Money and My Walk with God

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I believe that in order to truly walk with God, you need to give Him every area of your life.  This takes time and as we grow closer to God, we are able to turn over more areas to His control.  As you've probably heard before, God mentions money many times in the Bible.  Since I began truly walking with God when I graduated from college, I began to tithe.  Dale and I have continued to tithe since that time.  We also believe that God has asked us to give to a few ministries on a monthly basis in addition to tithing to our local church.  Throughout this time, God has always provided us for us financially.  We have not always had a great abundance, but all of our bills get paid, we have everything we "need" and we have been able to do fun things with our family.

However, we are not living in the overflow blessing that we believe God has for us.  We are believing and praying that God will put us in a financial position that we will have an abundance to meet needs when He shows us where to give. 

Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce.   Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.  Proverbs 3:9-10

This past year we have done a lot of remodeling to our home which has resulted in some financial "emotional" stress.  As of January, we had acquired three 0% interest balances on credit cards that would be due this summer.  Realizing that we were not in the financial position that God has called us to be, we began to pray that He would show us what to do to get these bills paid off and that He would provide favor to do it quickly.  We are asking God to place us in the position of overflow in order to bless others and give glory to Him.  As of this month, two of those bills are gone and one remains.  Praise God!  

I want to encourage you to invite God into your financial matters.  He cares and has great plans for you. 

Use Your Head

I was planning on posting another excerpt from the book "Captivating" but I misplaced it somewhere in our house.  After two days of looking, I decided to use my head and think through where else I could have laid it.  I found it! 

Know Your Weaknesses

My mind has been full of things that I wanted to share with you over the past few days.  But right now, I am exhausted.  The kids are too, so I think we have been a little too busy lately.  One of my weaknesses is being tired.  When I am very tired, the "grouch" comes out (as my little girl puts it).  So, it is best that I give up and rest at that point.  Know your weak areas because Satan already knows them and he loves to use them against you!

Read Thru the Bible With Me

 

This is Day 3 of my reading thru the Bible plan.  If you would like to join me in reading thru the Bible this year, the plan I am following is One Year Bible OnLine.  The passage I would like to mention from today's reading was Matthew4 - The Temptation of Jesus.  Jesus was a great example to us in this scripture of the necessity of speaking back to Satan.  It is extremely important to not listen to Satan and instead to fight him with the Word.  Speak the truth!

My Absolute Favorite Fiction Author

Over the past year, I have become hooked on Karen Kingsbury books.  I love the stories that she writes.  It is so easy to get caught up in each book and I've read several!  But, what I wanted to share today is one of my favorite parts of the books she writes.  At the beginning of each book, Karen writes a Dedication section.  When I first started reading her books, I cried all the way through the Dedication pages.  In that section, she writes a letter to her husband and each of her children.  She writes a little about the activities they are involved in, but she talks mostly about their hearts for God and how proud she is of them.  I definitely can't do it justice, but I feel in my heart that this is very important.  I am planning on doing this for my children.  I thought I would write letters to them and keep them in their Baby Books for when they are older.  I have not started, but I will do it.  At least, one per year, but possibly more.  If you are looking for some different books to read, check out Karen Kingsbury.  In every book, the characters demonstrate their own walk with God.  I love the lifting of my faith that happens as I read through the books.

Read Thru the Bible with Me

Day 2 of reading thru the Bible.  Here's the link to the reading plan I selected if you want to read thru the Bible in one year with me.  One Year Bible OnLine  Praying that everyone who decides to read thru the Bible will be changed powerfully by the Word of God!

Read Thru the Bible with Me

As I felt God leading me to start this blog, I believed that He was asking me to be very open.  I am to share what it is like for me to walk with God.  That includes the things that I do right and wrong.  That being said, I have never read all the way thru the Bible.  I also drink too much Diet Coke and eat an abnormal amount of chocolate chips!

I believe it is very important to know the Word of God.  How can you fight Satan without it?  My favorite thing to do is read Christian Living books from Joyce Meyer and other Christian authors, such as Neil Anderson and Beth Moore.  I definitely learn the Word from those books, however, it is time to finally read all the way thru the Bible.

I am going to start my reading plan today and if you want to read along with me for encouragement and support, here is the link to the plan I selected. One Year Bible OnLine  Remember, spending time in the Word is important in your walk with God.

Enjoy the Little Things

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Years ago, I felt stressed every day and was unable to enjoy life very much.  I rarely, if at all, noticed the little things that God did for me.  Today, one of the things that God has blessed with me is the ability to get very excited about little things and to take great enjoyment with things others may consider silly (coupons, hair bows, great deals, etc.).  Anyway,  yesterday the kids and I walked in the door to the Kidsignment sale to drop off clothes for the sale.  When I walked in the door, a lady asked if I wanted her to help me put my clothes on the racks.  I said, "You want to help me?!  Yes, I'll take some help!"  I was overjoyed for the help!  Actually, I did not have to put anything away at all.  Usually, it takes about 30 minutes to lay out the shoes and hang up the clothes and keep my two little ones happy.  I felt very loved by God to have been given an extra 30 minutes in my day!  I'm so thankful for the changes God has made in me as I have traveled on my walk with God.

You Are Important to God

I had a wonderful day with my two children.  We spent an hour or so enjoying the weather at a park in town.  The kids loved it.  There were only three other children there when we first arrived.  After a few minutes, Dasia introduced herself to the other children.  They listened to her for a few minutes and then went to the equipment on the other side of the park.  She and Dylan followed a few minutes later and again tried to be friendly to the kids and join in playing with them.  Again, the other children quickly went to the other side of the park.  I told Dasia I was proud of her for being friendly to the other kids.  I told her I noticed that they kept leaving.  She said, "And I followed them."  I felt like she didn't catch on that they were trying to avoid her, which I am glad.  It saddens me to realize how adults and children treat each other.  But, it just makes me more thankful that God loves each of us and desires to spend time with us.  He would never walk to the other side of the park to avoid you!

I believe that in order for faith and dependence on God to be passed on from parents to children, it is important that the children are able to see the parent's faith.  We all know that children watch how their parents behave and hear the words they speak.  Here are a few ideas for sharing a visible faith with your children.

Pray out loud with your children.  I have found that if someone calls me asking for prayer or mentioning a need of someone else, it is a good opportunity to have Dasia and Dylan immediately pray with me.  To me, that is faith in action and something visible that the children can see.  I also try to remember to pray out loud sometimes during the day for the things God lays on my heart.

Read your Bible when the children can see you reading it. 

When the children get upset or hurt, pray with them.

Dasia noticed the scripture cards I had placed in the bathroom the other day and asked me what it was.  What a great moment to share my walk with God with her!

Thankful for the Husband God Gave Me

It seems that over the past year, God has changed many things in me that I did not even realize were there.  A little over a year ago, God made a way for me to become a full-time stay at home mom.  I love it.  It is a dream come true to get to be home with my little sweethearts.  What I did not expect, was that by staying at home God would be able to change me more than He did when I was working.  I was so wrapped up in being busy and blaming circumstances for being rushed and upset, that I could not see that the problem was within me.  Anyway, when I did not have anything to blame for being upset, I could clearly see that the problem was me.  As I asked God to change me admitted that the problem was me, I have been filled with so much peace and joy.  In the midst of that, I have been able to see what a wonderful husband God provided to me almost nine years ago.  I cannot stress enough the importance of asking God to change you.  Your life and walk with God will be so much better.

"Captivating"

Something I thought I would share from the book I am currently reading.

From "Captivating - Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul" by John and Stasi Eldridge -

"You really won't understand your life as a woman until you understand this:
          You are passionately loved by the God of the universe.
          You are passionately hated by his Enemy.

And so, dear heart, it is time for your restoration.  For there is One greater than your Enemy.  One who has sought you out from the beginning of time.  He has come to heal your broken heart and restore your feminine soul.  Let us turn to him now. "


I'm very thankful for the restoration power of God.  I'm amazed at the changes He can make in people's lives when they are willing to receive Him.  Praying that you find this restoration in your life as you walk with God.

Scripture Index Cards

Here are the scriptures I have written on index cards to put up in our bathroom and kitchen to help us keep the Word in our hearts. 

Whatever is not of faith is sin.   Romans 14:23

My faith does not rest in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.  1 Corinthians 2:5

Whoever says to this mountain be lifted up and thrown into the sea and does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for him.   Mark 11:23

I am not controlled by what people think of me.  As long as God is satisfied with me, I am satisfied. 
1 Corinthians 4:3-4

Words - Powerful or Not?

I hear people say or write often that basically actions speak louder than words.  While I completely agree that if you say something positive, but do not follow through with actions, your words are meaningless.  However, in the process of emphasizing the importance of your actions, I wonder if we sometimes lessen the importance of words. 

Words are powerful, whether the words are positive, negative, spoken or written.  In the technological age that we live in, it appears that written words are becoming a large part of our communication system.  (ie. email, texting, blogging, Facebook, etc.)  Words have the power to create life and death.  Just take a look at the first book of the Bible, Genesis.  God did some amazing things with the words that he spoke. 

We all need to be conscious of the words that we speak to others.  You have the power to speak life to someone, to lift them up, to encourage them and to bring forth good things in their lives by the positive words that you speak forth. I am praying that God guards my mouth and teaches me to speak forth life to others everyday as I travel onward on my walk with God.


The power of life and death are in the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it.  Proverbs 18:21

A word fitly spoken and in due season is like apples of gold in settings of silver.  Proverbs 25:11

Out of the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.  The good man from his inner good treasure flings forth good things, and the evil man out of his inner evil storehouse flings forth evil things.  Matthew 12:34-35

A few weeks ago, I felt God leading me to write scripture on index cards and place in high traffic areas around our home to help me keep the Word in my heart.  I have done this in the past, but not presently.  This is a great way to help you memorize scripture and hold yourself accountable.  It is hard to avoid when you see it all the time!  I will be doing this over the weekend to encourage my walk with God.

God's Love for You

As I watch my children grow and begin to do more things on their own, I feel my heart swell with emotion.  I feel a lot of joy and a little sadness that the baby days are ending.  But I am reminded of the love that God has for His children and the joy that He feels as He watches them grow and take steps toward the life that He desires for them.

 I woke up this morning to rain and lots of it. I really wished that we did not have to go grocery shopping.  I was a little aggravated with myself that I had not checked the weather and went earlier in the week.  I considered skipping it today and going tomorrow, but we were going to run out of milk and Diet Coke.  And that could spell disaster for this little family.  In the past, I would have loaded up my little sweethearts and went shopping although I would have done it in a bad mood.  Thanks to my wonderful Savior, today I had a different attitude.  Realizing that cold and rain together could cause bad moods to flair, I asked God to give us a good day and great deals.  I also purposed in my mind to have a good attitude.  Choosing before we went that I would be joyful. 

 “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!  Deuteronomy 30:19 (NLT)

Captivating - John and Stasi Eldridge

As I mentioned earlier, I'm currently reading "Captivating, Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul" by John and Stasi Eldridge.  The book is about the hurts that women face during their lives which cause them to become something other than what God desired for them to be.  The authors describe some types of women and I can see myself in one of them.  Here's an excerpt from the book:

Like Eve after she tasted the forbidden fruit, we women hide.......We will not risk rejection or looking like a fool.  We have spoken in the past and and been met with blank stares and mocking guffaws.  We will not do it again.  We hide because we are afraid.   We have been wounded and wounded deeply.  ......To hide means to remain safe, to hurt less.  At least that's what we think......And it has never occurred to us that in all our hiding, something precious is also lost-something the world needs from us very, very much.

Until I read this book, I had never thought of myself as a "hider", but while reading this passage, I see that as part of myself.  I don't want to "hide", but to fulfill everything God has called me to do and to see others set free also.  God wants to heal you and set you free too from the past hurts that you have suffered.      

I am a mom to two young children, ages 4 1/2 and 2 1/2.  We are in the learning process of how to teach our children about God.  I thought I would share with you the things that we do in our home with the children to encourage a walk with God.  Each night, as we prepare for bed, we read and quickly discuss a story from a children's bible.  We are currently reading two bible story books, "Little Girls Bible Storybook" and "Little Boys Bible Storybook".  My mother-in-law gave these books to our children for Christmas.  The books are wonderful.  The author included discussion ideas at the end of each story and the books are written from either the woman/girl perspective or the man/boy perspective depending on who the story is about and whether the story is in the girl or boy book.  Not only are the children learning more about Jesus, but so am I.  I love how the stories are written from different points of view.  It puts the stories in a whole new light and really helps the Bible come alive.  We also pray at each meal and encourage the children to take turns praying.  Right before we tuck them in at night, we pray together as a family.  We talk about prayer needs for others and take turns praying.  Does anyone else have anything they do to encourage their little ones to walk with God?

Trouble in Sunday School

My husband pastors a very small church in the country.  As it turns out, our two children are the only ones that attend Sunday School and so, I am their teacher.  This past Sunday, we were running late to church and I noticed on the way that the children and their mommy were all just a little grouchy.  The thought crossed my mind that Satan was playing a little with us this morning.  Once we made it to our class, Dylan, who is 2 1/2, said he wanted to go see Daddy.  I told him no since Daddy was teaching the adult class.  He was not happy with my answer and as I watched him, he tightened up his fists, gritted his teeth and his whole little body shook.  I told him if he left the room, I would take away the new toy he had just received.  He climbed in his seat, but then informed me that he hated God.  Dasia, my daughter, who is 4 1/2 said, "It's ok brother, God isn't real."  I was shocked at what was transpiring and my mind was reeling as to why Dasia would say that God wasn't real.  Quickly asking God to help me, I explained to them that God was real and asked Dasia if she was saying that God wasn't real because she could not see Him.  That appeared to be her logic.  So, we discussed how you cannot see air and that it is real and we know that as we can breathe it in.  We also talked about how grandma is real but you cannot always see her unless you go to where she lives.  Dasia seemed to accept that answer and does believe that God is real, she just cannot see Him.  I'm very thankful that she was able to speak what she was thinking about and that God provided an answer when we needed it.  One of my greatest desires is to teach my children to walk with God and to watch how He chooses to use their lives to turn hearts to Jesus.