Weekly Verse: 9/29

Recently, our church, Freedom House, had Life Group sign ups.  I joined one back in the spring, and it was an indescribable experience so I decided to join another one. This one is called Daughters of the King. 

In this life group, we are reading a book The Circle Maker and focusing on prayer. 

We were asked to start a prayer journal, where we continuously write down the prayer requests of others. I love the idea of a prayer journal, and had started one back in the spring. I know some people think it's old fashioned, but what's wrong with old fashioned? Many times people have asked for prayer and I've said that I would pray for them. But soon I would forget their needs and begin praying for others. The prayer journal keeps me on track and even better, let's me "see" answered prayers! 

This past Monday we had our Life Group meeting and we were divided into groups; these groups have now become our prayer circles. It is a wonderful feeling to know that you have a group of women praying for you. And there is so much power in group prayer. 

While this verse doesn't speak solely about prayer, I think it does show that there is so much power and strength when Christians come together and take a stand with one another. 

This week's verse is:

For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20 NKJV)

Weekly Verse: 9/15

I'm sure this won't come as a surprise to most of you, but I LOVE football season - college football and NFL. I love spending my Saturday and Sunday watching all the games. I love having a big spread of food to munch on, yelling at the tv, and watching some great athletes! I am amazed by the amount of talent these players possess. 

Take the Manning family for instance - they have true talent! Some would say that it is genetic and that they boys were destined to be great football players because of how great their dad was. But there's more to their ability than just genetics and a family background. 

Look at Adrian Peterson - a player who many would argue is the most talented Running Back in the history of football. He states that his trainer is a big part of his success. He may play a part in Peterson's success, but he's not the real reason for it.

The list of great football players goes on and on. All having magnificent talents in different positions. But one thing remains the same: the source of their talent. Every single one of these players has a God-given talent. He has given them their athletic abilities! Some will give credit to God, but many do not. 

I won't waste time speculating if those who don't give credit to Him are Christians or not, that's not my intent and it's not for me to judge. 

This week's verse focuses on humility and giving God credit for our abilities.  What are your abilities? Have you thanked God for them? Have you given Him credit?

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, (II Corinthians 3:5 NKJV)

Weekly Verse: 9/8

"Let my prayer be set before You as incense, The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice." (Psalms 141:2 NKJV)

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This past Friday night our church had an event called Encounter. It is a night of worship and prayer. This was my 1st experience, and I have to say it was very moving! To see so many people raising their hands in praise and hearing them call out to Jesus was something I find very hard to describe! 

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Before one of the songs, the above verse was displayed on the screens. It has stuck with me since. There's just something about this verse. I want to repeat it over and over again. Reading it and saying it out loud brings so much joy to my heart! I hope it does the same for you! ❤

Weekly Verse: 8/26

"Don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed" (Luke 8:50, NIV) This verse comes from one of my favorite stories in the Bible. This is the story of the father, Jairus, and his daughter who has fallen ill. While Jesus is traveling to heal her, she dies; but he visits the home says these words to the father and then tells the little girl to get up. It is a miracle!

This weekend, while my parents were visiting I suddenly needed some healing. This is what happened:

Friday night, I had some severe back pain. With my history of back problems I figured I had tweaked it so I tried stretching; and when that didn't ease the pain I just went to bed with an ice pack.

Saturday at 4:30 am, I woke up to use the bathroom and the pain from Friday night was back but even more severe! For an hour I wrestled with the pain. Fighting it as best I could. Finally, when I couldn't walk out of the bathroom and fell to the floor, I realized I needed to go to the Emergency Room.

I do NOT like ERs, mainly because I think the cost of going is insanely expensive and I don't like to "waste" money. I will avoid a trip at all costs. But this Saturday, doubled-over in pain and tears streaming down my face I woke Barrett and told him we needed to go to the ER. All of my symptoms were that of a Kidney Infection and I was scared to death.

I have never experienced pain like this before. I couldn't stand up straight, I was sweating through my clothes, and started dry heaving on the way to the hospital. We both were VERY scared.

While holding hands in the car, I began praying out loud. I asked God to use his healing hands to heal my body and take the pain away. Within a minute of praying, I was able to sit up straight and the pain in my right, lower back was beginning to subside. Eight minutes later when we arrived at the hospital, my pain was gone! I looked at Barrett while we were walking inside and told him that I wasn't in pain and could wait to go to Urgent Care (it would open 2 hours later - and be much cheaper).

I ended up with a slight bladder infection and haven't had the pain return. Our God is a healer! If you have an illness or know someone who does, I urge you to not only pray but to have faith! We both believed that God would take care of me and he did!

There's no question - we serve an AMAZING God! <3

Weekly Verse: 8/18

For the past 10 years, the night before school starts (for teachers anyway) has always been an exciting time. Getting to see faces that you haven't seen since June and catching up, while feeling re-energized and pumped to start the year. However, this year feels different. Teachers have been attacked for the last few years, but even more so this year. Leading in to tomorrow, the atmosphere is different. Some teachers have already left the profession because they are not valued, some are hanging on by a single thread, and there are some who are still excited to start the year.

Teachers are of a different breed. They love and care for your children as their own. They buy school supplies for those who can't afford them; they provide snacks or lunch for those same children (and for those who simply forgot). Let me be clear, no teacher went into the profession thinking he or she would be rewarded with a huge paycheck. However, when I entered teaching it was a revered profession. One that was highly reputable and respected.

Since January of this year, teachers have been attacked over and over again. Our state legislature has proven that they do not value education and teachers have fought back as hard as they can. Over the summer more articles have been shared on FB than I have ever seen regarding teacher salary, job security, and the investment in education. I have read some nasty comments and hateful remarks about teachers and education from the public and it is heartbreaking to think that some folks think so little of these professionals.

Our schools and educators need prayer more than ever before. There are teachers who are going to barrel through the doors ready to fight against the stigma and show what teaching is all about! But there are some, who feel defeated and there are others who will start to deflate as the school year progresses. Please pray for our schools, our teachers, our students, and our government.

This week's verse focuses on teaching: "Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us." (Titus 2:7-8, ESV)

Weekly Verse: 8/4

I had a rough morning today...it all started with hitting the snooze button twice causing me to only have 30 minutes to get ready for church. It went downhill from there. I rushed in the shower and as I was getting dressed I realized that my shirt needed to be ironed - something I had absolutely no extra time for. After ironing my shirt, I went to put on make-up. I have never had my make-up do this and I still cannot figure it out. I put the powder on and it turned WHITE; I'm talking clown white! I looked ridiculous. I washed it off and realized I was already leaving late. So I looked at Barrett and asked, "I'm just going to church with no make-up, I don't have time to redo it." (insert grumpy face)

While getting my purse, phone, and keys Barrett asked "Why are you moping? Do you just want to skip church today?" Right then, I knew an attack was coming. The enemy was getting into my head and wanted to do anything he could to keep me from worshiping today. I stood my ground and we headed to the early service, separately, since Barrett had to work this morning. I tried calling Barrett to ask what kind of coffee he wanted, but he didn't answer. I tried two more times with no answer and grew increasingly frustrated. A car cut me off, I grew even more frustrated.

As I pulled onto Salome Ch Rd, I asked God for help. "Lord, I am in a funk. Please wash over me and turn my attitude around."

During worship & tithing, Barrett's co-workers were texting him, and he was texting them back! I was fuming! I thought about scolding him, but decided against it. I am not his mother and this is taking my focus away. After tithing, an additional song was performed, "In Christ Alone." I leaned over to Kendra and said "I LOVE this song!" After the 1st verse, tears came.... When the 3rd verse came and we sang " For I am His and He is mine/Bought with the precious blood of Christ" I stood to my feet, hands raised, tears streaming down my face and felt the love of Christ cover me like a comforting blanket. All frustration, anger, and ill-feelings left me.

My day has completely turned around. I'm having a GREAT day today and it's all because of our Lord and Savior!

This week's verse is about being rooted in our faith:

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. (Colossians 2:6-7, NKJV)

Weekly Verse: 7/28

Recently a friend said to me, "I guess we've reached that point in our lives when we stop going to as many weddings and we start going to funerals instead." This was a sad, yet startlingly true, statement. Over the past few weeks I have seen so many friends lay their loved ones to rest. 

Anytime someone experiences the death of a loved one I begin to think, "how would I react if that was my parent, my aunt, my brother, etc?" and "what scripture would get me through that situation?" So I began a journey for scriptures referencing death.  I finally found the two verses that seem so comforting to me.  I know how painful it is to lose a loved one, but I can rejoice in knowing that mine are with the Lord!  

If you have recently lost a loved one, I hope these 2 verses give you peace 💜

So we always have confidence. We know that while we live in this body, we are away from the Lord...So I say that we have confidence. And we really want to be away from this body and be at home with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:6, 8 ERV)