As I was wandering around our mall this past weekend, I enjoyed watching all the shoppers looking for the best Christmas gift, for that special someone in their lives. Whether it be that just right pair of boots, the fanciest new purse, or the newest Seattle Seahawks jersey (I'm a little biased.), everyone had a mission to get the perfect gift. When I passed the section of toys filled with dolls, toy cars and more, it made me melancholy for when my own children were little. I used to love to see their eyes sparkle with wonderment and hear their squeals of delight as they opened up their Christmas presents and looked on in wonder at their new American Girl doll and new set of Star Wars Lego's. Now their Christmas lists are a little more practical. This year my son's wish list included ... read more
Oh, to be Like Mary
I can just imagine the what it would have looked like. A calm serene comes over the stable as Mary swaddles her new born child and gently sways this way and that, as the young babe drifts off to sleep in her arms. She is exhausted from labor yet her heart is filled with a peace and love that she has never felt before. She wants to drink in the moment and hold it in her heart and never let it go. Her faithful Joseph is by her side and the animals are filled with content as they watch with wonder at what lay before them. The Lord God fulfilled His promise to her with the birth of the Christ child. She can hardly believe that He choose her for such a task, to be the mother of the Son of God, the Son that would one day save the world. " So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth ... read more
Resting in His Presence
There are times in my life when I feel completely overwhelmed. Some days I feel as if my head is barely above water and I keep bobbing up and down trying to stay afloat. I splash vigorously trying to get to safety and it seems the harder I splash, the deeper I sink. Then it happens..... I turn around in the water and I see him, standing right next to me. The Father, holding out his hands, just waiting for me to come to Him. In tears I grab His hands and He tells me, "My child, I was right here all along." Does this ever happen to you? Like me, do you ever get too busy trying to solve your problems on your own that you miss the Father standing right next to you, just waiting for you to surrender to Him? When I am able to rest in His presence, I find my whole outlook on life ... read more
The Two Most Important Things at Christmas (Christmas Blessing 2015)
It seems like the Christmas season comes upon us so quickly. Before you know it, you blink, and it has gone from January to December in a flash. As a stage IV breast cancer survivor Christmas takes on a new meaning to me. It makes me slow down and purposefully take in each moment and savor every second. As my family and I decorated for Christmas tonight, it made me stop and think about what the two most important things are at Christmas. 1.The most important thing about Christmas is Christ. He is the real reason we celebrate this season. It's because God decided to send His son down to earth in human form, born to a virgin, to one day save the world. It's the beginning of the solution to rescue mankind from it's transgressions. It's the answer to the problem that was created ... read more
The Restoring of Hearts and the Healing of Friendships- (Giveaway)
(Affiliate links are contained in this post) We were not meant to live this life alone. God created each one of us, with special and unique traits to live together as the body of Christ. However, something often happens when we talk about friendships among women, which could be summed up by one word, division. Friends this is not how God intended our relationships with our sisters in Christ to be. He wants us to be united to work together as a team, without judgement or criticism, fulfilling the roles that Christ has intended for us. He wants more for our lives than gossip and comparison, He wants us to live a life free in Him. “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." ~ Luke 6:37 ... read more
Summer Blessing Giveaway 2015
Summer is in full swing! For some of us, it may mean park days and lazy days at the pool. For some of us it may be work as normal. Whatever your situation is, we want to bless you this summer! Woman to Woman Ministries has teamed up with some fabulous bloggers to bring you the Summer Blessing Giveaway! One blessed lady will receive: Jewell by Thirty One Paris Purse in color of your choice $78 value Jewell by Thirty One All About the Benjamins wallet in color of your choice $48 value The Quiet Fight Among Women online course donated by Angie Tolpin $36 value Essential Oil gift certificate donated by A Mama's Story $15 value Lilla Rose Freestyle Tiara Flexiclip donated by A Delightful Glow $13 value Please stop by and support all of our ... read more
Inspired to Give Gift Card Giveaways with a Little Sparkle and a Little Shine
As I write this I am sitting by the fire, and gazing at our Christmas tree, brightly lit, and decorated with ornaments from long ago. Each one holds memories of days gone by, moments frozen in time, and held in my heart to treasure forever. In order to make Christmas a little brighter, and filled with special memories for two wonderful families, I have teamed together with a wonderful group of bloggers to offer two amazing giveaways. The bloggers of the Inspired Bloggers Network have gathered to add some SPARKLE and SHINE to your December with TWO $400 gift cards to Amazon! Giveaway Sparkle I am excited to be on the SPARKLE team with these other awesome bloggers: Betty Eisenhour from Peace Creek on the Prairie Kori Tomelden from Just Another Mom Kristi Kerr from The ... read more
Meeting Santa and a Christmas Blessing
Christmas is such a special time of year. Looking back over all the Christmas memories that I hold dear, I can remember one from my childhood that always brings a smile to my face. I was only 6 years old when I heard the sirens, and saw the flashing lights out the dinning room window. I cried out to my mother, with great excitement, "What is it! What is it!" She told me it was Santa Claus, and I could go out to see him and tell him what I wanted for Christmas. I had never been so excited in all my life. I bundled up and outside I went with the help of my father. The massive red fire truck sat in front of our house. It was pulling a trailer covered with lights, and on the trailer was none other than the man himself, Santa. I carefully walked up the trailer steps and climbed onto ... read more
Inspired Thanksgiving Giveaways
I love autumn. The leaves change, the weather gets cooler, and harvest time is just around the corner. One of my favorite parts of the season, is Thanksgiving. Family gathers together and memories are made around the table. I love to bake during this time, pumpkin pies, pumpkin cake, and pumpkin cookies are always a hit. My KitchenAid mixer always gets a workout during this time, as delicious scents fill the kitchen. I have the privilege of being part of a very special group of bloggers who are wanting to make this Thanksgiving a little extra special for someone, by giving away a KitchenAid mixer and a $100 Walmart card. There is also a second giveaway for a Le Creuset Dutch Oven and $100 Walmart Gift Card. I'm excited to see who wins these special blessings! During this season of ... read more
Shining Light into the Darkness – A Book Review of Pure Eyes, Clean Heart – A Couple’s Journey to Freedom from Pornography
She had a feeling in the deep recesses of her being. So she decided to act. She picked up his phone and searched the history. There it was in black and white, words she never wanted to see, it was then she knew her husband had been looking at pornography. Her heart became twisted and anger mixed with fear took hold of who she was. She threw the phone and watched as it shattered into pieces, just like her life was about to do. She began to scream at him, "Why did you do this? How long has this gone on? Am I not pretty enough for you? How could you do this to me, after everything we have been through?" Her husband looked scared as he tried to lie his way out of what was unfolding before him. The hands on the clock continued to tick away as she interrogated him about ... read more