and provide for us. Instill in him the characteristics that honor and glorify You, more wisdom, continual sacrificial love, etc., so that our marriage will glorify You and we will be closer as a couple. I thank You for Steve. He has been such a blessing in my life and has so many good qualities. It's not hard being his wife, Lord. He is a wonderful protector and leader in our home. May he continue to be so.

Thirteen things I still have time to do in the "Year of Laurie"

1. Quit smoking. I know I need to stop and I know it would be healthier for me if I did. It's hard, but a lot of things in life are hard. I plan to slow down some at first, then quit eventually this year.

2. Learn to master the art of silence. - I'm working on this. Trying not to talk so much just to hear myself speak and when I do speak, trying to make sure I represent God well.

3. Ride in a horse-drawn carriage in New Orleans.

4. Read "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "War and Peace".

5. Send a message in a bottle.

6. Visit Square Books in Oxford , MS.

7. Paint the back porch swing by myself.

8. Overcome my fear of elephants. - not doing very well on this. People get trampled by these evil creatures. Did you know that in Keonjhar that there are villagers living in caves because they are frightened by elephants who are destroying their huts? True. http://www.odisha.in/news/150/ARTICLE/1371/2007-09-01.html

9. Read every book on my bookshelf.

10. Take an online class – something for enrichment and fun.

11. Eat healthier.

12. Visit the D-Day Museum in New Orleans , LA.

13. Lose more weight.

Day 3 - List at Revive Our Hearts

Pray that your husband will be humble and quick to agree with God about his sin. Pray that his heart will be tender toward the voice of the Lord. (Ps. 51:2-4; Micah 6:8)

Lord, I pray that Steve would keep a short account of his sins, confessing them to You and asking for Your forgiveness when he needs to. I pray that as he does this, his heart will be tender toward Your voice, more quick to heed the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and increase his love for Your precious Son.

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. Isaiah 40:8 (NASB)

I chose this picture for WFW because I thought it was a gentle reminder of the eternity of God's unfailing Word. Long after the grass withers and the flowers are gone His Word will remain!

Have you ever driven past a field of wild flowers in bloom in the early morning and thought how beautiful they were? Some see them as weeds that need to be mown down, others see them as the cause of allergies, driving up stock in the antihistamine market. Regardless of whether they're viewed as beautiful or something to be cut down, at sunset they're not as vivid and bright as they are when the sun first calls them to attention.

Fortunately, God's Word is always in bloom, it is eternal and it will not fade or be cut down.

Praise our Father with me for His object lessons in life.