Psalm 50:1-13

This mornings QT was really great for me. The main thought I took away was this: God doesn't NEED my sacrafices...service...He has MANY resorces...HE WANTS MY HEART. Thank you Dikola for the many times you have reminded me of this. I believe the Lord used your voice in my ear this morning to drive this into my heart. I asked myself: LORD, when I serve you is it because my heart is purely Yours? Oh LORD, please take all other motives out of my heart. Guard it...show me when I am serving You because I have the gall to think you need me. Or because I want to score points with others or even You so that You answer my prayers...I want to love You with all of my heart PERIOD. Not because of what You can do for me or what I hope you do for me.

"How refreshing to know You don't need me, How amazing to find that You want me. So I'll stand on Your truth and I'll fight with Your Strenght until You bring the victory. By the power of Christ in me." -"In Me" by Casting Crowns

Dad, I'm sure you are praying for Geoff today. Dikola, I haven't been able to talk to you lately...I'm praying for your Bible study this morning...Please be praying for Geoff and Leah today. He has had some things going on with his brain and has to have an MRI today. Please pray that they will feel God's presence and seek Him with all of thier hearts...the doctors to have wisdom....you know. I love you all.

Well, I am slowly (VERY SLOWLY) making may way back into the world as this sickness slowly makes it's way out of my body...I can't believe how sick I have been and how long...I won't go into all the details...only to say it has been so miserable and I can't wait until I am feeling myself again!

Being sick like this has shed some light on some things...I am not nearly sympathetic enough to others who are sick. There is a lady in my church who has been bed ridden for MONTHS and I have only been to see her once...I HAVE to go see her again. Chris' grandma lives with some very aweful infirmnities everyday and I've never really considored what it means for her...I would be a horrible person in her shoes...So I must pray for these woman and others and try to encourage them more. Oh Lord, help me to be a blessing to those who are in pain. Help me to think of others. Let me be Your hands of comfort, Your smile of encouragement. Thank you for the health you have given me. Forgive me for all the times I take it for granted.

I have so mcuh to be thankful for! Goodnight everyone.

Dad, you are so faithful...thank you for posting your QT everyday...Unfortunately it has been awhile for me...

This morning the word "skillful" stuck out to me. God wants us to do our best to worship Him. I don't think that means we all need to go out and take piano lessons, or voice lessons...but it matters to Him that we do our best. The most important thing to God is that we have an upright life. The other two words that stood out to me were "new song". I think that God does enough for me each day that I should have a new song for Him each day. I need to have a more thankful heart and really think through what He has done for me each day.

Dikola, you are a good example to me in this. You see God's hand so clearly and are so ready to praise Him. I want to be more like that...so here I go...

Today, we were invited to two different homes for labor day and were able to go to both...it was a great time for everyone...we got to swim, Austin got a new knife, I was able to spend a little time with my friend Annie, who I don't get to see very much. I was able to spend some time with 2 little girls who lost their mom a few years ago. They are so sweet and they remind me of how precious life is. My husband and I went on a little jog, which we never do...I am a live, and I have a great family. I know Jesus as my Savior and I have the opportunity to share Him with my children everyday...

Lord, please help me to do just that...to live in such a way that my family sees You in me. May they fall in love with you. I get so overwhelmed with this sometimes... A friend of mine said something that I've thought about a lot lately...I don't even remember what she was talking about, but I remember saying something about how hopeful she was and she said, "Laurie, my confidence is in the Lord." I was taken back...I immediatley realized that I was putting way too much thought and prayer into what I can do, or should do...I realize when she said that that we are desparate for God to move in hearts....only He can create a clean heart in Austin. Only He can heal Melissa. Only He can bring Bonnie and Cameron to Him. Only He can draw Angie to Himself...I really want God to use me...I want to see change. I want Him to take impossible situations and make everyone see how great and mighty He is.

Well, the new Quiet Times start on Sunday! Call my Dad to get yours ASAP...

Todays Quiet Time was immediately convicting for me. Malachi 2:6 was the verse that stood out the most..."True instruction was in his mouth and unrighteousness was not found on his lips; he walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many back from iniquity."

I won't go into all the details, but last night I went and ran the lake with a friend (which has been awesome...I ran it without stopping -except to let the dogs do their thing- for the first time ever and did it in pretty good time-for me-I wouldn't have done this without her prodding, I mean, encouragement) Anyway, I woke up this morning to have my QT and as I read I knew right away that some of my words last night running with her weren't right...I felt so horrible because I love this friend so much and right now, the thing she needs most is someone walking with her who is walking closely with Christ and living like HIM. She needs to see how pure and holy and beautiful and loving and trustworthy He is.

So I learned this morning how important it is to keep our mouth's full of truth and righteousness if we want to "turn many back from iniquity". This will not be accomplished in my own strength. That is for sure....I've been reading Isaiah 40:28-31 a lot lately...if it's been awhile, please look it up soon and really think it through. It's been great for me.

Austin is doing well in school...he's got 2 days under his belt and seems to be enjoying it. I wish I could be a fly on the wall in his classroom...I don't get all the details I want...

I have a dream...

It's a small dream. Here it is: having a blog where I post pictures of fun memories we make from day to day so that I can share them with my friends and family far away. Along with that I would love for Angie, Amy, Jamie, Aunt Sue, Aunt Gayle, Bokie...to join me in a little devotional I do. A lot of my friends and family are doing this already. I thought it would be great if all of us did the same passage each day...for me, writting what I learn from it each day or so would really help me grow and I know it would bring us closer as a family...you could post what you think of the passage...how God specifically spoke to you.
It's God's word so it is always beneficial, but there are some days when the Lord really speaks to me about something very specific going on in my life. I love when that happens.
Please don't be intimidated...I will definately spell words wrong...and this morning I couldn't even figure out how to post a new blog...It probably took 45 minutes altogether to figure it out...and I am still desparate to learn how to post pictures...
I really want to keep in touch with each one of you better. Dikola and Leah already like the idea...so Angie...Amy...Jamie....Aunt Gayl...Aunt Sue...MOM...DAD...Bokie...even Ashley, Isaa, Eli, Avery and Ella are old enough. There is a devotional for every age starting at 4 and we would all have the same passage each day.
I'm going to do my best to learn how to get pics on here so you all can get a glimps of life here in Lakeland.

WIll you join me? If so call my dad. He's ready to order the books for you all.
I love you all so much and I really think this will be good for all of us.
Of course you don't have to do the devotion to keep in touch, but I would LOVE it if you'd join me...you too Elizabeth.

Just getting started...

Well, I thought I'd join the rest of the world and start a blog. It's a little intimidating to be honest...but I thought this would be a good way to keep in touch with my family and friends far away and share what's going on in our family....to share what God is teaching me through His Word and through the wonderful people He brings in and out of my life...