I follow this blog and about two weeks ago they asked the question, “In God’s Heart I am..”  You had to finish the sentence, take a picture of you and your answer and post it on their facebook page.  Easy enough, so I concluded the sentence for Natalie, Phoebe, and myself.  We posted them and WE WON!!  Well, Natalie won.  This company is so giving.  Check out all the goodies I received today:

I can’t wait to share the blessings!  Thank you so much (in)courage and Blessing Unlimited for sharing Christ with me and for choosing Natalie’s photo.  She is such a blessing to everyone who meets her.  Natalie lights up a room with her spirit and sweetness.  We are confident that she is making a difference for the Kingdom!   Oh, and if you want to see the photo’s check them out here.   You will have to go through a few pages to find our’s, it’s worth it just reading all the comments, it get’s you thinking about who you are to God!  

I pray that the gal reading this right now realizes who she is in God’s heart!  She is chosen, strong,  free, accepted, delightful, redeemed, captivating, adopted loved, valued, able and BLESSED!

Obligation:  something one is bound to do : duty or responsibility

This week, bible study has been intense.  I love it.  We are working through Max Lacado’s “Experienceing the Heart of Jesus”.  Terrific study if you are looking for one.  Prayer was the topic of the week.  I am totally convicted.  My prayer life needs improvement.  I have been in the habit of “popcorn prayers”.  You know, the ones you toss up to heaven quickly because you are so busy or have a to do list a mile long.  My prayers had become predictable and dull.  I was going about it the wrong way. 

When you walking with Christ, it is a huge privilege to be able to pray to God!  With privilege comes obligation.  It is our “duty” to pray.  We have the divine opportunity to go to the Holy throne of God with praises, confession, thankfulness and requests.  That is huge!!  When you are walking with Christ, there should be a desire to want to pray.  For yourself and for others.  But we have made it too difficult.  We want to sound eloquent and poised, and if we don’t sound that way than we just don’t pray.  Well..let me let you in on a secret…it ain’t about you or me!  It’s about GOD!  Don’t think about it too much, just do it. 

Jesus gave us the example of prayer in Matthew 6: 9-15.  He showed the way.  Jesus prayed all the time.  He wanted to be in communion with God.  It was an honor but also a privilege.  Max Lacado has a terrific book out that walks you through the Lords Prayer, ” The Great House of God“  I read it and would recommend it.  We need to be dwelling in our heavenly Father.  It is our obligation.  How do we expect to go out into a suffering world and do it alone.  We can’t!!  We need Jesus.. plain and simple. 

Be bold in your prayers.  This is my downfall.  I am a timid pray’er.  I want to become bold.  I attend a Moms in Touch group.  This is a great organization where you pray for you children and their schools.  You meet once a week for an hour and pray.  (I highly recommend finding a group).  The difference is that you pray scriptures over them.  Have you ever done that?  There is some big time power in it.  Try it.  Pick a scripture and place your name in it.  When our prayers line up with truth and God’s will he hears!  Another awesome thing is that when we don’t know how or what to pray the Holy Spirit intervenes on our behalf.  Praying for our children is a noble task.  Take it seriously and cover them in prayer.  Become a diligent ambassador for your family.  Prayer is essential.  It needs to be God centered not self centered.  His will be done. 

Here is a great model using A.C.T.S.

A:  adoration, praise God for who HE is

C:  confession

T: thanksgiving, thanking God for what he has don

S: supplication (intersession and requests)

There is so much more I have learned on prayer but I want to allow it to resonate in my spirit, I will be sharing soon!   

John 3:30  He must become greater; I must become less

Mid-summer I felt a strong conviction to simplify my life.  I ventured over to our Family Christian bookstore and bought this study.

Becoming a Woman of Simplicity

This is an incredible study.  It has given me many things to ponder.  I would highly recommend it if you are looking to simplify your life.  One thing the author talks about is “good” vs. “best”  This has really intrigued me.  We all do many things that are good, but is it the best for where we are right now in life?  I started applying this to every opportunity that comes up in my life.  I have been asked to do several “good” things,  but I always say that I will get back with them on it.  I don’t want to impulsively commit and than be annoyed and frustrated.  I pray about how the “good” will impact my relationship with Christ, my family, my time and my sanity.  I used to be the yes girl, everyone would ask me to do things because they knew I would.  I used to be the people pleaser.  Well, learning through God’s word and applying some tools I learned in the above study, it has become much more easier to say “no.” I truly believe that God has broken me free of that captivity.  I also was a go, go, go girl and now I want to be home more.  I enjoy being home.  Now, I know that is totally out of my character so it is God!  Think about your weekly schedule.  How stressed out are you just thinking about it?  Especially with the holidays coming up, whew, anxiety rises.  There is hope! Jesus has a calling for each one of us.  I truly believe that when we live a surrendered, obedient life to Christ, our lives will be simpler.  Christ is faithful and wise.  Knowing Him and doing life with Him is the way.

Yesterday, my girlfriend and I were talking about living a simplified life .  We opened God’s word and this is a scripture we read ( we are in a Moms in Touch group, we pray for our kids and their schools)

Psalm 19:7-8

The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.

Do you see it?  The last sentence in verse 7, “making wise the simple.”  We thought that was so cool.  Not just the scriptures,  but we had just been talking about this very thing and then wham, God blesses us with this!  When you are wise, you are simple.  But, if you flip it “when you are simple, you are wise.”  Word play, I love it!  I also love that God’s law is perfect and refreshing to the soul.  Who needs some refreshing?  God’s laws also gives  joy to the heart.  Praise you Jesus!  God is trustworthy, thank you Father!

So I want to challenge you to look at your life, right now where you are and see where you can simplify.  Pray for God’ leading and for discernment.  Look at the “goods” and see if they are “bests”. What are your priorities?  It will be hard, trust me, but it is so rewarding and freeing.  This life places so many demands on us.  God doesn’t do this.  He just calls us to love Him with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength and then to love others.  That seems pretty simple huh?  We are the ones that fills life with busyness.  We don’t have to live like the rest of the world, rush rush, hurry, hurry.  We can be different!  Actually that is our calling.  To be different!

Good vs. Best!

On Monday I had the privilege to sit with9 or so moms and pray for our children, their schools, and our families.  Have you ever done that?  Have you ever sat and heard other moms pray for your child?  Have you ever prayed for another child and another mom.  This is an incredible honor.  I want to pass on an organization that does just this.  Moms in Touch is a wonderful way to get with other moms from your child’s school and drench the school, the staff and the kids in prayer!  You meet for an hour once a week and get encouraged, inspired, refreshed and renewed as you praise and pray to Jesus.  Check them out! 

I pray for my girls to be different.  To be the kids that others see, wondering what is different about them, giving them the opportunity to share Jesus.  Now, I know that Natalie cannot share Jesus but through our family,  we can.  How we  respond to things that arise at school, how we respond to the ones that help her daily, how we respond to the staff and other children, how we respond to the life that has been given to us.  I pray that my girls shine bright for Christ and are set apart.  I pray that they are uncommon, in how they act, treat others, obey and respond.  I pray for protection over the school, the staff, the kids, the bus drivers, the janitorial staff.  I pray for a fruitful school year.  That not only educational growth happens, but spiritual growth happens. 

Drench your families in prayer, communicate your heart with Jesus.  He wants to talk to you!

I hope everyone had a safe Halloween.  We had fun at our church’s Harvest Fest.  Lots of games, inflatable slides and bouncy houses and of course, CANDY!!  What to do with all the candy.  I know for myself I have to get it out of my house or I will eat it.   I don’t really consider Halloween a “holiday”.  It is just a fun time.  Now I can focus on the true upcoming holidays. 

I did want to share with you some pictures of the girls in their Halloween costumes. 

I made this yummy pumpkin mousse.  I wanted to share the recipe.  I have broken graham crackers into a bowl and spooned the mousse on top and I have bought an angel food cake, torn it up into a truffle bowl and layered it with the mousse.  Both ways were so good, plus it is low fat!

Pumpkin Mousse

1   15oz. can pure pumpkin (not pie mix)

1 package instant sugar free, fat free vanilla pudding (6 serving size)

1/4 cup skim milk

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

8 oz.  fat free whipped topping, thawed (cool whip)

In a medium bowl, with a mixer at medium speed, beat pumpkin, pudding, milk, and cinnamon until well blended.  FOLD in whipped topping until thoroughly blended.   Spoon into serving bowl, cover lightly and chill until ready to serve.  Also good frozen. 

Comes out very rich- you can satisfy your sweet tooth and cut calories

Makes 8 servings

serving size= 1/2 cup

Each serving = 2 weight watchers points. 

ENJOY……..oh, and how do you like the new look?  The colors remind me of fall, and that is my favorite season..

Things here have been busy, getting back into the swing of things with school schedules.  Phoebe loves kindergarten.  I felt so sad watching her get out of the car at morning drop off and seeing her walk into that big school.  She is growing up.  It goes so fast.  Natalie is enjoying being back with her friends.  The notes coming home say that she is having fun and meeting new kids in her class.  That school has been such a blessing to our family.  Everyone is so supportive and encouraging to Natalie. 

I have been dealing with my identity crisis.  You know when you are  used to having little ones at home and then it is just you.  What to do with your time? I have prayed and prayed, coming to the conclusion, that I need to pray.  So I joined a Moms In Touch group.  This is a new journey for me.  I really feel that we as moms have a high calling to pray over our children especially as they are out in the world.  We all know that times have changed since we have been in school.  We need to unite together and make a difference.  Look into Moms In Touch to see if there is a group in your area covering the schools your kids attend.  If you are involved in one I would love to hear how it has impacted your life…give me a reply post. 

Okay back to the Beth Moore simulcast.  I am so excited, can you tell.  If you have attended one I have a few questions for ya.

1.  When did you go?

2.  What did she teach on?

3.  What did you learn and walk away with?

4.  How was Travis Cottrell and the worship?

I look forward to hearing about your adventures!  Have a blessed day!  Be on the lookout for some photos.