The New Me......

So what do you think?! I love it!! I don't know how many of you know it, but back in May Lisa had a 500th post party, and I won a free Bloggy makeover! I was also on a bloggy break, so I didn't make any fast decisions about what this blog makeover would look like. I felt my blog needed to take a new direction. I wanted it to be less about me and more about God; bringing glory to Him actually. So I prayed, and had others pray for God to show me what he wanted me to do with this blog thing that I had so innocently gotten involved in. A little history may be needed here.

Back in October of 2007 I timidly stepped into the blogging world after reading Mari's, Cheri's, Jen's and The Livesay's blogs. I thought why not - it could be fun! Here is my 2nd post explaining the name of my blog and what I saw it being about at that time. I have so enjoyed this experience! Meeting all of you and growing in the Lord through posts that you all have written. You have become part of my journey in the Lord, and I am thankful for the experience.

Fast forward to 2009. I am currently at 437 posts, marching toward 500! It's funny looking back on that 2nd post, I see that I desired even then to dig into the Word of God. That desire has grown, and I have learned much! But I have so much to learn, and I desire to come alongside anyone who desires the same thing! The verse in Proverbs 27:17 "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another", is a verse that I desire to emulate. As I am sharpened by one's post, I hope to sharpen someone else.

My key verse has changed too! This is one thing I was praying for, that God would give me a verse that states the purpose of this blog, that is how I came up with 1 Peter 2:5 "you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." This is what we are becoming! This is who we are in Christ! The whole passage from verses 1-12 are so good! Christ is The Living Stone, and we are becoming living stones! It is a journey of discipleship, but what does that mean?! I looked up the definition of Disciple and Discipleship and this is what I came up with:

Disciple - (from Biblegateway) - a scholar, sometimes applied to the followers of John the Baptist (Matt. 9:14), and of the Pharisees (22:16), but principally to the followers of Christ. A disciple of Christ is one who (1) believes his doctrine, (2) rests on his sacrifice, (3) imbibes his spirit, and (4) imitates his example (Matt. 10:24; Luke 14:26, 27, 33; John 6:69).

Every definition of Discipleship brings me back to Disciple, so discipleship is just continuing to do the above.

That is what I am hoping to unwrap as we continue to journey together, and I am hoping to help you in your individual journey with encouragement and tools that will help you to feel more confident in your study of God's word.

I am hoping to have a side bar with different helps I have found, and alot of other things that God shows me that may be beneficial to you in your walk with Him!

Oh I love my new signature!!!! Sola Dei Gloria - For God's glory alone!!!! That is what this blog will be about! Oh I love that!!!!

Makeover Underway!

Please be patient with us as we put up a brand new makeover!

Thanks!

TSMSS - Happy dependence day!

On this 4th of July where we celebrate our Independence from England, I want to celebrate my dependence on God! I heard this song yesterday and I think it fits perfectly today!

I hope you all have a fun and safe 4th of July! To God be the Glory!

I hope you like my new look too! I will be explaining this wonderful new look very soon! Much to say about it though, so it will take time!

Join other ladies over at Amy's who are letting their soul's sing!

Let Christ love a child through you....

I think alot of you know that I am the Director of Children's Ministries at the church I attend, because alot of you attend there too. I don't often write much about it because I feel I should keep my job separate from my blog. Well what I am about to say really has nothing to do with the specifics of my job, just something the Lord showed me a few months ago that I thought about again yesterday.

I am one who definitely loves children! I love babies, I love toddlers, I love elementary age, and I am learning to see the blessing of pre-teens, or tweeners! It comes naturally for me! I just love um! I also am passionate about seeing them come to know and grow in the Lord! We are preparing warriors for Christ, and we as parents and the church need to be diligent and faithful in our roles.

However there are some people who do not have a love for children. I have actually had several people tell me "they like their kids, but not other kids". I used to just fume inside when told this and I have to tell you I also felt sorry for their kids (this is me, being me a little judgemental). So a few months ago God gave me this though:

It's not about me or you loving kids

It's about Christ loving kids through me or you.

How much more would Christ's power be seen

if those who he was calling to a ministry to children

would just be obedient, knowing Christ would

give them what they need to do the job he is calling them too?

In our own limitations, we cannot even foresee something

like that as possible, BUT Christ is the Christ of

IMPOSSIBILITY!

He can take a situation that we would say "I can't do that!"

and do it with amazing results!

So there you have it! Now I know there are some people that really should not be around children, but I wonder if their number is smaller then we think. Do you trust God enough to step out in faith and go where he is telling you to go? Whether in this case with children, or maybe in some other ministry you think is way beyond you? If it's way beyond you, think of the possibilities of God's glory being seen through you!

A Lovely Award!

Heidi over at 2Thinks just bestowed on me this Lovely Award!

I haven't known Heidi long, but she is such an encouraging commenter! I want to thank you so much for this award Heidi, and I look forward to getting to know you better! I love that you are encouraged in your walk with the Lord through my little blog! That is so what I want my blog to be about!

Now I have passed on many awards in the past, so this time I am going to pull a Mari and give it to all my wonderful followers and commenters!

My Utmost for His Highest - July 2nd

I read this, this morning and just needed to share it! God has been speaking to me alot lately about true discipleship, so I know for me this is one more statement he is making. Thought it may bless you too!

July 2, 2009
The Conditions of Discipleship
If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother,

wife and children, brothers and sisters,

yes, and his own life also . . . .

And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me . . . .

So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple

—Luke 14:26-27, 33

If the closest relationships of a disciple’s life conflict with the claims of Jesus Christ,

then our Lord requires instant obedience to Himself.

Discipleship means personal, passionate devotion to a Person— our Lord Jesus Christ.

There is a vast difference between devotion to a person and devotion to principles or to a cause.

Our Lord never proclaimed a cause— He proclaimed personal devotion to Himself.

To be a disciple is to be a devoted bondservant motivated by love for the Lord Jesus.

Many of us who call ourselves Christians are not truly devoted to Jesus Christ.

No one on earth has this passionate love for the

Lord Jesus unless the Holy Spirit has given it to him.

We may admire, respect, and revere Him,

but we cannot love Him on our own.

The only One who truly loves the Lord Jesus is the Holy Spirit,

and it is He who has "poured out in our hearts" the very "love of God" (Romans 5:5 ).

Whenever the Holy Spirit sees an opportunity to glorify Jesus through you,

He will take your entire being and set you ablaze with glowing devotion to Jesus Christ.
The Christian life is a life characterized by true and spontaneous creativity.

Consequently, a disciple is subject to the same charge

that was leveled against Jesus Christ, namely, the charge of inconsistency.

But Jesus Christ was always consistent in His relationship to God,

and a Christian must be consistent in his relationship to

the life of the Son of God in him, not consistent to strict, unyielding doctrines.

People pour themselves into their own doctrines,

and God has to blast them out of their preconceived ideas

before they can become devoted to Jesus Christ.

Of Sun, Sand, Surf, Swings,Salt and Shells, Siblings, Stings..and other Stuff!

I know by the time I am done you will all be sick of seeing pictures of our trip and of me talking about it, but at least I am blogging again right?! I am still praying over my bloggy make over and am about ready to contact Lisa to begin the process! I so want it to bring Glory to God and am just waiting on Him to fill in the blanks. Anyway on to the title of this post.

We had a wonderful sunny weather the whole time we were in Mississippi! We'll except for Friday when it rained only a little bit! Here are just a few of the things that we did that made this vacation so wonderful:

• Spending time each morning with my sister Sandy and her husband Ralph having coffee on the patio. Ralph would always end the time in prayer! We solved many of the world's problems in that patio, and watch a momma blue bird every morning.



• The white sand of the beaches we went too! The Shells we found on the beaches! Even those with occupants!



• The Jellyfish that you couldn't see, but that stung you! I know that isn't something to be thankful for, but at least we didn't get stung by big ones, only little ones, and that is a big thank you.



• Bekah being able to overcome her fear of the waves, after what happened in California last year!



• Getting use to the salt water.



• The refreshing surf at Pensacola beach! Much cooler then the water in the Mississippi sound, and clearer too!



• The friendship tree on the campus of University of Mississippi at Gulfport. The tree is 500 years old and has withstood how many hurricanes and still stands strong! Ah yes... When God builds it, it stands! AMEN!!!



• The beautiful sunsets we got to see! The beautiful cloud formations, so white and fluffy and majestic!



• Pelicans! I just love them awkward, graceful birds! So ugly they are cute!



• On the way down we say this statement all over a semi "JESUS CHRIST IS LORD! Not a swear word!" Love it!
• We are all now saying "Git on over thar Suga Daddy!" That is what our horse and buggy driver kept saying to our mule "Sugar Daddy!
• Steve and Jeremiah on the rope swing at the river! Don't you just love that picture of Steve above?! I think you can click on all these pictures to make them bigger.
• Spending so many hours in our van, without many arguments!
• A safe trip all the way around!
• Meeting the man on the streets of New Orleans and finding a brother in Christ!

Oh I think that's it, but even if it's not, I'll try not to blog more about Mississippi!

Have a blessed day!