Today's a new day!

I'm thankful for today. I'm thankful I have a God who loves me, and I'm also thankful I serve a just God too. I'm thankful for my husband. I'm thankful for my two sweethearts. I'm thankful for my family. I'm thankful for my friends. I'm thankful that when I hurt God sees, understands, and comforts me! I'm thankful for the opportunities to share my love for Christ. I'm thankful for the times I don't know what to say, but God comes to the plate and speaks for me. I'm thankful for the commonality of knowing Christ and that being enough to span a lifelong friendship. Just simply put I'm thankful! Are you thankful today? If you are I'd like to know about it! Please share with me!

God tells us we will be persecuted for our Faith.

Even though the Bible tells us this, why is it that we still or at least I still get shocked when this happens. I believe the reason for the shock is because the persecution comes from the places we least expect it to come from such as church. It baffles me how culturally relevant our churches are becoming today, and how watered down the Word of God has become. When did being culturally relevant start out-weighing the very God, who is suppose to be represented in church, and who came up with the idea of church in the first place? It upsets me to see churches place God and culture on the same playing field when that should never happen!! Why is the body of Christ allowing this trend to take root? Are we not called to stand for truth, and to even be willing to die for truth? Where has the New Testament church gone? Where are the followers of Christ, who would rather die than fall to the way of this world? I've been camping out on Romans 12:2 since March. The verse says "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will." If this is what the Word of God says then I have to ask, why are we conforming to the world? It's pretty plain to see that if you conform to the pattern of this world then you will not be able to determine the will of God! I believe we need to stand firm in scripture now more than ever. Heavenly Father, forgive me for being a coward and not standing up for You. Please use me and give me the strength to stand even when I, like Daniel maybe the only one standing. Give me the wisdom to discern Your will, Your good, pleasing and perfect will. I love You and it's my desire to serve You (not man) all the days of my life. In Jesus' saving name. Amen

Take time to walk with Christ and you'll never be sorry for one moment spent with Him!

Love ya,
Amber

May Madness!!

Wow, have you ever had a month that seemed like you were thrown in the deep part of the ocean with waves crashing all around you, and you're just trying to keep your head above the raging sea? If you have than you know how I felt this past month! I'm hoping June brings brighter days. All in the matter of weeks I realized how fragile life is and how important making bonds in relationships that cannot be broken are as well. God has taught me so much, I feel as if my brain is going to implode, but right now I need to get a shower quickly so later I'll fill you in on what's been going on in this seeking warrior's life!! To be continued!

Covetousness---Is there any part of me that does this???

Answering the question honestly, YES!! I'm not so much about money, but I am about the stuff I have. For example this computer----the other night I was discussing this with small group and realized I have some what of a problem spending to much time on this computer and not enough time with my amazing Jesus!! How could I place a piece of machinery before the one who created all. So the solution is to spend my time with Him before I open this thing up to spend time on here! So far I'm doing okay, but I have slipped up a few times. I'm so very thankful God gives me grace even when I don't deserve it. How many times have I left him high and dry to go do my own thing without Him? Foolishness is what that is!! Please forgive me, Lord. I'm often like Paul knowing what I need to do but doing that which I shouldn't do. Living life for Christ isn't easy, but living life without Him is really not living at all!! Let's just say we serve an awesome God, and I only want to serve Him!

Complaining is a sin!!

Wow, I didn't know this until I started into this new Bible study "Lord, change my attitude." by James McDonald. I am learning a ton of information and it's only been one week into the study. The study is based off of Numbers and the Israelites time out in the desert after God freed them from slavery. It's interesting because I never realized how bad their attitudes where until this study---they were like whining little babies and so ungrateful for the miracles God had performed for them!! I pray that God convicts me everytime I start complaining and being ungrateful because these type of behaviors put a strain on my relationship with Him. I'm also doing the Frazzled Female with an amazing group of ladies, and I think it's funny that this past weeks lesson was on being positive----funny how God works those things out all the time. I'm thinking His telling me I need to work work work on my critically negative complaining attitude. I hear you, Lord, loud and clear!! I need your help to change me and believe me I'm willing. Does anybody else besides me need an attitude adjustment??

Life's Good!!

You know I think God's really been working with me on several areas of my life! First, complaining---if I don't like something I can really get on to it and never get off---I don't know if I'm the only one like this, but it's not the best trait to have unless I guess if "your something" is a good thing like taking care of the needy or following Jesus. But here I'm talking about negativity!! Something I've struggled with my whole life, and actually thought I had kicked. Apparently not, because this past Sunday the light went off (ding ding God caught me), and I realized wow I need a serious attitude change about my life!! Next, I have mistaken loathing in self-pity/denying I'm any good at anything for thinking I was being humble. Wake up call, that's not right! Being humble is accepting that God gave me talents and gifts and doing my best to use those to further His kingdom and give him all glory! Wow, how Satan can use yourself against you. I hate it's this way, but Satan knows my weaknesses and every chance he gets he uses them to his advantage. I'm tired of being played like this, so I've been making adjustments in my life to combat him---he is so sleigh, but I've got God on my side. Here is what I've been doing: getting in the Bible every day and trying to memorize scripture (thanks to the siestas and Beth Moore). The difference is huge! Now I have the Word of God freshly on my mind daily and it gives me the power to fight Satan because I'm coming with the Sword---Hebrews 4:12. I'm thinking nobody is reading this, but if someone is I urge you to get to know Jesus and start today. Life is too short! Stand up and have an impact on this world like God is calling you to do!! I know getting into the Bible daily can be hard, but it's a discipline and one I know I cannot live without if I'm planning on making a difference for Christ in this World. I'll leave you with this: you would not think about going a day without food to eat because you would be hunger, but how many times do you go all day long without spiritual food? We think we don't have time to read the Bible or we don't understand it etc. We have all kinds of excuses for not reading it, but if we'd stop with the excuses and do it----the impact would change our world as we know it! Even Jesus tells us to look to him for all our needs to be met--how can we do this when we aren't even seeking to find out what he is telling us. The Bible speaks to each one of us---give it a chance!

Just doing a bunch of nothing today!

The girls aren't feeling good today and I haven't even made it out of my PJs. What a day! However, I have enjoyed relaxing and doing a bunch of nothing. The first week of February my women's group will begin the Frazzled Female studies. I'm trying to come up with some ways to defrazzle that are practical I can pass along to our ladies. If anyone views this and has any ideas please let me know! As for me, I think I'm going to go take a nap while the girls are still napping! Being lazy is sometimes a good thing.

Blogging Once Again!!

Okay, I guess I'll try this blogging thing again! Well, life is very crazy raising my little girls. They keep things interesting. Ava is a spit-fire and Jada is my tenderhearted one! However, they both are truely sweet natured, and I hope and pray God will enable me to keep them that way! I'm not sure just what kind of year 2009 will be, but so far so good. I am extremely thankful for all that God has given me and I want this year to be a year he uses me to give back. It's my desire to be fully committed to Christ and to move myself out of his way so that he can accomplish what he wishes through me! I have decided to memorize scripture with Beth Moore and the bloggers on her page so please pray that I will be able to do that, and feel free to join us!