No One Is Safe!!

We all say there are things we would never do. Never in a million years would we be caught doing this or that. Why? Because we believe those things are wrong, or might hurt our loved ones in some way. For example, there once was this gentleman. He loved his wife, treasured her, cherished her in the deepest way. However, he found himself getting a little too chatty with another woman online. In the beginning, it was innocent. Her online pictures were beautiful. Though she was not strikingly gorgeous, he noticed that he was drawn to her images. She was very down to earth, very smart, and they held on interesting and engaging conversation. He enjoyed talking to her, and hearing her stories and about her day, and enjoyed telling her about himself as well. One day, this girl started to flirt. She began to speak of and ask questions that no married gentleman should engage in. He resisted at first, insisting he was happily married, and tried to change the subject on many occasions. But, to his own detriment, found himself involved in a conversation that intrigued him, made him feel special- but was not pure in any sense. Before he knew it, he was agreeing to meet this woman. He insisted he could not actually cheat on his wife physically, but that he was up for meeting for lunch and whatever else might come their way. He found himself hiding in another room talking with this girl while his wife was taking care of the kids, fixing dinner, and putting them to bed. And also while she was out of the house. He hadn't actually met this girl, but in his heart and his mind he had already committed adultery. He was doing something he swore he'd never do. His wife knew something was different about him. He was distant, spaced out, and seemed to be struggling with something on his heart. She asked him if there was something wrong, if he had been feeling I'll the last few days. He denied anything was going on and insisted he was just tired. The next day, he told his online mistress that his wife was sensing something different about him. He was afraid of her finding out, and just couldn't risk " his little secret" as she called herself being discovered. Little did he know she already knew. She had spent the last few days trying to be prettier than the girl in the pictures. She made his favorite meals. She tried her best to make herself more attractive by wearing her best clothes, makeup, and winning him over intimately. But, she was too late. He had already crossed that line, even though it was all in his mind and fingertips of the keyboard. Though his intentions were genuine in the beginning, he let himself slide into a deep hole he could no longer crawl his way out of. He hurt his marriage in a way that only God could mend. His wife lay in a puddle of her own weeping. She felt worthless. She felt that if she had maybe done something different, lost a few more pounds, kept the house just a little neater, or even were better in the bedroom, her husband maybe would have never entertained such an online relationship. If she couldn't keep her husband happy, what good was she? This is a lesson we all can learn from. Every human on earth is very capable of doing something they've told themselves they could never do. Protect your heart and your mind, you just never know when that sinful nature is going to creep in and take control before you even realize it.

I was born THIS way...

I was born THIS way.....

 

 

 

I'm puzzled and just can't figure out how to address such issues as the "equality" thing that's going around right now.

People keep saying that the law, and what people should be allowed to do with their own lives has nothing to do with the bible, or Jesus, or God, but rather:

"They were born this way, IF there is a God, He made them this way, therefore there is nothing wrong with what they d...o". or "The bible has nothing to do with law or what people should and shouldn't do", or "Its the way they choose to live their life, if they feel like doing it, why not?"

And I'm over here like... "But, didn't law originate based on biblical principles? Wasn't the law set in place from the beginning because God said so?"

If we are to be free to do whatever we want because we were "born that way", then why is it not okay for a mass killer to kill people because "It makes them feel better"?

Why is it not okay to commit adultery because we were "we want to, because it feels good"?
Why is it not okay to be lie?
Why is it not okay to cheat?

Why is it not okay to disobey our parents? Why is it not okay to do all the things we all do on a daily basis?

All of the things I listed above are listed in the BIBLE. If you don't believe the bible is a guide for our lives...then why are you not disregarding ALL the bible says?

We can't pick and choose which things we want to abide by just because we "feel like it" or because "it feels good".

It's all or nothing...choose...

Christians base their lives on the bible because that's what we believe the bible tells us to do. We base our lives on it because we believe the bible is our guidebook, and Jesus' teachings and example are how we are supposed to try to live by. Do we mess up? Most definitely! BUT, at the end of the day, we are sorrowful, shameful of our sin, and strive every day to do better. (or at least we SHOULD). We do not deliberately go against what our "guidebook" tells us, and say it's okay because we did what we feel is more fun, or because we were born in sin, therefore the sin is ok.

In a true follower of Christ's mind, we know that sin is NOT ok, but know We will never be perfect, we will always give into our sinful nature in one way or another. We are sorry we gave in, sorry we hurt our temple, sorry we hurt someone else, and wake up tomorrow and try again.

Jesus came to Earth to give us that opportunity to try again. He was born into sin, to become sin, so that He could rise again, wiping away our transgressions against ourselves and others.

We don't love each other because its what is moral...we love each other because GOD is love, and commanded us love one another...

If you don't believe in God, or Jesus, then stop loving other people!

 

Why? Because if you don't believe in God, then you don't believe in LOVE!

 

 

When you take THAT law away, let's see how much you love life then!

God made Adam And Eve...Not Adam And Steve

Biggest Hoax EVER

I was told yesterday that the Bible was the biggest hoax ever! And that Salvation, believing that Jesus Christ died for our sins and was resurrected on the third day; proving He was God's son, was the biggest lie ever told- all a part of the hoax! Ummm.....really? Sure, because people from the very beginning planned to make sure the prophesies would come true by having children through the line of David, so that Jesus would be born and we could call Him a Savior! Do you really think that the people in biblical times really had that much time on their hands between herding, trading, crafting, and travel to all come together to create the biggest hoax that would last for thousands of years as the biggest practical joke ever played on mankind?? These people are the biggest idiot's I've ever seen! I was called a "Bible thumper". Well, Ive got news for you honey- Id much rather be a bible thumper, than Satan's Playtoy in the hereafter! People lack such faith! Such hope! It saddens my heart people cannot believe in what is right in front of them. They claim they believe in God, and that God is so merciful that His compassion on His people will save all mankind. She even said God said "I have people of many folds", claiming that meant that all sorts of people, even those who do not believe will be spared. However, Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, the life, no man shall come to the Father except through me". This means if you do not believe in Jesus as the son of God, His virgin birth, His resurrection, then yes, you indeed are lost, and unfortunately are destined for an eternity separated from His presence should you never confess with your mind, heart, and tongue, Jesus as Lord and Savior of your soul. Hoax? Well, let me look at it this way- I'd much rather believe, and live a Godly life, having hope in a life with Him for eternity, than be wrong and be cast forever into Hell. If you believe, and are wrong- then you are the same as the one who never believed. You'll end up in the same state of death. BUT why play with such a chance? Why risk it? Why risk the chance of Eternal life when its FREE? Jesus already paid the price, so why not accept it?? You'll accept a free phone, free rent, free childcare, free food, ect, ect from the Govt because you believe they have your well-being and health in mind, but you won't believe in a free ticket of Grace for what happens next? We who believe, have HOPE. We have LOVE. We have EVERYTHING. Why wouldn't ANYONE want that?

THE BIBLE - New Series on the History Channel

The trailer for this new series that will be on the History Channel was posted online, and comment after comment just got sadder and sadder, so much it brought me to tears. 

Society today is just pathetic. It simply breaks my heart to see so many people out there who do not believe, and think it appropriate to bash the bible, and the Christian faith.

 I understand a lot of people's attitudes towards Christian's with all that they see about the Catholic church, and claims of sexual molestation, and abuse of all sorts within the Vatican and the Catholic church in general. It's not only the Catholic church that gets into this kind of trouble, many other denominations and religion's do- I think the Catholic church gets so much media attention because of who they are, how public everything is, and they have a Pope who sits up there for all to see.

Many, do not believe the bible to be anything more than a story book passed down through the ages. Some even said they thought the devil wrote it. If that were so, doesn't that make God real if you believe in Satan?

One of the first comments said that the bible was most probably written by the devil? umm..seriously? If so, He's pretty stupid of a sort to admit that in the end, that God will win, and that he will be forever burning in the lake of fire in Hell. If he were to write it, don't you think that he would lie and say that he, himself, will win over the earth, defeat God, and reign forever?

 Those who refuse to believe, ridicule the bible, and the Christian faith, will soon be shown their stubbornness and lack of thinking for themselves, and looking into their own hearts- searching for that one still voice...

The bible says that every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that He is Lord. You may not believe it now, but when your day comes, you will, and you will remember that this girl from Alabama told you so.

 What does it hurt to believe? What do you lose?

 Id much rather put my trust in a God who loved me so much that He sent His own son to die for me, and believe it, and it be true- than to never believe and miss out on a lifetime in Heaven, and forever rot in hell. 

I don't have to think that way tho- cause I know in my heart it to be true. But, sometimes you've got to think differently when trying to explain to others why you should believe.

Of course, each has to discover their faith on their own. You can't MAKE anyone believe, you can only plant the seed, and hope that God can water it, and it grow.

Big Purse Syndrome

Do you carry a large purse? Do you feel that overwhelming need to have everything you might need in case of an emergency or if you are stranded somewhere?

Or do you just carry a large purse, not intending on carrying your life with you, it just happens to collect everything over time?

Or do you feel you need to have anything and everything in case someone else might need something, and that nurturing makes you feel good about yourself?

      Many moms feel like they must carry a ton of stuff with them all the time because there is just no telling what their child might need. Being a mom of three, I fully understand this feeling. I carry a purse, and a diaper bag with me these days. The older two, which are now 7 and 9, really don't need that much, but take advantage often of what they might find in the bag such as snacks, drinks, candy, and wipes if they make a mess of something. But my baby who is almost 3, still needs most of the necessities such as change of clothes, extra shoes, pull-ups, wipes, snacks, toys, ect because she still makes messes and needs entertainment on certain occasions.

    But how many people out there are still carrying around these large bags when they only have themselves to worry about?  A recent study by a local chiropractic association says that the average purse weighs about 14 pounds! Why are we doing this to ourselves ladies!!??  You may not realize it, but that actually affects your body. It can cause lop-sidedness, problems with posture, and back, shoulder, and neck problems. 

Galatians 6:5 says "each one should carry his own load", But, the bible didn't say make it has heavy as possible! LOL

I have listed several ways below to still carry your things you might need at any given moment, yet still consolidated so you aren't carrying such a big load.

1.  Do you have several medicine bottles in your purse? Consolidate! Get one big medicine bottle, take each type of pill you think you might need and a couple in their own little craft baggie that's only about an inch wide, write on each baggie what it is, along with dosage, and put all of them in the one bottle. Presto!

2.  Is your bag littered with receipts? This one is easy...DON'T leave them there. At the end of your day, always put them in a prepared folder or firebox for easy retrieval should you need them later.  If you are like me, you'll leave them in there so long that you get tired of seeing them and throw them away, or throw them out of your purse somewhere, and then need them and they aren't there.

3.   Do you really need all that makeup with you all the time?  Most girls I know, carry their makeup bag with them in their purses as well. This is partially what makes our bags so heavy!  After you've done your makeup in the morning, all you really need to take with you is some lipstick, lip gloss, and maybe some pressed powder. If you've got an event that night, leave the bag in your trunk inside a cooler with an ice pack to keep it from overheating. There's no need in wagging it around all day.

4.   Only buy purses with pockets in the inside to help you organize. Don't buy ones with pockets on the outside, though. You make yourself a victim of theft too easily that way. Anyone can come by and snatch your phone on the street or desk when you are away if it is visible. Designate each pocket inside for keys, phone, or even an inhaler for easy grabbing without having to shuffle around in your bag to find them.

5.   Get a big enough wallet to carry all your cards, pictures, and ID's in one. With all the new discount cards we all carry for the different stores we frequent, it really adds up and can be hard to keep up with if we don't have them organized in one place. Some stores also give you the key chain version, so store the card at home, and the key chain version will keep up with itself! Unless, of course, you misplace your keys, then I can't help ya! haha

6.  Don't let anything just float around in your purse, other than your wallet itself. Buy about three different small, clear, makeup bags. Separate things like your lip gloss, powder, beauty products into one. In another, things like gum, band aids, candy, medicine in small baggie, small tissue pack, safety pins, pony tail holders, bobby pins, ect.. Then in the other I would recommend a two ink pens, a small notepad, tokens for transportation (if you take public transit), an extra house key (should you lose your keys), and any other miscellaneous necessity you might need during your day.

7.   Don't go too small, and don't go too big. If you go too small, these things won't fit inside. Your purse will look like it's about to throw up all your belongings, and the straps will break fairly quickly because a small purse is not made to carry that much weight.  BUT, Don't go to big either, because you will surely stuff more and more stuff in your bag and make it too easy to get disorganized. You will lose your knack at organizing and just begin to throw things in your bag again just because they fit!

    I hope these idea's help you out. If you can think of any other great idea's to help us girls organize our bags, feel free to email me or post a comment below! Thanks!

Www.AskThePreachersWife@gmail.com

Religious..but LOST

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ ²³ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Matthew


   <sup>I think there are many people out there who believe they are following Jesus, that they are "Christians", and are living life the way that Jesus would have them. They may be faithful members of the church who give every single Sunday to the offering plate, they sing in the choir, they volunteer their time to church activities, they might even teach Sunday School.

But sadly, they've missed the mark. They think that all the things they are DOING are the keys to getting in good with Jesus, and ultimately on that day, will open the doors of Heaven for them.</sup>

 These folks may have grown up in a Christian home, where the Bible was read and prayers were offered. They may have been taught impeccable morals. God has offered his grace freely to all. We must choose to receive or reject it. Unfortunately, the religious but lost have chosen to reject that free grace, in favor of their own good works and self justification, even without realizing it.

 The only means of covering sin is by faith in Christ's atonement. All those outside of genuine faith live in their sin, which exposes them to the wrath of God. All that stands between them and the burning flames of hell is simple trust. Yet they refuse, either willfully, or through the irresponsible act of neglect to that small voice calling inside that says..."Step out, trust me. You're not yet right!"   

They probably hear that voice, but are confused by it because in their minds they are doing good, their sin is minimal, they believe in God, they believe Jesus died on the cross, yet they've forgotten that Jesus said they must REPENT of their sins.

 Sure, they may pray, and tell God to take their sins away. But true repentance means that they are truly sorry for the things they have done and never want to do them again. Repentance means you literally turn yourself around in a 180 and go the opposite direction. But these people who are religious, think that all the good things they do make up for those things that are sinful.

There have been great men who laid down their lives, even gave their bodies to be burned, who were religious but lost. One example of such a religious but lost martyr was Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormanism. Mormons believe that one's salvation is based on such good works as baptism, good deeds, missionary work, and following Mormon teachings.

Being religious means following a certain set of rules or doctrines. It means that I go to a church (or synagogue or temple or whatever), and I do what the pastor (or priest, or rabbi) tells me I should. It means that I believe, that by doing what I should do, I am some how getting closer to God. This is not Christianity at all.
Being religious is being a "doer" manipulated by guilt, to try to please a God who is distant, sitting up there just waiting for them to mess up so he can strike them down.

Being Christian on the other hand, offers more freedom, as it is not based on rules and regulations, but on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. A Christian knows that he is a sinner saved by grace and that when he follows Christ, the Holy Spirit will do the work of change from the inside out. It is a growing process. The deeper your relationship with Christ becomes, the more you want to follow Him, and the more Christ-like you become.

 Being a Christian means being a hearer, not a doer, not manipulated by guilt, but by the desire to please the Lord, who is intimately involved with every step of their life, who patiently and lovingly picks them up when they fall.

Not to say that Christian's are not "doers", because they should be. But a Christians works come out of a deep dedication to their Lord to follow Jesus' teachings. Their HEART wants to do things for others, because they have the one and only true love -Jesus- living there. They don't do good works for the purpose of "Look what I did", or "This makes me a better person". Or at least they SHOULDNT. Its very easy to get caught up in that way of thinking, but a Christian does the good works because they WANT to, not because they feel they HAVE to in order to get on God's good side.

They know that they stepped out on faith that day Jesus spoke to their hearts and said, "Its time, trust me, follow me, put your faith in me, I died for you so that you may live, set yourself aside and live in ME, and I will become the Lord of your life".   The only thing they ever have to do to become a Christian, secure their right to Heaven, is Repent of their lives, and follow Jesus.

It sounds so easy, doesn't it? But is it really that easy to leave behind who you are up until this point? Is it that easy to quit smoking cold turkey? Is it easy to control your foul mouth just because you've decided not to curse anymore? It is easy to stop hanging out with those best friends you've had since elementary school that you party and experiment drugs and alcohol with?  Is it easy to go from a life of sexual immorality to saving yourself for your wedding day?

NOO! It's the HARDEST thing you will ever do! And no amount of good deeds is going to cover it up!

But, repentance means that you give all that up! You commit to never doing that stuff again and Jesus tells us is hurtful to our bodies, which is now HIS Temple. Where HE resides!

Are you going to mess up? Most definitely! But, Jesus died on the cross for ALL our sins.

It's not easy to just give up that life as we've known it to be thus far. If you put your trust in Jesus to take away those desires, He will do it. Sure, we may let ourselves get in the way, and that is the time to turn it back over to Him. Confess it! Lay it down! If we WANT him to change us, He will.

It may be hard, but no where near as hard as having to remember every single little white lie, cross word, or sinful thought or action and having to do a good deed, or confess to a priest, in order to be free of it. (which in that case you never really are).

Don't be religious... it's too much work!

Be a follower of JESUS- The ONLY way to Eternal Life!

"Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:13 

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Romans 10:9

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast".  Ephesians 2:8-9  

"Salvation comes to those who do not work for salvation, but believe on Jesus Christ instead!" Romans 4:5
          

God Of The Universe!

Its amazing that we forget that the God of this, all creation, space that extends for all eternity, is the same God of all our lives. Our successes, our accomplishments, our troubles, our tears. If He can create something as vast as the Universe, our solar system set just right, and keeps it there, cant He set things right in our little bitty lives here on earth? The earth is tilted at just the right degree to keep it from spinning out of control. There's no reason it should be tilted this way, other than He holds it there. Every single thing the earth does is for a reason, down to the tiniest microorganisms. If we believe He made all this, makes it perform 100%, then shouldn't we trust that He also holds us in His hands the same way? When you are down, and feel like the whole world is on your shoulders, just remember, He won't let you hold it alone. Put your trust in Him, your faith in His salvation, and He WILL give you the desires of your heart. It may not feel ok today, or tomorrow, but He promises that it IS okay, even when we can't see it...

Lupercalia or Valentine's Day?

There seems to be some speculation on the origin's of Valentine's Day. I decided I would blog today about Valentine's Day and share where it first started. But, I'm a little confused. SO, I will share the facts with you and let you decide for yourselves :)

Of course, all the text to follow is just information I found online and other people's opinions.

One Version of the Story....
Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman God of Agriculture, (the date in February was originally chosen to welcome spring) and to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus commemorating young men's rite of passage.
A lottery was held where all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn and the city's bachelors would then each choose a name out of the urn and the girl would be the sexual partner of the young man for a year.

I Different Version of the Story......
In 498 A.D. Pope Gelasius of the Christian Church declared the celebration a pagan holiday, and decided to Christianize it. He did this by creating a "misinformation" celebration on the day before the festival of Lupercalia, February 14th, in the hopes of confusing the entire matter.

Instead of the names of young women, the urn would contain the names of Christian Saints and the young men and women were to emulate the ways of the saint they picked from the urn for a year.

And Yet Another side of the story......
Saint Valentine was a Roman who was killed for his faith on February 14, 269 A.D. He had refused to worship pagan gods, and some stories say he was a priest who would marry young couples in secret who shared the Christian faith and wanted a Christian wedding dedicating their marriage to God. In 496, his 'saint day' was established. He is associated with love because he fell in love with the daughter of his jailer, and would pass notes to her. His final note, before he was executed, read 'from your Valentine'.

In Italy, with its romantic and religious roots, St Valentine's Day became the traditional day to be engaged. Young Romans would spend this day gathered together in gardens to listen to romantic poetry and music.

As with many holidays, the celebration of St. Valentine's Day became a mixture of the new Christian rites as well as the older pagan rites of that same time of year.

My opinion......
No matter where "Valentine's Day" came from, today is about love. What is love? None other than Jesus. So share Jesus' love with everyone you meet today!

What Girls REALLY Want for Valentines! Listen up Boys!

At Valentines, we are supposed to do something, give something, and have a card that says just the right thing about how we feel about our significant other. I think many guys get all bent out of shape over this because they really just don't know what to do.

Do I give her the same ole' teddy bear and box of chocolates? Do I buy her jewelry? Do I make something because I'm creative and want to show her that something from the heart is more important than throwing money down on something and calling it special? Does she really care if I buy her roses? Will an I.O.U suffice because I simply had no idea what to do, or ran out of time??

Lets address each of those individually....

Do I give her the same ole' teddy bear and box of chocolates?
     What did you give her last year? If you did this  last year, then NO. Spice it up! Do something different! But, if you do give her this, find the biggest teddy bear you can! If it doesn't already have ribbon, find some pretty sparkly, thick, ribbon and tie it around the bears kneck. Include a hand written love note tied on to the ribbon. If you buy chocolates, make sure you get the kind she likes! I personally do not like nuts, so any candy with nuts would not be a good pick. If you don't know, then buy truffles from a specialty candy store! What girl doesn't like Milk Chocolate Truffles??

Do I buy her jewelry?
   Unless you are planning on proposing, do NOT buy a ring. Because as soon as she see's that box, that's the first thing she will think! What a let down that would be!  Buy a necklace, or a bracelet. And you must spend at least $100. Don't buy something cheap or not real. If you can't afford this much, then don't bother. Why? Because in a girls mind, your jewelry cost defines how much you love her. And yes, every girl finds a way to find out how much you spent and what its worth!

Do I make something because I'm creative and want to show her that something from the heart is more important than throwing money down on something and calling it special?
   This is a tricky one. Something hand made, and from the heart is very special. If you really do put a lot of time and brain power into this, you can pull it off fairly well. But, if it looks cheap, like it took no more than 5 minutes to create, then it will probably appear you did not want to spend the money and went cheap on her. This is always a good option for those guys who don't have a lot of money to spend. If you do this, make it LOOK like you spent money and time on it.
   Don't give her a poem on regular paper. Type it up, use pretty paper, place the paper on a piece of pink or red construction paper or card stock to create a boarder. Spray it with your cologne. If you've got a little extra cash, buy a pretty frame to put it in. You need at least one rose to go with this. And give it to her as soon as you greet her at the door.
   If you're musically inclined, Sing the poem to her. Bonus points for sure!!

Does she really care if I buy her roses?
  YES. Yes. And YES. The only exception to this would be if you knew her favorite flower and wanted to show her you "noticed" her likes. This can mean a lot to know you cared more about getting her something special to her liking, than going with the traditional flower. Also, the MORE flowers the BETTER. This is like jewelry, the more you spend shows just how big your love is. If you can't afford a whole dozen, or two, or three, then even ONE rose can get the point across to the right girl. But it all has to do with how you present it. Dress it up. Add ribbon and maybe baby's breath. Wrap the stem in a pretty tissue paper. Never include a vase, because it will look like you bought it that way. If you go with only one rose, include a little card that says something like; "Two hearts, One rose, One love" or something sappy like that ;)
   Even if you buy her something expensive, you should include at least one rose. If you can afford to spend the money on the gift, then a few extra dollars for a flower will show her you went the extra mile :)

Will and I.O.U suffice because I simply didn't know what to do or ran out of time?
     Um...NO! DUH!  Every girl in America thinks "If you couldn't take time out of your day, just ONE day a year, to do something special for me, then that means you really could care less about my feelings or our relationship".  You appear thoughtless, or careless. She may say different, but she thinks it.  Don't get caught that last day without even thinking about what you want to do, and empty handed. Take time to really think about it, and prepare. The more you procrastinate, the less thoughtful your gift is going to appear.
   Now, if you really do get stuck in this situation because of things out of your control- Run by a spa, or her favorite jewelry store, department store, or specialty shop and buy her a gift certificate. If you go this route, $50 should be the minimum! You can't buy ANYTHING nice for less than $50 these days. If she doesn't get the immediate gratification from your gift on Valentines, she needs to look forward to spending it. She's going to feel cheated if you give her anything less.
   Then, on your way to her house stop by a flower shop or even gas station for at least one flower. At this point, you may not be able to find any roses, so the nicest flower you can find may be the best shot you got!

   In all the hustle and bustle today, we might forget to show our loved ones just how special they are, and how much we love them. Don't let Valentines get caught up in the business of life. Set that day apart and try your best to WOW her and make her feel special. If you can't go out and buy the expensive stuff, then do something simple, but MEANINGFUL.  Leave a rose on her pillow, or on her windshield, with a hand written note expressing your feelings. Make a pic-nick and take a stroll in a park. Take her to her favorite restaurant or rent her favorite movie and snuggle in on the couch.

   All the things listed above are superficial, materialistic. Some girls really go for that, or even require it. But, I say it's all about SHOWING your love, than it is how much money you spend. If you can afford to do an expensive gift along with just doing something special, great! But, if not, any good girl is going to appreciate the thought you put into making the day special without spending a bunch of money. If you do something simple, and actually put some thought into it, and she gets upset because you didn't spend- then you probably need to rethink that relationship. If she really cares about you, she cares about what you DID do for her, not what you DIDNT.

Here are a few bible verses that speak to healthy relationships. Read each one. It might help you in deciding how to express your love this Valentines Day, and you might can even use one on your hand written card :)

Romans 12:9-10                           

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.       

Proverbs 31:10          
An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.     

Mark 10:9         
What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.

Ephesians 5:33                     
However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Are YOU A Vampire Church Member???

Are you a part of a "vampire" church? Or are you a "vampire" church member? I've been to so many churches in recent years that are so dead inside, I don't know why they even stay open. They live amongst the living, and pretend they have something pumping inside, but when you take a closer look you see their ministry is colder than ice. No matter how hard you try to revamp their hunger for discipleship, community involvement, and just that thirst for feeling God move in their lives and their church, they just won't budge. They are vampires offended at the suggestion that they live in the day time. Sucking the blood out of what their purpose truly is. They may keep their pews warm, but the body has no movement, no purpose, no real definition. These churches are unwilling to let go of tradition, or what used to be. They expect the old ways of doing things to just magically reach the people of today. They are unwilling to work for ANYTHING. They come to church, sing a few songs, listen to the preacher, eat each others pot luck dinners, and go home. They are Zombies following the routine they think they are supposed to follow, missing the whole point! Are they even seeking God? Are they even seeking to reach out to their community in service, or to win other's for Jesus? THIS IS WHAT'S WRONG WITH MANY CHURCHES TODAY! We need a revival! Wake up your dead bodies and have some purpose! America needs you! Don't understand why America is failing? Because these same bench warmers sit back and let it happen because they are unwilling to stand up and take it back! We can't afford to be vampires anymore sucking out what life the church has left! How can we expect anyone to help this nation, when we have so many who aren't even trying to save their own churches? They sit back and watch their church fail, but just can't understand WHY. Well, because you did NOTHING to save it!

I Shall Not Want

Psalm 23: 1-4 "The Lord is my Shepard, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures: He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul : He leads me in the way of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and staff they comfort me." This has always been one of my favorite verses in Psalms. It reminds me that no matter what is going on in my life, and no matter how hard a situation may be, God is in control. We, as His children, have absolutely nothing to worry about. As long as we are living our lives for Him, we will want for nothing. Things may not be easy, and we may feel like we just aren't "living up to The Jone's", but our every need will be met. I get caught up sometimes with feeling less of a person because nearly everyone I associate with has a nicer home than I do. I honestly do not know of anyone my age who lives in a home older than 15 years old. All my friends and acquaintances live in these newer homes, excellent curb appeal, new furnishings, and decorated like you wouldn't believe. I often feel sad and embarrassed, to the point that I really just cant stand the thought of any of those people coming to my home. However, we are truly blessed to even have a home to live in! We may not own it, but it is a roof over our heads and meets our immediate needs! It really could be so much worse, and for that I am thankful! I think we often forget just how blessed we are! We may not have what others have. We may not get the things we want to fill up our lives to appear like a pretty little package on the outside. But, I know in my heart that no matter how our home may appear to others, its filled with love, God's love, and that's all that matters. I'd much rather have our humble home, and live a righteous life, than have a fancy home that fills our life with pride. In the end, it doesn't matter what you have as long as you've got what you need. Be thankful for what the Lord has given you. Why? Because there's always someone who has less than you.

Be Healthy

I, like many women, have struggled with my weight nearly all my life. Even in high school I was a little more meaty than the other girls. I wasn't over weight, just more filled out. Part of that was due to my dance background. Then, and even some now that I've retained, a good bit of my weight was due to musle mass because I was a dancer. My body was pretty firm, not mushy, but I still looked like I was carrying a little more weight because of it. Even now, people cannot believe how much I actually weigh, because I don't look like I weigh that much. When they find out how much I weigh they always comment "Well, you sure to carry yourself well, because you would never know you weigh that much!"

But now, after having three children, having to undergo a complete hysterectomy after my third, and just not being able to exercise due to my illness, I have gained so much weight and it was a month ago that I realized that I was gaining weight again when I noticed fat rolls starting to form on my lower back and belly. I've never been happy with my body, but to realize that my weight was spinning out of control I had to do SOMETHING.

I have several friends who started on Thinogenics, and every time I saw them they looked thinner. To find out that they only take one pill a day, only change their meals a little bit, and the key is water, and they weren't even exercising.... I knew I had to try it!

Well, I started Thinogenics last Wednesday, and I've already lost 10 lbs! I even forgot to take it for 2 days this week, and pigged out at my daughters birthday party Saturday night!

I know that God made us all unique, and we should be proud of our bodies. But, I do believe that God did not intend for us to let our bodies get out of control with extra weight on our bodies. There are places in the bible that tell us that over eating is actually as sin. I know that there are certain people who have health issues that make them keep a lot of extra weight on their bodies, regardless of what they eat, but He did not intend on us eating all of these foods with fillers, and for it to be processed with un-natural additives, that make us keep all this extra fat on our bodies.

A few years ago I tried a diet of eating only natural food. Nothing carbonated. No processed foods. Very low sugars. I mainly lived on veggies, flavored water, fruit, and one piece of meat, and one sugary thing a day. I ate all day, but only those things. I lost 20lbs in about a month and a half! That just goes to show you that all these foods we eat that are "easy" and "fast" are foods that make us gain weight.

However, there came a day where I just HAD to eat something bad for me. That ONE McDonalds meal and Coke did me in! Once I reintroduced myself to it, my body started craving it and little by little I started cheating more and more until I was eating all that junk all over again. Then, my illness set it, and I've been gaining weight ever since!

I say all this to remind you to eat healthy, stop eating junk, keep yourself in check! I'm not saying you need to start Thinogenics, I'm just saying that we've got to remind ourselves that we are killing ourselves with all this processed and unnatural food we consume. It's not just the weight, it's the health issues that come from the weight and fatty foods we consume. Before all these processed foods came out, people in America were typically 4 sizes smaller than the majority of Americans today. That should be a wake up call to all of us.

So, from now on, I'm committing myself to eating more healthy. Even if I go off the Thinogenics, I'm going to stop eating junk, processed foods, sodas, and sugars that are not good for me. I urge you to take the same initiative. I promise you will lose those extra pounds and feel so much better!

I know today's post isn't all that inspirational, but it's what's on my mind right now. If anything, I hope it just helps remind you to put that donut down and grab some broccoli! Put down that Coke or Sweet Tea, and add some Crystal Lite flavor drops (with no aspartame) to a bottle of water! :)

AMAZING thing called SPACE

 

 

My Son's third grade class took a trip to the Space And Rocket Center yesterday. I've always been interested in space, and all the wonders that are out there we know nothing about. But, I was in complete awe at the movie we watched about the Hubble Space Telescope.

First, we walked into this huge theatre, like no theatre I've ever seen. The seats were so steep, that when we reached our seats I honestly felt like I was going to pass out. The room was a big oval which actually made me nauseated because it was so disorienting. I couldn't breath. I had to get out of there!

However, when they movie started I couldn't take my eyes off of the screen! Not that you could if you wanted to, because the screen was so ginormous that it almost felt like you were watching it in 3D.

The images that were coming across that screen were as if you were literally flying through space. The Hubble telescope is an AMAZING invention!

 

I've always imagined that when I die that God would grant me the wish of flying through space and seeing all of his creation on the way to where He is in Heaven. This experience was just like this! It took everything I am to not stand up in that theatre, as scared as I was, and just spread my arms wide like I'm flying! Looking at the pictures you can see online is NOTHING compared to the experience of actually flying through the air with the Hubble Telescope actually going INTO the amazing stars, other galaxies, and other AWESOME stuff I don't even know the names of!

 

If you ever go to the Space and Rocket Center, you've GOT to go see that movie and experience it.

If you don't already believe in God, then you will after seeing this movie. There just is no way you can't after taking in all that breathtaking beauty that is out there!

 

I started out breathless from the disorientation from the room, to being completely breathless from observing all of God's creation! The things He has created just brought tears to my eyes! Words cannot even begin to explain what it looks like out there!

 

I would encourage you to do a web search for Hubble Space Telescope Images. It is simply mind-blowing to see the pictures of what this telescope has captured! The picture above is one of those, out of thousands, that it has seen!

 

MIND BLOWING!

Psalm 91 PROTECT US FROM THE STORM

When I was in the 6th grade, our home in Marietta Georgia was hit by a tornado. Ever since I have been deathly afraid that one day I would relive that scary day. Our home was not destroyed, but damaged by tree's that had been thrown around the yard. There was no tree left in our yard at that time. The biggest tree in our yard, a HUGE pine tree, was perfectly cut, as if done by a chain saw, into three pieces (about 40 ft long, and weighing hundreds of pounds each). Each piece rested on a different side of our home. All just resting peacefully, as if set there on purpose, nice and neatly against the house on all three sides.

Now, there is just no way that could have possibly happened if it hadn't been for divine intervention. Even bushes that were only 5 feet tall up against our home completely disappeared. Yet, our home still stood. I believe firmly that the Lord had his hand on our home that night protecting us from harm.

Psalm 91 reminds us that God protects His people. That is not to say that bad things won't happen to us, but His promise is that no matter what does happen to us, that He has us in His hands, and will take care of the situation. When the tornado's came through North Alabama in April two years ago, people asked "How could God let this kind of thing happen to us!?".  I've felt that same feeling when things have gone severely wrong in my own life, but who are we to question God's will? I believe that every trial we face comes at us for a reason. Our brains simply cannot even fathom the vastness of Gods plan, and perhaps that's why we question it all the time.

The bible also says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understandings, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6.

I know that hard times, bad storms, or even tragedy may come my way, but I trust that God knows what He's doing- whether it be to take care of me here on Earth, or bring me to Heaven to live with Him.

10 Things That Change When You Become A Mom

When we are young, we just can't wait to be married! Its a dream us girls plan nearly from the day  we are born. We carry around our baby dolls and dream about being married to daddy one day just like mommy. Cute, yes. My oldest daughter asked my husband the other day if she could marry him when she grows up. I think he thought it kinda strange, but in research about child behavior I find that it's perfectly normal for a little girl to think that daddy is the perfect person to marry one day.

BUT, Does anyone ever warn us that once we are married and have children that our lives will completely change? That all of our wants and needs go out the window while we are taking care of our families? At least, that's the attitude a woman SHOULD have when she has a family. I've sacrificed a lot in my life since being married and having children. There are some women who manage to have families, and yet their lives do not change at all. They still do the things they want, go where they want, and pursue their dreams because they hire someone else to do the "mommy duties", or they simply just ignore their children and the children end up raising themselves. I'm kinda in the middle now. I, for years, followed my husband wherever his ministry took us, and stayed at home doing nothing but taking care of the kids all day and night. But, I've learned in the last year or so that I CAN still do that, AND have some time for myself. I was in a deep depression because I never was able to do anything for myself, or have any time alone just to vegge out. I really wore me down. I've learned that you've got to put your family first 90% of the time, and leave at least 10% of your time to just be alone and do something nice for yourself. Get your nails done! Get your hair cut! Go shopping by yourself! If you don't have anyone to watch your kids, rent them a movie, pop some popcorn and tell them to stay there and do not move for at least an hour while you take a hot bath with the door locked or read a book or some other thing you enjoy!

Here is a list of things that Change when we become moms:      :)

1)Sleep is a word that you must just erase from your vocabulary! Especially if you're a mom of a newborn. However, it doesn't get that much better as they get older. Even one's that start out in their own beds at the beginning of the night find a way to sneak in your bed.

2)Clean Clothes. At some point in your day your child WILL find a way to ruin that brand new top you wore for the first time today with their little spaghetti fingers! ALWAYS keep a spare outfit in the trunk. Clean laundry is also a challenge because I find that I always wash their clothes first to make sure they have something to wear, forgetting about myself-leaving me in sweats and a t-shirt for the third day in a row! LOL

3) Vacations IF you are able to take vacations at all, those vacations you once knew are a thing of the past! Your vacation is no longer about relaxation and that special alone time with your significant other. No, your vacations now are about what the kids will enjoy-Destinations with plenty of activities to keep them busy and entertained. While you may have a good time watching them have fun- from now on its all about THEM :)

4)PUKE is the new "normal". If you're like me, before I had children I could not stand the site or even sound of someone throwing up. If I saw or heard it, it was all over for me as well!  But, when you're little one is sick as can be, throwing up all over you and your bed, your "mommy gut" kicks in and you simply do what you have to, and tho it may gross you out a bit, its no longer the same issue as it was before.

5)Non-Mommy Friends Disappear  You are no longer "cool" or fun to hang out with when you have children. After about the third time your friend calls you to come hang out or go to a party and you say, "I cant, I don't have a sitter" or "I cant, my baby is sick", you probably won't hear from that friend as much as you used to. No matter how good a friend she/he may be, if they don't have kids, then they don't have the same restraints as you, and they are going to want a friend who has the same freedoms to do those fun last minute plans out on the town!

6)Taking Showers/Baths are now considered a LUXURY! I've always been afraid to take a shower or bath with the door closed or locked because I'm just so afraid something might happen without me realizing it. Therefore, my relaxing bath time turns into the baby playing with the bubbles, and insisting she join me, while the older ones comment on every body part I have still visible from the bubbles, as I try to grab a towel to cover myself. I've learned I have to pick my bath time wisely to actually get anything relaxing out of it.

7)MINE is no longer YOURS. Now, everything you have your children think is theirs as well. Am I the only one who sneaks a Dove candy bar to my bedroom and hides beside her bed so she doesn't have to share?

8)FOOD My little one will sit forever and not eat a single thing off her plate. But, put her in my lap and she will eat every bite on MINE. For some reason the food on mommy's plate tastes so much better than she same food on her own.

9)Weight Many women will never see that size of dress they wore or weigh the same as they did before having children. Mainly because your body changes so much during pregnancy, but also because we get so busy rushing our little ones around that fast food and anything that is convenient becomes part of your normal routine. Fast and convenient almost always equals unhealthy and/or full of fat.

10)Personal Appearance Before having children, I would never, ever, EVER let another human being see me without my hair done and full makeup. I also tried my best to always wear something cute, just because you never know who you are going to see while you are out. But, after having babies, I've come to realize that no one cares what I look like, and what does it matter now anyway? I mean, I've got my man, who else do I need to impress now? My main problem is not having the TIME to get myself all dolled up before getting the kids out the door in the morning. I'd much rather have that extra 45 minutes of sleep that make sure I'm wearing mascara. However, in the last year I've begun to care a little bit more about myself. I may not get fully dressed or makeup on before taking the kids to school, but now I at least attempt to go home and make myself cute before being seen in public :)

These are just a FEW things that change when you become a mom. We might can touch on some more of those later...

One thing is true no matter what changes we go through or have to make once we become a mother, and that things is ITS WORTH IT :)

Cheerio's are the enemy!!

  With a 2 year old, 7 year old, and 8 year old, my house is never...should I say...clean. Not even a little. Because the minute I clean one room and move to the next, the first room I cleaned is now an absolute mess again because my 2 year old is the most mischievous, curious, independent child I know. She's been climbing since she was 6 months old, and hasn't stopped going 90 miles to nothin' ever since!  I've never been one to be "tidy" in the first place, and having children has only made things worse. I'm awful at organizing and I really would prefer to not be cleaning every single day. For my home to actually be clean, I would have to clean about 5 hours every day just to keep up with those little feet running amuck constantly pulling things off shelves, finding her big sissy's things to destroy, pick up every crumb she drops. IM JUST NOT THAT KIND OF MAMA!  When I have the energy, I try to get things more in order, but that's just not something that happens often.    I'm not usually easily distracted when performing a task, but when it comes to cleaning, there is just SO much that needs attention that I move from thing to thing without always finishing the task I originally started. I can clean for hours, walk in the room, and I can't even tell I lifted a finger! It is exceptionally hard with a little one running around behind you pulling out the things you just organized and put away.   Cheerios are Savannah's favorite snack, but I've come to realize they are my worst enemy! If I have to clean up another pile of Cheerios from the floor I think I just might scream! No matter how many you pick up, you ALWAYS find another one! Finally, when I've crashed on the couch, I spot it from across the room. It stares at me! It taunts me from across the room! Knowing I just can't do anything about it laying there! Just when I can't stand it any more... the baby walks by, notices it, and eats it! HAHA! Take THAT Cheerio! It won't hurt her, right? God made dirt, and dirt don't hurt! At least, that's what I choose to believe :)

15 Things Every Preacher's Wife Should Know

 (Ephesians 5:22-24). If the Lord calls a man into the ministry, He calls the whole man, and that includes the man's wife and his family.

Negative Vibes

"Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your mind in the way." Proverbs 23:19

My life has been everything but normal, simple, slow, or easy....I've probably lived life for about three other people-other than myself. I've been through so much that I think sometimes, without realizing, I come across being a little negative sounding. In my head, I'm simply explaining what is happening to me, but others seem to take that "sharing" as "complaining". However, I never tell it in a way that sounds like I'm complaining, I'm simply sharing the facts about what is going on. My best friend still lives in the Atlanta area, where I grew up. And all my college friends have moved on and we lost contact once I was married and started having kids. So, I really do not have anyone in my life, other than my best friend, Portia, who is still in Atlanta- which is about 5 hours away.  I find myself sharing about my day and things that are happening on my Facebook page as a "release", mainly just because I don't have anyone to talk to. I get pretty lonely not having a best friend near me to spend time with. One of my other Bama Wives/Dixie Divas told me that she thought I was the most "negative" person in the cast because I was always sharing my life on Facebook and it was very rare that she saw something positive on my page. But, I'm over here like...well, does ANYTHING good ever happen to me? If it did, I would share it just as I do anything else! I don't know, it just really struck a cord with me, and made me think more about the things I say on Facebook. Regardless of what is happening in my life, I've tried to lighten things up and not share as much about my personal life. I've also tried my best to make sure I put something positive and friendly every day.  As the Proverb above says, I'm trying to be more wise about my decisions, and think more positively and in the way of the Lord. Jesus wants us to just be thankful for what we have, because He gave it to us. I'm trying to rely more on God to take care of the things in my life that are not perfect, and just be content in knowing that I am a child of God, and that is all that is important!

Naughty Nature

Have you ever wondered why so many pastors have so many children? Or why, most pastors, seem to just be Ga-Ga over their wives, no matter what they do?  Well, I have a fun hypothesis! Here is what I think....See, pastors have a certain reputation they must live up to. In public, they are supposed to appear to be blameless, sinless, and an example of how others should live their lives. Being a pastor's wife, I've seen this first hand! We are all born into sin, and no matter your position in the community or society, you just cant get past that sinful nature that is in us no matter how hard we may try to suppress it, and do good. People without the title of "pastor" or "religious leader" do not have that same pressure to never be seen doing or saying something they shouldn't. Pastors have to try much harder to be that example they know the community is expecting them to be.  So, where do they let out all that frustration? Stress? Sinful nature?.....yes, I AM going there....IN THE BEDROOM!  Now, Of course, if you are married, what happens in the bedroom (or any other room in the house) is not a sin, but I believe that this may be the place where pastor's and other religious leaders may let loose, give in to their desires, and be a little naughty. This is one of those situations where it's a pleasure to be a preachers wife :)

Women pastors

Just a little church humor today :)

A church had to hire a new pastor. Over the protests of one very vocal male member, a woman was hired as the new senior pastor.

After the new pastor had been there a few weeks, a member of the congregation offered to take the new pastor fishing. The vocal objector reluctantly agreed to allow them to use his boat and to go along. He figured he could use the opportunity to his gain somehow to prove women do not belong in ministry.

The trio got into the boat and motored out on the lake. When they got ready to fish, they realized that all their tackle had been left on the dock. One of the men commented that he guess they would just have to go back and get it!

"that wont be necessary", said the woman pastor;
and she got out of the boat and started walking across the water toward the dock.

The old grouch said, "See I told you we never should have hired that woman. She can't even swim!"

Funny Song about A Preachers Wife - YouTube

Funny Song about A Preachers Wife - YouTube

Walker, you're gonna kill me...but this is just too funny not to share! hahahahahahaha

Ain't THAT the truth!!

In the beginning, God created the earth and rested.


 Then God created Man and rested.


 Then God created Woman.


Since then, neither God nor Man has rested.

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Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I Love Ya! Tomorrow! You're Always A Day Away!

A few days ago a friend of mine posted this picture on her Facebook page. I immediately thought "Girl! You know better than that!" It makes me so sad that so many people out there think that when they die- that's it! Zilch! Nada! You're just...GONE. If I believed that, I guess I'd be unhappy too! These people are missing out on, not only an eternity with Jesus, but the Joy they could be experiencing here on earth knowing that there IS TOMORROW! You may not be here on earth, but you WILL spend the rest of eternity SOMEWHERE! Where will you be? With Jesus, it doesn't matter what happens tomorrow because He told us not to worry about it! He said "I got this!". (Matthew 6:34). As Christians, the promise of tomorrow is not the promise of another day here, but an eternity of awesome tomorrows! I am reminded of this old hymn, Who Holds Tomorrow, you can find on youtube sung by Allyson kraus, take a listen :) Take some time to think about it...if tomorrow never came...where would YOU spend it? I sure hope its in the eternal arms of our Lord, Jesus. If you are unsure, then get down on your knee's and pray that the Lord guide you, and speak to your heart. If this post has touched your heart, then its time. Its time to stop worrying about where you spend your eternity. Without Him, we are nothing. And without Him living in us we are destined to an eternity of tomorrow's in hell. I don't want anyone to have to face that. So please, give your heart to Jesus, ensure that tomorrow is bright and with God no matter where you are when you wake up when this day is through. If you have questions, feel free to email me or contact your local pastor if you are seeking salvation or just simply have questions! God Bless! AskThePreachersWife@gmail.com

Sickness

I'm a mom of three little ones. When one gets sick, then the other, THEN the other, THEN the cycle starts all over AGAIN!  For example, my baby, who was the first to get sick four days ago, was better until 3am this morning, when she woke me crying and wanting something to drink. She was hot as fire, and was just plain pitiful! After some much needed drink and ibuprofen she settled down about 430, but of course, I was wide awake and up for the day. I am SOOO not a morning person! UGH!  She took two naps today which is WAY off her normal routine since its hard to get her to take even one these days. After picking the other two up from school, settled in, I came in here to check my blog. Once again, she climbs up next to me in the bed just now and coughed so hard that she threw up all over the bed, and ME!  EEWW!
Anyway, for some strange reason I started to think about this from a biblical perspective. I know, I know, How in the world could there be a message in this?? You're weird! Well, it made me think about how we are all, from time to time, spiritually sick and how Jesus sees us when we are in that state. When I see my babies hurting, so sick they just can't seem to move, and just don't know how to help themselves- it makes my heart hurt! I can't stand to see those weak little eyes looking at me, wanting to cuddle up next to mommy and wanting to be held. I imagine when we have strayed away, involved heavily in sin that makes our spirit sick, Jesus looks down on us, as we look up at Him with our sad, weak eyes, and I bet he wants more than ANYTHING for us to want to curl up next to him on that Heavenly Comfy Couch up in the sky and feed us Chicken Noodle Soup until we are better. I imagine He hurts when He seesour hurt- and wants nothing more than to make us better. God is not just a distant God up in the sky that keeps the earth moving. He is compassionate. He is merciful. He wants nothing more than to be close to us and heal our bodies and our souls when we are sick. So, next time you're sick-whether you are physically sick or spiritually sick or weak- Turn that illness over to Jesus and embrace yourself in the medicines He has to offer such as prayer, the Bible, and fellow believers who can also pray for you and help keep you accountable for your life decisions.
Now, let me go wash my sheets so I can actually go to bed tonight. Again, I say....EWW!

Prayer Request

At the conference I recently went to the youth group leaders and pastors were asked to help Council students who were making a decision for salvation or any other decisions. The first girl who came forward could not tell me why she came forward, nor could she tell me what Salvation was or why she was seeking it. I am afraid that no real decision was made that day. Mainly, because I do believe that there was something mentally wrong with this girl. Who Am I to say that she did not ask Jesus into her heart that night, but I do not believe she truly understood what was going on. If everyone around the world could pray for this girl then that would be wonderful. Please pray that God speaks to her heart and helps her to  understand what it means to become a Christian if she does not already. I believe in the power of prayer and if people all over the world are praying for her I believe that, if not already, she will come to salvation. If you are praying for her please comment PRAYING so we can see how many out there are supporting her in prayer! :)

Where Is Jesus NOW?

The holidays are over. Its now January 23rd, and yes I am just now taking down my Christmas tree. Yes, I AM that neighbor! Haha! While I was taking down my tree and decorations, a sadness came over me because the feelings of closure of something I looked forward to all year long was over. No more lights, no more fancy parties, family get-to-gathers, or sweet carols on the radio that warm your heart every time you hear them. What do we do now? The birth of Jesus seems to be something we only celebrate one time a year. Even at that, we fill that celebration with our own selfish rituals of gift giving and receiving, christmas programs at school and church, and the after Christmas rush to the stores to get the mark downs of all the stuff left over. When Christmastime is over, very rarely do we tend to think of the one and only special gift of Jesus again. As Christians, we need to celebrate the birth of Jesus EVERY day. Don't get caught up in the worlds way of celebrating Jesus. Jesus celebrates you, treasures you, desires to be with you EVERY day, EVERY minute, EVERY second, EVERY breath He allows you to take! Don't we owe Him,( the one who stepped down out of Heaven, to come to this nasty place to save us from this black whole) the same love and devotion? Where is YOUR Jesus now? Is He packed up with all your decorations, or is He front and center in your "living room" for all to see?

A Little Joke for Today :)

A Baptist pastor was presenting a children's sermon. During the sermon, he asked the children if they knew what the resurrection was. Now, asking questions during children's sermons is crucial, but at the same time, asking children questions in front of a congregation can also be very dangerous.
Having asked the children if they knew the meaning of the resurrection, a little boy raised his hand. The pastor called on him and the little boy said, "I know that if you have a resurrection that lasts more than four hours you are supposed to call the doctor."
It took the congregation over 10 minutes for laughter to finally stop before The pastor could continue on with the children's sermon.
OH MY! Now that's about the funniest "church" joke I've ever heard!  HAHAHAHA!

TALK TO ME!

If any of you have questions or comments you would like to share, Please write me! I cannot get comments to work on this page, so I created an email address where I can be contacted. You can contact me at  BlogOfAPreachersWife@gmail.com!

LYPO SUCTION

Have you ever considered Lypo Suction? Lypo involves shoving tubes into your body that is connected to a vacuum that sucks out all the unwanted fat in your body. Its quick, but takes day to recover because your body is in absolute shock at how invasive the abuse to your body is. Many people consider Lypo because all the fat they have on their bodies slows them down, gets in the way of the things they would like to do, and makes them feel like less of a person when they look in the mirror, their self image is severely damaged every time they pass by the mirror, seeing all about themselves they may want to change.
I have been trying to do Lypo suction myself, but not the kind of Lypo you may be thinking. I'm ready for all the toxins and fat that are in my LIFE holding me back. For example, Ive been very sick for a long time. First they told me I had Fibromyalgia. They just couldn't figure out anything else because of how awful I felt all the time, and the body pain I was experiencing. They figured I also had some sort of autoimmune disease because of my blood tests always pointed in that direction. However, with my wide range of symptoms they just couldn't hone in on which one it might be. One day I woke up with my eye completely swollen shut, with a rash all over my face and neck. I immediately went to the hospital because I just simply looked like something out of a Scooby Doo episode. They told me that they thought I had shingles. However, two days later I woke up and the rash had spread to the opposite side of my body, and down my back. Now, the common person knows that Shingles only affects one side of the body because it runs thru a nerve pattern. Nerves are positioned in your body only following one side of your body, no nerve pattern is on both sides of your body. The doctor tells me that I most probably have something autoimmune, and most probably Lupus with this rash on my face, called a Butterfly rash. I'm still undergoing preliminary treatment for Lupus. I say all this because this kind of physical attack has been on my body for years. It is very rare that I wake up and feel "ok". I'm ALWAYS sore, ALWAYS hurting somewhere, I'm ALWAYS tired. This illness has been running my life and how I plan my day and activities. But, Lupus or not, I'm ready to just take that Lupus, that hurt, that exhaustion and say "LEAVE ME, JESUS TAKE THIS PAIN FROM ME, GOD CLEANSE MY BODY AND MAKE ME WHOLE AGAIN! I KNOW ONLY YOU CAN TAKE THIS SICKNESS AND MAKE ME WHITE AS SNOW AGAIN!
Through the many hurts I've had in my life, there is ONE thing that always makes me feel better...and EVERY girl can relate to....SHOPPING!! This is where I move on to the next thing I need Jesus to take control of. To LYPO from my life. I've taken one toxin and only transferred it to another toxic thing that has become and addiction in my life I've used to try to cover up another. Now, over the years I have learned to control my shopping addiction. With the help of my husband, and his father counseling us on how to spend our money, I've been able to live within my means. But, it was only 3 years ago that I was spending a thousand dollars over what our monthly allowance was. We were in such a bad place that we turned over all of our finances to Benjamin's father. He received our debit cards, and we were given cash to spend each week. We were in no shape to handle our down finances anymore, because I obviously could not control my spending habits. Through discipline and example I have learned how to budget my spending. That is not to say that I do not still have those cravings for spending, that I do not think about the things I would like to have, but by turning over the toxic thing I was letting control me, I learned what healthy spending was.
Just like I turned over my addiction, my craving, the thing that I let define who I was to Benjamin's father, we need to turn over those same things to our HEAVENLY father. We've got to come to a point where we hit that brick wall of needing help that we just cry to Jesus "TAKE THIS FROM ME. TAKE AWAY MY OBSESSIONS AND MAKE YOU MY ONLY OBSESSION!"
It takes so much more than ourselves to purge the things on our lives that control us, we MUST turn those things over the our God that is so much bigger than our sins, our problems, our obsessions. We have to WANT them gone. We have to MAKE them gone. And only HE can make that happen.
Like Lypo, it only takes a moment to ask God to take things thing's from us, but it takes a LONG time to recover and to make the lifestyle change to KEEP those things away from us that control us. We may fail, but we gotta pick ourselves up and just try again. He's always there making us new, IF we truly want it in our heart.
Psalm 51:10 Says :  "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."

And A song I think helps sum all this up:
http://www.shazam.com/discover/track/53885683      Turn Around

TAKE UP THY CROSS

When Jesus told the disciples to take up their cross and follow Him, I'm sure they were quite confused. Possibly thinking He was a bit off his rocker. Why? Because to them, a cross represented the worse of thieves and other criminals. When they saw a cross, it was because someone had done something very, very bad. They never saw little gold chains with shiny dangling crosses handing from around anyone's neck, nor tattoos with crosses on anyone's arm, or decorative crosses hanging on anyone's wall.  No, when they saw a cross, they knew that someone awful had happened and it most certainly was no accessory they were ever going to have!
But Jesus, I believe, I was telling them something much deeper. I think He was trying to explain to them that they are supposed to leave all that they do, all that they know, all the defines them, all that confines them, all that traps them, all that distracts them from the one true purpose of life, and make HIM all that they do, make HIM all that they know, make HIM all the defines them, make HIM all that confines them, make HIM all that SETS US FREE, make HIM all that distracts us from the WORLD. HE should be our one and only purpose for everything we do.
Can you take up YOUR cross? Or is that task still just too heavy to lift?

There Are No Victims!

People like to blame their bad decisions they've made on their circumstances. They like to play the Victims card. Just like Eve blamed the snake, Adam blamed God for the woman. But! But! Its not my fault! She made me do it! Some preachers claim Jesus was a victim so he could reach the victims. Theologically thats false. Jesus was NEVER a victim! Jesus told us ahead of time He would lay down His life, and He would also be the one to make it rise! Own your sin! Take responsibility! Stop playing the victim. Jesus didnt claim to be one, so neither do we have that card to play. The Redeemed are never helpless!

The Passion

I work with youth currently at our church. I love it. Aside from the fun I have with them, I think I mainly enjoy it because I want so much for them to learn from my mistakes. They are all at the age I was when I began making some pretty big life mistakes that I still deal with and regret today. I dont want that for them. I want to catch them now and pound it in their heads that its just not worth it! I want to distill in them that the fun they are having now will not last. There are always consequences that will catch up with you eventually. I dont want them to go thru the pain, regret, and guilt I went thru by my poor choices. But, they aren't going to learn without experiencing life. Our decisions we make are what makes us who we are, molds us for who we will become, and hopefully learn from those experiences. I love them as my own children, so I dont want them to hurt. Why cant they just learn from ME so that they know better. You can tell a child a hundred times the stove is hot. You'll get burned. But they don't truly understand what that means until they touch it for themselves and feel that pain from their bad decision.

Dont Eat The Donuts On Sunday!

As parents of 3 small children, Benjamin and I have great difficulties being clean by the time we arrive to church. Ive always got something on me by the time we arrive such as syrup, orange juice, make-up from my 7yr old thinking shes old enough for it, and I have to take it all off or else she'll show up looking like Tammy Faye, or unfortunately poop from the baby on my hand I somehow missed after an epic diaper change before we left the house! Eeeww!!! Benjamin very often has something on him, although Im not sure why. But he does. There have been many sundays Im sitting in the congregation listening to him preach, however I just cant seem to concentrate because I cant take my eyes off the huge stain on his suit jacket. Hopefully Ill stare at it enough for the whole congregation no one else will notice! Haha Remember, no powdered donuts on Sundays! Cause that stuff just cant be covered up!

Have You Seen My Mother?

When I was eight years old my mother dropped a huge bomb on me! And I mean HUGE! We were driving down the road talking about me wanting a brother or sister and she mentions a boy named Shane. She asks me if I remember him. Well, no. She informs me I actually have 3 brothers Ive never met. WHAT!!? Then, just when I think thats the news she giving me, she informs me I was adopted. She tells me my real mother was a party hound and couldnt take care of any of us kids and while she would leave for months at a time to party, would leave us kids at different peoples houses, including theirs, with no notice of her return. She suspected I was being molested as a two year old by the many men that she would bring home, and thats why she and my father decided to adopt me. WHOA! WHAT!!? My heart was broken. I just didnt understand all that I was being told. I was only 8!! I went into a severe depression, why would my real mother be that way? Why didnt she fight for me? Didnt she love me? I never talked about this with my father. He was one of those people where it was very difficult to communicate such delicate situations. He just was never comfortable being all mushy and open with sharing feelings. I do know that he knew that I knew about the situation because a friend I had told in the 6th grade mentioned it in front of him. " Is this your dad" "Yes! Who else would it be?" "Well you told me you were adopted. I didnt know if this was your real dad" My father did not speak to me for two whole days. When he did finally speak he told me he was very hurt I told people that he wasnt my real father. First of all, thats not what I said. But for some reason he felt hurt by the fact that I knew. I assured him it did not matter who made me, but that HE was my dad no matter where I came from. I remember thinking he was about to cry. At that, the subject was never mentioned again. Years later, at the age of 28, already married with 2 kids, I get a Facebook message that reads. "I dont know if this is really you, but I think you're my sister" I nearly fainted! This was Shane! The boy my mother asked me about. To be continued......

Im just...ME

This is how I feel. Ive spent most of my life with others treating me like Im trying to be better than them. When, in reality, Im just being me, and aiming to be a BETTER me. I dont care if its better than you, as long as Im being better than I was yesterday.

SAVED

Well, its been a while since I last posted on my blog. And so here comes the 4th blog since I opened this account. I promise I will do a much better job of posting from now on since Ive got a new computer.

I lot has happened since my last post, my son got saved, my father got very ill, and eventually passed, the TV show is still running, slowly but surely. I hear that Snoop Dog's mother has footage from our show...how WEIRD and yet COOL is that?

This past summer I did a children's camp at our associational campgrounds/cabins. We actually had 3 individuals come forward to be saved, one of them...was my son.
 Ive felt for quite some time that God was working on his heart. His understanding of the bible and God in general just seemed to be on more of a personal level of understanding that the abstract version most children see God.

Most children believe in God, and just believe because...well, just because they do. They don't necessarily know why, they just do because they want to, or they've been raised in the church and know thats just what they are supposed to believe. Kinda like Santa and the Tooth Fairy. They know they have never seen the one and only Santa (other than Santa's helper in the mall), or the Tooth Fairy...yet...they truly believe they exist. I think that's probably how young children see God. This invisible "being"  thats just out there somewhere who does things for them from time to time.

Will, on the other hand has had a deeper understanding since he was very young. He's always clung to bibles like they were his most prized possessions. He would ride around in his little battery powered car, with bible in the seat beside him. He would stop, pick up his bible and say...

"The Bible says we go THAT way", and off he would go in that direction.

I asked him once, when he would say this... "Why do you think that, Will?". and his
response would always be...

 "Because the bible tells us the way to go"...let me remind you that this child was only three and four years old when he started this. 

So, obviously this baby knew in his heart who his God was and who and where to go when he needed direction. Out of the mouths of babes.....

My point of sharing this is to say this....Will told us for quite some time that he had Jesus in his heart and was ready for baptism. But, we wanted to make sure he was ready. Well, thats not our place. Even as his parents, we have no right to keep any child from embracing his God until WE think he's ready...thats between God and that child. If your child says they are ready...TAKE THEM.

Bama Wives Dixie Divas

I grew up doing theater, dance, and voice training. I was a member of some pretty reputable companies even at a young age. Growing up in the Atlanta area gave me that luxury. So being in the spotlight has always been a part of my life. Several years after moving to Alabama I was judging a beauty pageant where I met the owner of a talent agency and she signed me on as a talent and she became my agent and friend. Her agency came up with a great idea for a reality TV show named bama wives Dixie divas. I went for interviews and made it onto the show. So far we have shot several scenes and I have had a blast meeting these other women. We have a facebook page if you would like to go and follow us during this filming process. I am not sure if a network will ever pick up on the show but it is exciting to think that I may end up on TV one day. I am also very nervous about how the world is going to perceive me. I am not your typical preacher's wife. While I may be fairly conservative, I am still human. I make mistakes. I don't always say the right thing, or come off the way I mean to. I have a very wild past and sometimes that past bleeds into my present, but I try my best to be the woman I want to be, and not the woman I used to be. People expect a preacher's wife to be perfect, and if they find anything short of that then you become the subject of ridicule and judgements. I just hope the show sees me for who I am, human.