Breakfast in Bed

This is how Chad and Emma started their weekend.

Sometimes it's just fun to do something nice for someone else. They were watching SportsCenter while Chloe and her friend talked High School Musical!




















It was a lazy weekend and you know what? It was wonderful! We had an awesome time of worship yesterday and God even sent rain!

Hope your weekend was as wonderful as ours was.

Chess Pieces

Yesterday I promised a quote and a post centered around a quote from the forward of Idol Eyes. Well.....Chloe had a friend over and I just got sidetracked dancing along with them to High School Musical 2. Sorry! And NO there are no pictures.

I've posted in the past how God was moving and changing me during this waiting time. Now, it seems that He is moving women into my life who are in their own time of waiting. Women who are crazy about HIM, who long to serve Him with every ounce of their being. Real women. Wives. Mommies. Writers. Musicians. Speakers. Women who desire to be used of God but are in a season of waiting.

One thing I'm learning is that even in the waiting, God will give you opportunities to serve Him. For me it's been filling in on the keyboard or in smaller churches. And He has allowed me to sing or play in our service occasionally. (That still blows my mind.) I've written a little, but honestly the last 2 months I've had serious writers block. Every time I sit down at the piano to write, I feel like I play the same 3 chords! It all sounds the same to me right now! (I'm praying about that one and waiting for God to give a new song. He will, I can't write a note without Him and He's just reminding me of that.) Okay, off the rabbit trail and back to the quote....

Beth Moore wrote the forward to Idol Eyes. When describing the first time she met Mandisa she writes: "Travis had let me know we had a sub on the worship team. One of our regulars had not been able to make it. The thought that Mandisa came to us as a sub still amuses me. It just goes to show, God doesn't call subs. There are no accidents in His work. There is no coincidence in who backs out and who steps up. He moves His chess pieces around the board at will, and that weekend, we got the queen."

God doesn't call subs. How that line spoke to me. I hope it encourages those of you who are waiting. Stay in HIS word, talk to Him about your dreams and desires. HE called you HE placed that desire in your heart! There are no accidents. Be ready girls! You never know when HE will pick up your game piece and set you in a new place! Be ready to step up at a moments notice!

Guest Book

Humor me and add yourself to this! I'll move it over to the sidebar at some point in time.

steph.

New Blog Sisters

Happy Friday!!!!

This morning I want to introduce you to a couple of new bloggers. I know both of these ladies in real life and consider them sisters in the Lord.

The first is Carol at Sheep to the Right. She is a new friend here in Dacula. We are in the same Sunday School class and sing in the choir together. Carol is a gifted writer waiting to see what God has planned for her. She just started blogging this week, so jump over there and give her some bloggity love!

The second is Kara at Mommy dot com. Kara is the very good friend of my dear friend Angela at Refresh My Soul. Kara is the mommy to 6, yes you read SIX children. She has a very POWERFUL testimony. Her writing and speaking just draws you to the feet of Jesus. Go check her out, I think you'll be encouraged. (By the way, when the group she speaks with comes to Atlanta, I'll be in the first row cheering her on! Want to joint me?)

I just finished reading Mandisa's book "Idol Eyes". BUY THIS BOOK! It was awesome. Beth Moore wrote the forward and there is one quote in there that I'm plan to share a little later today. We've got to get done with a little school before I can get all serious!

Have a great Friday!

Believe

It's so easy to say I believe God. I've been guilty of throwing it out there when truth be told, I didn't whole heartily believe Him.

Lately though, I don't say it unless I really mean it. Lately life has felt like Mr. Toad's wild ride instead of an easy Sunday afternoon drive. (As I stated in an earlier post, I wouldn't trade this time for anything, I'm just stating my feelings right now.) Believing God during the wild ride isn't always as easy as the Sunday afternoon drive.

This morning, I was reading in Mark 6. Jesus is in Nazareth His hometown. These people know His family, His siblings, His parents. They know His history. Yet, they couldn't believe the wisdom, the power He possessed. After all, He was just a carpenter! The son of Mary! They were offended by Him. As a result, verse 5 says their unbelief hindered His ability to perform any miracles. He was only able to heal a few sick(as if that isn't incredible!) and it goes on to say that JESUS was amazed at their unbelief.

I bet over the last few months, Jesus has shook His holy head and said to God, "Can you believe this girl? After all we've done for her, she still doesn't believe!" I haven't always believed. I feel at times I sound like the father in Mark 9:24 "help my unbelief!" I see this huge mountain in front of us and I cry out to God to move it, to take it down! But there is a part of me that doubts that God is going to do that for me. This morning, as I journaled and prayed, I felt the Lord remind me that before He moves it, I have to learn a few more things. I prayed again, help my unbelief, asking if this was what was hindering the movement of the mountain. I didn't get an answer to that. But I did feel impressed to go to the Faith Hall of Fame in Hebrews. (Chapter 11)

This time, in place of reading "By faith Abraham...." I read "I believe Abraham...." I did it for the whole chapter and let me tell you, it was powerful. I have no problem believing the Word. I believe every word in it! My struggle has been believing that God will move in my life the way He did in the "hall of famers" lives.

Then I went to Psalm 37. Two verses hit me between the eyes.

Verse 23 - The steps of the godly are direct by the Lord; HE delights in every detail of their lives.

Thank you Lord for caring about the details of my life! I see you in them, forgive my unbelief!

Verse 34A - Don't be impatient for the Lord to act. Travel steadily
along HIS path.

Forgive me Lord for putting an earthly timetable on You! You have thought out every minute of my life. You know exactly what You are doing. You are God and I am not. Please help me to remember that! I believe that one day I will look back on 2007 and shout look what God has done! Until that day, help me to believe you.

I BELIEVE GOD!

Is denim of the devil?

Others will not want to know about your Jesus until they see the reality of your Jesus in your life.

I came across this quote today. It knocked me down. We had a pretty lively Sunday School class yesterday and God so timed it that I had to leave for choir before I could comment. (He knew I couldn't sit there much longer!) We "Christians" can be so mean to each other. We get so caught up in looking the part on Sunday that we often forget that Jesus didn't die for us to follow a dress code on Sunday morning. He died to restore a broken relationship!

Chad and I discussed this most of the afternoon. How in the world do we expect the world to want to know Jesus and become our "brother" or "sister" in Christ when we treat each other like red headed step children? I've said this before and I'll say it again. Tradition does not equal holiness. Personal taste does not equal holiness.

If Jesus is truly the reality in my life, I won't care if someone walks into church on Sunday morning in a pair of jeans. I won't see the jeans, I'll see a person who just like me, came to encounter Jesus. By the way, what if that is all that person has? How welcome do you think they would feel if we turned up our noses and looked away?

Life is hard enough, we don't need to allow satan to use another person's wardrobe to distract us!


***PLEASE UNDERSTAND that I am in no way promoting immodest or vulgar clothing. I believe God gives guidelines on how Christian women should dress. However, I do not believe God cares if I come to church on Sunday morning in a pair of jeans. I will not allow denim to keep me from worshipping God! ***

Okay, I feel better now. :) Just keeping it real here!

I'd Like to Thank....

Diann. I haven't had much time in the last few days to blog. So when I clicked over to Diann's I was just taken away by this! So THANK YOU!




I pass this award on to...... My sister-in-love Lindsay at TwinsX2. She's always rocking something, or someone. :) So check her out and give her some encouragement.

We had a wonderful time this weekend. Part of our family was here to celebrate Chloe's birthday. I'll let the pictures speak!





The big guy in these pictures is my little brother. He had more fun than the girls! And yes, they were flying higher than the 6 foot fence around the pool! It was crazy!




This is my mamaw. She'll be 90 on Friday!

Chloe with papaw. Good friends and adopted family R. and P. in the background.

Who is this and how did he get in?(heehee) This was the ONLY picture of Chad taken today and it appears that someone under 4 feet tall was taking it. NO it wasn't me! I'm proud of my 5 foot 1 inch!!! When going through my photos, I discovered I have NONE of my parents with the birthday girl! I can see that I'm going to have to start making a list of pictures we need to take! What's one more list?!

We love having a house full of family and friends here. This weekend made me look forward to October when the next group comes! Thanks to those of you who made the effort to be here for Chloe this weekend. We love you!