We are Forever His

Stay at home mom?

2011-09-24T08:23:00.000-07:00

Are you a stay at home mom, or have you desired to be one?
For twenty years I was a stay at home mom and had the privilege of being home with my five children, but as most of you know, I have had to since go to the work force and help make ends meet since hubby had become disabled. It has been an adjustment for the whole family, but God in his graciousness has given me very good jobs that have helped with the family needs.

One way the Lord has dropped in my lap of making extra income has been Mary Kay and eventually I desire to use this as a vehicle to drive myself back home.
I have always loved the product and used it for years, I have also desired to sell it for many years, but never really thought to pursue it seriously plus hubby was never really on board. This year the Lord had a lady present the opportunity to my husband and I and for the first time my husband was really for it.

In April I began a Mary Kay consultant and have loved it! I pray and ask the Lord to do it for me. I have been amazed at what he has done with the business. It is totally in his hands. If he wants me to be successful he will open doors, if he wants me to just make a few extra bucks, he will do it for me. Of course when the doors are open, I must walk through them, but he gives me the brain power to see the doors when they are set before me.

If you have ever considered selling Mary Kay, why don't you just give this opportunity a shot just to see if you can do it. Even if you do not want to do this challenge and you desire to sign up to be a consultant or just place an order with me, Visit my website today.

Rebecca Estep
Mary Kay Independent Consultant

If you can sell 10 MK Ultimate Mascara's buy Sept 30th,2011 You will earn your very own Mary Kay Ultimate Mascara and Oil Free makeup remover, if you sell 5 of these, you will earn your very own MK Ultimate Mascara. Call all your friends and see if they will help you out today!
Visit my website today and register and when you have gathered your orders, place your order and When your order is registered I will add your earnings to your order when it is shipped.
Leave a comment below and let me know you visited my site.

Giveaway ending September 23, 2011

2011-09-04T11:17:00.000-07:00

GO HERE TO ENTER

85-piece Complete The Look Palette - Limited Edition
Makeup Artist Brush Belt
10 - Single Eyeshadow
10 - Blush
Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder
Mineral Face Primer
Mineral Eyeshadow Primer
2 - Conditioning Lip Balm SPF 15
Mineral Infused Mascara
Eyeliner & Shadow Stick
Pout Perfecter
Cream Liner

Second Prize

85-piece Complete The Look Palette - Limited Edition
Mineral Eyeshadow Primer
2 - Hello Kitty Flavored Lip Balm

**Please read Requirements carefully**

Open to ANYONE and EVERYONE ;]

Naysayer or Encourager?

2011-08-19T06:52:00.000-07:00

Are you a Naysayer? One who frequently engages in excessive complaining, negative banter and/or a genuinely poor and downbeat attitude.
OR
Are you an encourager? One who inspires with hope, courage, or confidence; hearten.

Over the last few years our trials have at times been so unbearable and I had allowed myself to fall into a WOE IS ME, mentality. Such a terrible state to be in, I could hardly stand myself, let alone expecting anyone else to put up with me.
The very week (Jan, 2011) we moved to Ok City, my husband was bit by something, not sure if it was a brown recluse or a snake, but it quickly turned into a staph infection and landed him in the hospital for 5 days. (with no insurance, mind you) There was a pocket of about a month that he was going to be with out insurance and this fell right into that pocket of time. This is now August 2011 and he is still battling the healing process of this wound on his ankle. Through this time, Mike has been the sickest I have ever seen him. He has battled with Adema and recently diagnosed with full blown diabetes,and has just has been one sick man.
It is also different living in the City, we are just some country folks and Mike really does not like the city life.
In May I injured my knee at work and immediately was taken from the sales floor and put in customer service sitting, and the sitting has earned me about 10 of my twenty pounds I had lost the previous 4 months before moving to the city.
With much therapy and trying to get my knee back to par, they finally did an MRI and found a few tears that needed to be surgically repaired. On June 24th, I had the pleasure of surgery, which now I am very thankful I had done.

With all of these trials of course the trial of finances comes into play, having to be off work for three weeks and having to pay my full insurance premium (which are not cheap). We came to Ok City almost completely debt free and now I can no longer say that.
I said all of this to make a point. There are so many other circumstances that I could bore you with to allow you to understand the magnitude of the depression I found myself in and feeling like, What is God doing to us? Did we make the right decision to move to Ok. City? OH WOE IS ME mixed with lots of tears.

One day a dear friends had taken the time to invite us to their home while our children were out of town to teen camp. We had a great night of fellowship but the one thing I personally walked away from that night is this. These two dear folks spent the whole night talking about my dear Saviour and how good He has been to them and how real He is in their lives and how much He has done for them and how HE loves them and blesses them, and how He had moved mountains in their life and answered prayers for them. For the first time in months, the black cloud cracked open and a ray of hope shined through. I could see HIM again.

When we get our eyes on circumstances of life and we loose sight of WHO HE REALLY IS, a black cloud appears and blinds our eyes. God wants us to be constantly adding things to our life. Faith, Virtue, Knowledge,etc. and when we stop adding these things we become blind to HIM. We have to continually claim his word and fight the neg thoughts of despair and constantly learn who is is and if we do not we become blind and forget where he brought us from.
2 Peter 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

After that night of fellowship something clicked in my heart and I began to seek HIM again and I have realized how important it is to constantly reach out to others to encourage them rather than sit and feel sorry for myself.
I pray that today you will take time to look around to others and see who God has put in your path and take a minute to just encourage them and let them know, God is still on the THRONE! Because when He is lifted up, he promises he will draw all men unto Himself! Someone needs to see him today!

Praising the Lord for his goodness to me!

DID YOU KNOW?

2011-08-09T23:53:00.001-07:00

Did anyone else know that now you can earn a MARY KAY MUSTANG? OH MY WORD!
I thought the pink Cadillac was amazing but come on....Who does not want to drive
a brand new Ford Mustang of your very own with NO CAR PAYMENT? I went to my very first Mary Kay meeting tonight and I am excited at the desire I have and the vision I see to be home again with my children.
I have been working outside of the home now for a year and I miss being a stay at home mom. I was in the home or with my children in their Christian school over the past 20 years. It has been very different being away from them all day.
Tonight I got a glimps of a hope that I can once again be home. It is going to take a lot of hard work and get to it ism, but if I am ever going to do it, now is the time.

I learned tonight that a subconscious mind is a problem solver. Get one goal and get it in front of your eyes and push until that goal is met. ONE GOAL! My one goal is to be back where I belong! In my home with my children!
If you have a financial issue that you need to earn some extra money. Mary Kay is a great company to work for. The benefits are out of this world! Please send me a comment on here or email me at mommiesgotfive at hotmail dot com and let me tell you more about Mary Kay today!

Are We Really a Peculiar People?

2011-03-16T08:17:00.000-07:00

Life has been very hectic since moving to Oklahoma City. I have not taken a minute to even update my blog. Today I have a day off so I thought I would take a minute to post a few words.

I have been a stay at home mom for over 20 years and since August of 2010 I have entered back into the work force. It is very different working with people that have no sense of God or truth. It is easier to serve the Lord while in a controlled and protected enviroment. I have heard parents say that children need to be exposed to the world so they can better adapt when they are adults......NOT ON YOUR LIFE! I am so glad I have protected my children from the world for as long as I have.

I desire to be a light in the world but it is very hard if we do not depend upon the Lord for help. We too can begin to act like they do. It amazes me how people will treat you so sweet to your face and then turn and stab you right in the back. No wonder people have a hard time trusting us as Christians when we are telling them truth. They do not know how to believe in something, people are good at being so believable to your face but doing something different when they walk away. It is very, very important for us as believers to be real, I mean really real!

There is no truth out there! People are surrounded by NON-TRUTH so much that an absolute is such a foreign concept. If we as Christians want to really make an impact in the lives of others we must not just speak truth but we must really live it in front of them. We hear it preached and I personally have taken it for granted the importance of really living truth. In the circle of Christianity I have been guilty of being laxed in my seriousness of truth in my own life. Yes, I have tried to live what I have been taught but if we are all truthful we pick and choose what we will take on and what we will not take on in our lives and we justify it in our own little minds. (I know this is gossip but it will not hurt to tell another person of this...I mean they need our prayers, don't they?)

People really hate when you try to do right and it will not be long before you will make enemies by doing what it right but I have to believe what God's word says in Proverbs 16:7 When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
If we truly live by God's truths, I believe God can change the heart of people around us, our problem is that we try to fix things the way the world would.

We see in Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. We will be a peculiar people out there in the world if we live according to HIS truths.

Let me encourage you to become a peculiar people, zealous of good works!

Start Earning Swagbucks today. Join and earn 50 Swagbucks today.

2011-02-26T17:19:00.000-08:00

To help celebrate Swag Bucks' 3rd birthday, they're offering a brand new code for new members! Just click HERE and enter promo code: 3rdBirthday91 during registration.

The code will get you an additional 50 swag bucks, on top of the traditional 30 swag bucks = 80 bucks to get you started!! You are already on your way to earning a $5 Amazon Gift Card (which is only 450 swag bucks).

This code is valid until 2/28, so don't delay!

Not familiar with Swag Bucks?

* Swagbucks is an awesome search engine where you earn "Bucks" for redeeming SwagCodes, searching, by answering poll questions, and by watching videos!
* These Swagbucks can be used to redeem rewards such as gift cards, electronics, and much more! (My favorite is the Amazon.com gift cards! You can get a $5 gift card for only 450 Swag Bucks!
* If you haven't already, be sure to join SwagBucks. Make sure to confirm your e-mail.
* Make sure to log in frequently to search. Using their search engine regularly is the best way to rack up a lot of SwagBucks!

Personal Portraits Done By Corey Estep

2011-02-22T07:57:00.001-08:00

Corey M. Estep
Personal Portrait Drawings
http://coreyestepportraitdrawings.yolasite.com/

Are our Walls Broken Down?

2010-11-27T06:14:00.000-08:00

I have been reading in Nehemiah and as I have been reading I realized that the broken heart I once had for the ruins in my own life or that I see around me has disappeared. Nehemiah was broken and in anguish for the ruins that Jerusalem had become. He desired to be that man that God would use to rebuild that city. Now Nehemiah was not a preacher, or a man of importance, he was the cupbearer to the King but God still chose to use him because of his willingness to be used. I think many times we think it is the job of the preachers or the leaders to do great things but what about us? God can use any of us we just have to be willing to be used.

The first thing that Nehemiah did was he rebuilt the walls, we too have to rebuild the walls to keep the enemy out of our lives. We have to many breaches in our lives where satan can freely attack us. We must rebuild the walls of our lives and take back our lives from satan having free reign. He attacks and we just sit down and we do not fight back. We must take back our lives and allow God to have control. We fill our minds with the worlds thoughts until we have no more power to defeat and we become defeated.

The second thing they did was they returned to reading the law (WORD OF GOD)(King James Version) They wept when the word of God was read. We need to return to the Word of God in our lives. Some have turned to watered down versions of the Word of God, other translations that have no power and no ability to really change who we are. We have simple biblical truths without the power behind it to give us true victory or life changing power. These people wept as it was being read, when was the last time we just sat and wept as we read God's words? How much do we really appreciate that we have God's word in our homes and the freedom to read it and live it.
Be careful we may not have this much longer, we need to hide as much of his word in our hearts as we can while we still have this freedom to do so.

The third thing they did was they fasted and repented. When was the last time we took a day and fasted and really asked God to search our hearts so that we could be clean before Him?

Psalms 139: 23 and 24
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if [there be any] wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

This is a very hard thing to do because we as a people do not like to think there is anything wrong with us. We want to believe the best about ourselves.
But I assure you if you will do this, God will show you things in your life that need to be changed and when you make a conscious effort to change those things, more peace and more joy comes to your life.

I know when I was 25 years old my life was in shambles and I had no peace in my life, I was trying to be a good church member and I was trying very hard to live good, but still had no peace in my heart. God was drawing me to him and I did not understand true salvation. I began to search the scriptures for the truth and I began to pray that God would search my heart and show me if there was anything that was not pleasing him. I would read scriptures like.....

Psalms 9:17
THE WICKED SHALL BE TURNED INTO HELL, [and] all the nations that forget God.
Psalms 14:3
They are all gone aside, they are [all] together become filthy: [there is] none that DOETH GOOD, no, not one.
Ecclesiastes 7:20
For [there is] not a just man upon earth, that DOETH GOOD, and sinneth not.

As I would read these scriptures, I would deny their truth....because I was trying to do good, and I was not wicked....
But on May 7th 1992, I was tired of not having peace and once again asked someone if they ever doubted whether they were truly a child of God and this lady showed me a verse that forever changed my life.

Romans 10:3 3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

I wanted to know God, I was trying to know God but I had never submitted myself to his truths, I had to take sides against my thoughts and believe his WORDS.
I was wicked, none of my goodness was going to get me to heaven and I had to submit myself to his truth. I repented of my thoughts and believed his words and
for the first time in my life I had perfect peace.

As time goes by we can tend to walk away from his truths and take on our own thoughts and not his truth in our lives thus comes confusion, and emptiness in our daily walk.
Let's be like Nehemiah and start rebuilding those walls and get back to serving our Lord.
I hope your walls are not broken down but If they are I encourage you to get alone with God and his word and begin to search the scriptures daily and allow God to change your life.
I have several posts on Salvation and if I did not make it clear in this posting what true salvation is please go to my labels on my sidebar and look up Salvation posts. Keep searching until you have peace of knowing that you have an eternal home in heaven, the scriptures tell us in 1 John 5:13 that we can know we have eternal life.

1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Are we truly Thankful?

2010-11-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

As I sit here today and think about the many things I am thankful for I began to ponder my true heart. Are we truly thankful when we say it in one breath and complain in the next.
Thank you Lord for my family, but in the next breathe I complain that they are not what I want them to be.
Thank you Lord for the food you give me, but in the next breath I complain about what kind of food I have to eat.
Thank you Lord for my church, but in the next breath I complain about the people I go to church with.
Thank you Lord for my home but in the next breath I complain and desire a bigger and better home.
Our actions speak louder than our words. Our children hear the complaining and soon take on our form of gratefulness. Do you children complain and it bothers you?
Take a minute and listen to your everyday language, are they just living what they see?
A truly grateful heart speaks and lives thankfulness everyday not just on Thanksgiving!
The more time we spend speaking thankfulness the more contentment comes to our heart!
Are we really content with our lives just the way it is?
I am not talking of contentment with our walk with the Lord, because that should always be something we should never be content with and we should always be striving to walk closer and more pleasing to the Lord, but in our everyday life, Are we truly thankful?
I hope that this will provoke each of us to diligently search our hearts and see if we truly have a grateful heart today!

Happy Thanksgiving!

DO NOT EVER GIVE UP!

2010-11-06T07:54:00.000-07:00

Back a couple of years ago I lost one of my dearest cousins and close friends, I remember the day I heard the news I thought my heart would never be the same. I know each of us have experienced a tragedy in our lives where we will never forget where we were the day we heard the bad news.
Such as the day that JFK died, both of my parents can tell me exactly where they were the day they heard that news, or the day that 911 happened, I am sure all of us can say we know exactly where we were the day we heard that news.
I will say as terrible as those days may have been (because they did not directly effect me personally) there is nothing like loosing someone that was
so very special to you and that you loved with all your heart.
I will never forget exactly where I was and exactly how I felt. I was expecting my last child and my parents were so scared that the news would cause pain to my unborn baby girl so they came to me personally instead of breaking the news over the phone.
It was a Sunday morning and we were at church, my husband and I were working in Jr. Church. My parents told my husband first and as I came through the door I knew something terrible had happened by the looks on their faces. My first thought was my brother....as they told me what happened to my cousin Tom my heart sank to my stomach and I began to cry and hurt like I have never hurt before.
I just could not believe that this terrible news was true. I had often talked to Tom about the Lord and I had tried many times to get him to pray with me and ask the Lord to save him and he would tell me he knew what he needed to do, but would not make a decision while with me.
I pray that before Tom died that he asked the Lord to save him and I have to hold onto the hope that he did otherwise life without him would be so terribly painful. I cannot change any of that now but what I can do is continue to pray for the family that is still here and able to make a clear decision for Christ.
As I was growing up, Tom's sister Tam and I were close but we were both strong willed and sometimes we would butt heads, we would be besties for a while and then we would not talk for a while, then we would be besties again. We loved each other cause that is what family does.
After Tom passed on it drove me to my knees praying for my family. I would pray over a list every day asking God to save those that were lost in my family. As time went by my prayer list had changed and maybe I did not pray for those in my family like I should have, but God and his wonderful mercies still blessed the prayers that I did pray for all those years.

I do not live in the same state as my family any longer and over the years had lost contact with my cousin Tam. My mom and her mom are best friends and I would stay up on their lives through moms contact with her sister. Recently my aunt had become sick and my mom took her home after her surgery and had taken care of her through her illness. God reconnected our families through this illness. Praise the Lord!
I was driving home from work on a Friday and I felt an overwhelming urge to go to Ohio for the weekend so I called ahead and told my husband and by the time I was home the family was packed and ready to go. We all love to spend time at my parents house. In my mind I just wanted to hang out and relax with the family but God had different plans for this wonderful weekend.

Saturday night my cousin Tam came over after work and we sat around the table sharing much laughter, but then the Lord moved in and the whole discussion took on a more serious tone. Tam began to tell me how she had been doing a lot of thinking about the Lord and about how she wanted her life to be different, she had begun to clean up her life and she was trying very hard to be good enough, but always felt she fell short.
God and his mercy began to open Tam's eyes to the truth as I showed her scriptures from his word.
That night I believe God took all those times I had prayed for Tam and began to fulfill what I had asked him to do so many times before. That night at the dining room table of my parents house Tam bowed her head and asked the Lord to save her.
I know there is nothing better than the day that you get saved and the joy that floods your soul but I have to say the second most wonderful thing in this world has to be the day God allows you the blessed opportunity to take his word and open it up and show someone you love so much and you have prayed for so hard that path that leads to HIM!

It was a great priviledge to see Tam become a part of the family of God.

I really want to encourage each of my readers to never give up on praying for your loved ones. We never know what the Lord is doing in their hearts.
I love you so much Tam and I am so glad you allowed me the opportunity to never have to doubt where you are going when you die and no doubt you are blessed to have that assurance too!
Pray without ceasing!

How clean are we?

2010-10-29T02:55:00.000-07:00

John 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

According to the Word of God (KJV) we are clean through his word. I believe the more time you spend reading the Word of God the cleaner vessel you become for Him. I do believe that we as a person see things from reading and realize there are some things we need to change but I believe that God does some of it for us too.
We actively need to be a doer of the word and not a hearer only but we also need to realize that our heavenly Father has begun a good work in us and will perform it until the day we go to heaven.
James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ:

I am so thankful for the Word of God (KJV) and I think we as Americans tend to take it for granted. There are still countries out there that do not have a single page of the written word and there are places that have only a few pages of the Word and they are cherished and read and reread.
How much do we really cherish what God has so freely given us?

It is better to Obey than to Sacrifice

2010-10-28T02:52:00.000-07:00

I am reminded of a story in the Bible when I think of this thought: It is better to obey than to sacrifice. In Samuel 15 Samuel came to tell Saul that God was going to annoint him King of Israel and Samuel told Saul to go and utterly destroy Amalek.
1 Samuel 15 verse 3
Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

Saul took his army and went and did part of what Samuel told him to do.
I Samuel 15:9
But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

In Sauls mind I am sure he justified that if he saved the best of the sheep and the best of the other animals that God would be please with the animals he choose to keep for a sacrifice unto the Lord. Back then that is what they did for an atonement for their sins. But if you read in verse 3 again he was told to utterly destroy all that they have and spare them not.

Isn't that how we come to God in our walk sometimes? We justify in our minds what we think would be good when God told us clearly what he expects from us?
I know I personally have battled something recently in my life, everytime the preacher would preach I would think of this thing that God had clearly told me in my heart to get rid of it. Everytime he would preach about doing God's perfect will, or being totally surrendered, this thing would come to mind.
Now this thing that God has dealt with my heart about may not be a sin to anyone else but for my walk to be right with the Lord I needed to completely obey in the instance.
One of the reason this thing has been so hard for me to let go of is because I have been told by several people that what I was doing was such a blessing to them and that I have helped them so much so in my mind I would justify my letting this thing go by saying but God it is helping so many people. But infact I was falling into the trap that this verse speaks about.
John 12:43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

Is that how we want our children to obey us? Do we want them to reason in their minds what they think is best for their lives and choose what to obey and what not to obey? or do we want them to cave into peer pressure? No! We want complete obedience because we as parents see the whole picture and we know that what we say is for their own good or safety. Our heavenly Father sees the whole picture he knows what is for our own good and safety also.
I have finally surrendered this thing unto the Lord and walked away from it, It is very hard and I struggle with it everyday, but I know that ultimately with God's help and with his strength that ultimately the battle will be won.
When it is all said and done, We do not answer to man, we will give an account to the Savior on how we chose to obey in this life, I want to be found faithful and true to my Lord and as hard as it is sometimes, It is always better to obey than to sacrifice.

Bless the Lord!

Broken

2010-10-09T05:39:00.000-07:00

I have recently been studying Mary Magdalene, she is a women that intrigues me, I guess having come out of a life of sin and feeling as if I were delivered from the clutches of Satan also I can relate to her.
I began to look up scripture about Mary Magdalene and just about every time she is recorded she is following Jesus or at his feet worshiping him or anointing him. She obviously loved him very much from the way she was so devoted to him.

In the years that I have studied the Bible I have come to realize that it is very easy for us to read the word of God and form our own opinions of why things are the way they are or why people do the things they do, but if we are not careful we begin to just take on our thoughts and not allow the Word of God to interpret for us. God allows us in his word scriptures that will show us his characteristics and how he properly responds to situations and how we should properly respond and as I was reading in John 11 this morning about the account of the only time that Mary did not come running to Jesus or was not recorded being the first one to him I began to think about why. I have heard it taught that she was bitter that her brother Lazarus had died but I saw it in a different light this morning.

In Luke 11 Martha ran out to meet Jesus when he was coming into town and it says that Mary sat still in the house.
Vs 20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.
Why did Mary sit still in the house? I wondered about this and began to ponder this. Has there ever been a time in your life in your life where you have lost something dear in your life? Have you ever felt as if God had let you down? You have spent all these years serving him and now when you need him the most he has aloud the thing you hold dear to go from you? I am not just talking about a death, I am talking about any trial in your life that you felt God just was not there?
I have lost some dear things in my life and wondered why God had allowed them to happen in my life. I know over this past few years having been taken out of the ministry and sat on the backside of the mountain, there were times I felt all these years we have served you and now we have to go through this, no income, no ministry, feeling like a fish out of water. My whole Christian walk has been to serve and to help people, and here I am sitting in the middle of no where with no one to lead to the Lord! I know that may not seem like a huge loss to some but it devastated me. I questioned God, I was a Martha and a Mary. I questioned like Martha and sat in the house away from God at times like Mary. I was broken before the Lord! I did not get bitter but I was so very broken, feeling as if the Lord just did not need me anymore or want to use me because of all the trouble I seem to get myself into with my big mouth.
As I was reading this morning I read over the part where Mary did finally come to the Lord after Martha went and told her that Jesus has called for her, which I do not see any place where he called for her. Sometimes others will help us and point us back to Christ.
Vs. 28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. 29As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.

The very first thing that Mary did when she saw the Lord was fall back down at his feet. It is so easy for us to get our eyes off of who Christ really is but the moment you get your eyes back on Him we will resume our position of worship.

I have heard it taught that Mary was bitter and that is why she did not come out at first, but think about this, remember back when I said it is easy to form our own opinions if we are not careful.
Think about the characteristics of Christ.
#1. He resisteth the proud.
#2. He giveth grace to the humble.

James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

God cannot lie and he cannot go away from his characteristics. He is God he cannot change.
So if Mary was bitter and angry toward God isn't that a sign of pride? So Christ would of had to resist her according to his word.

Mary was broken, maybe questioning and not understanding but not bitter and angry and I say that for this fact, In the next verses she fell at his feet and he was moved with compassion.
32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, 34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. 35 Jesus wept.
She did not understand why he had not come, why he aloud her brother to die but she still brought herself to a humble position of worship and he showed her grace.

I know through my trial there were times where I did not run to the Lord and sat in the house if you will, but when I truly regained my focus and saw him for who he really is, I fell at his feet and regained my position of worship once again. We need to realize that the Lord is moved with our pain, he loves us and only wants what will bring Glory and Honor to the Father in our lives. We loose sight of the fact that we are bought with a price we are not our own anymore and what comes into our lives might not be for us but it ultimately is to bring Glory and Honor unto the Father. Everything Jesus did in his ministry was to bring Glory to the Father, even when it cost him the discomforts of life and ultimately his own life.

Our lives must be lived for that reason only if we truly want to be Christ's servant.

Are you serving self or serving Christ?
We are to die to self and live to HIM!

Check out my friends site!

2010-09-26T18:54:00.000-07:00

We need revival and my friends have created a site to encourage us as Christians to
stop making excuses and believe that God can bring America back to Himself
They believe three kinds of Christians keep revival from ever coming to their church.

1. Christian cultists (no different from other cultists who think they are the only ones who are right) who find fault, judge and condemn other Christians in their church, and in other churches (just like the devil 'Rev. 12:10'), and all the unsaved for their misbehaviors instead of spending the time necessary praying and helping all they come in contact with get closer to God or helping them get saved. Never should we waste our time finding fault with others when we as sinners need God as much as anyone else and need to spend our energies only helping others walk with God (Rom. 14:10).
2. Preachers and missionaries who walk in pride and refuse to humble themselves every day spending little or no time in prayer and soul-winning for the salvation of the lost (Acts 20:19-21).
3. Every Christian who walks in the sins of the spirit such as: jealousy, pride, murmuring, and a critical spirit, while condemning people outside the church for their sins of the flesh (Gal. 5:22-26).
Please stop by and visit their site.
Revival Tracts

Life..........

2010-09-25T07:06:00.000-07:00

Life has taken a whole new turn, after being a stay at home mom for 20 years or at least being with my children every day for twenty years I have now went out into the work force. I have been with my children, whether it was at a time when I was a stay at home mom or a Christian school teacher at the schools they attended, I was with them. I have always loved being a part of my children's lives. I just heard a lady say the other day, I have all my children grown and I am so happy I do, the teen years just about killed me! I thought to myself that is so sad! My favorite time with my children is their teen years, I love spending time with my youngens, they are funny, they make me laugh and they are not rebellious like most teenagers are today. I am so thankful the Lord has given me children that love the Lord and love their parents enough to submit to their authority.
If you have spent any time on my blog, you know that my husband is disabled and since we do not have insurance the Lord was merciful enough to me to give me a job that I love and that has the added benefits of insurance after 90 days.
I have often wondered why the Lord is so good to me, but he knows and guides our paths to the directions we need to go and I am so thankful I have a heavenly father that loves me enough to do that for me and my family.
I have such a peace in my heart that my children are left in the good hands of their father and he is overseeing the homeschooling endeavors. I stand amazed at how smoothly our home is running, dad has the children in subjection, he has them doing their daily chores and my house is in complete order. I do believe that it has everything to do with the scriptures that says: 1 Timothy 3:4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
God intends for the father to have a huge part in training the children, anytime we do things God's way it all falls into place and becomes extremely peaceful.

While I was home over this past two years I felt as if I was withering up and dying spiritually and since I have started this job I feel a revival in my heart.
I see people that need the Lord and I desire to share Christ with all of them. I work with a lot of people that say they know the Lord but there are quite a few that still need HIM! I love to tell people about the Lord and I feel this is a great place to spread the love of Christ! Pray for me that the Lord will use me to point people to HIM!

Thanks for stopping by!

I have earned $20.00 in Itunes Giftcards

2010-09-06T07:51:00.000-07:00

I have earned $20.00 in Itunes Giftcards
Recently I was sent an invite by a friend to join this site and then I was asked to invite my friends and that for every 10 that joined I would earn $10.00 in Itunes giftcards. YEAH RIGHT, but being the curious one that I am, I invited my 349 friends from my Hotmail friends list and low and behold, shortly after that I received 2 (count them!) 2 $10.00 gift cards from I tunes! I was so excited and so was my daughter. So now I am passing this jewel onto you!
Go here and join and invite all your friends and see if it really works for yourself!
Let me know when you have earned yours too!

Swagbucks Huge bonus for joining this week.

2010-08-06T16:55:00.000-07:00

Swagbucks is fighting the Back-To-School blues all this week with lots of fun promotions! First, you'll have the chance to win five different limited edition back-to-school themed Swag Bucks - if you snag them all, you'll earn a 50 Swag Buck bonus! Take advantage of sales in the Swag Store on all School Supplies and Cookie's Kids Merchandise, make sure you follow Swag Bucks on Twitter and Like them on Facebook for more rewarding opportunities. Plus, they're having another Swag Code Extravaganza on Thursday, where you'll get at least 5 codes for extra bucks. If you're not already searching and winning on Swagbucks.com, head over now and enter the code BackToSchool for 40 bonus bucks during registration!

http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/mommiesgotfive

Happy Mothers Day

2010-05-07T10:03:00.000-07:00

I am a mother of five children. I always wanted a big family (7 to be exact) but when number 5 came along I knew I was done.
I had a peace in my heart that my duties at replenishing the earth had been fulfilled.
Each time I gave birth it was a A Ha moment for me. I loved the moment my babies were born. I also knew what a huge responsibility it was for me as a mother to raise my children the way God intended me to raise them.
My two oldest ones are pretty much on their own now and another huge day for me was the day they walked away from our home and still chose to live the life they were raised to live.
Each child has their own will and they have to make choices for themselves, It is truly an honor when they walk away and believe enough in what they been taught to carry it on.
I have three left at home and I continue to strive to raise them and teach them to be law abiding, Christ honoring, and respectful young adults.
I hope they choose to follow what they are being taught also and I count it a huge privilege to be called their mother.

Happy Mother’s day to each and every mother.
Our job is a huge responsibility that God has given us and I count it a privilege!

God has been so good to me.

2010-04-22T09:21:00.000-07:00

I've got so much to thank HIM for.MOV

2010-04-22T09:19:00.000-07:00

We have a Winner!

2010-03-29T22:51:00.001-07:00

I was able to draw our winner tonight. I know there were so many of you that could really use this toaster, but I drew this name fair and square. The Lord knows who needs this and we will leave this in the hands of the Lord. I am so thankful to CSN to have the opportunity to be a blessing to someone.

Without further ado......The winners name is:

Congrats goes out ot Marci J. She is the proud new owner of a Hamilton Beach Toaster.
I have sent you an email and I will need your information back within 48 hours or we will have to do a redraw.

Hamilton Beach Classic Chrome 2 Slice Toaster - 22600

The Verdict is In

2010-03-23T05:37:00.000-07:00

My poor man has had a rough two weeks. He went in to the hospital on Tuesday night March 9th with chest pains. The doctors ran every test you can imagine, then finally they did a heart cath on Thursday morning and we were able to leave the hospital thinking all was going to be ok, by Tuesday of the following week his arm (where they did a new proceedure heart cath) was in serious pain and turning red and holding heat so that night he went back to the hospital and they kept him from Tuesday til Sunday afternoon with a serious infection in his arm.
We are home now but in the midst of the storm he finally got news that everything had been approved and what we have been fighting for, well over 19 months was now coming to an end. Praise the Lord.
God is so good and I have pondered what this year and a half has brought to me in my life. It has been hard and at times I felt I was going to fall apart, but the thing I have learned about the Lord is that he has begun a good work in me.

Philippians 1:6

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath BEGUN A GOOD WORK in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ:

God will never let his children be utterly cast down, he lovingly comforts you with his words and constantly draws you back to a right mind set. He has been so faithful to me even when I have not been so faithful to him.

God promised in his word that with that work that he began in me he will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. He never gives up on his children, the goodness of God leadeth a man to repentance.

During this year I have been stripped of all self righteousness, He has shown me that I had put a lot of stock in the things I was doing for him, almost a works mind set. I was trying to find favor in God's eyes and in the eyes of man by doing all of these (RIGHT) things. ......visitation, soul winning, teaching, bible reading, prayer life. Do not get me wrong these things are right to do, but if you are doing for the wrong reasons they are meriting you nothing in the eyes of God and the reward of man thinking you are spiritual is all the reward you will get.

These works do not make one spiritual, allowing God to work in you and through you makes one Spiritual.

In Galation 5 we see that Paul was telling the Galations that they had put themselves back under the law thinking it was going to merit them something, We tend to try to put on Spirituality ourselves. We think if we do all of these things then we will be spiritual, then you have a Christian that is frustrated, spinning their wheels, and feeling like they never measure up.

If you take an apple seed and lay it on a table, it will never grow. If you just put it in the ground, it may grow but be weak, if you put it in good soil chances of a good tree increase, But if you put it in good soil, water it, place fertilizer around it chances are soon your tree will be bearing fruit.

Not one thing you can do can make that tree bear fruit, it is natural process of a healthy tree.

We are trying to bear fruit ourselves on our tree, we are trying to produce something that is God's job. We cannot put on Spirituality, it is something that God does through us.

We must water the tree.

Ephesians 5:26

That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the WASHING of water by the word,

Through watering the tree and making sure it has the nutrients it needs it will be a natural process. By reading God's word we are watering our soul and the natural process will bear fruit.

Having been put in a situation where all of these things I was doing were taken from me I had to take a good look at who I was and where I stood with God. In my thinking with all of those things making me right with him and now none of those I have to offer, I felt defeated and totally at a loss. I have come to realize with the comfort of my Saviour and his loving working in my life that he loves me and excepts me without all of my righteousness being presented at his feet, all of my righteousness is as filthy rags in his sight.
Now having gone through this trial, I can now offer these things out of a love for him and not wanting a love from him. He loves me already, I do not have to earn his love.

Galatians 3:3

Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now MADE PERFECT by the flesh?

We are not made perfect by the things we do and that is not what merits us Spirtuality, it is Christ working in us.

Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

We are made perfect by the Spirit and yet we try to make ourselves perfect.
I have learned to stop and listen and try to be obedient to the Lord's leading.
He will never leave you nor forsake you.
I am so thankful for the Lord teaching me to follow him and to stop trying to establish my own righteousness. I am all for those things I mentioned earlier and I will continue to do those things in my walk with God but like I said earlier I can now do them out of a love for my Saviour and not trying to obtain a love from my Saviour.

I love the LORD because he first loved me.

Rebecca

CSN Giveaway coming on my blog.

2010-03-18T18:54:00.000-07:00

CSN is an awesome presence on the web they have so many sites that have everything you would need to decorate a home. I have found these awesome counter stools and table and chairs at their web site allbarstools.com, one of CSN many online websites. Please go and browse around this would be a perfect place to spend that tax return that you have recently received or will be receiving.

These are just a few items that I personally like.
I have always been drawn to the rustic look, but have never brought myself to go that direction with my decorating. This stool caught my eye as I was searching their web pages.

This is the style that I usually end up going with. This stool would look so beautiful at a breakfast nook. My children have always like to sit at counters with high bar stools.

This dining room set would look beautiful in my dining room and the thing I like about it is that with a big family sometimes you can feel like you are so far away from each other at a big table, but this one seems to pull the family together. I am all about pulling the family together. As my children are growing up and getting those significant others our family will just continue to grow. This would be a perfect gathering spot for the holidays.

I have a giveaway posted here on my blog. CSN has so graciously offered an item from one of their sites. Be sure and stop over and enter my giveaway for this awesome Hamilton Beach Classic Toaster

I could spend hours literally searching their sites. As a matter of fact last night I did. With the March MADNESS that is going on in our house right now, I thought I would search their sites for some Kansas Jayhawk items. OH WOW, look what I found. Can it get any cuter than that Jayhawk Bird? Needless to say the daughter feel in love with these few items.
This may have to be the place I do some Christmas shopping.

Fathead Kansas Jayhawks Logo Wall Graphic Free Shipping

Broad Bay Cotton Kansas University Jayhawks Apron

Broad Bay Cotton Kansas University Jayhawks Purse

Tervis Tumbler University of Kansas 12 oz. Tumbler (Set of 4)

Have you ever searched a site and then wanted to go back and find what you had searched for earlier but can never seem to find it?
One of my favorite things about the CSN site is that they have a widget on their sidebar that shows all of the items that you previously searched, wow, that has helped me out several times while searching their sites.

Go check out their sites for yourself, you just might find what you have been looking for in other places.
Here are a few of their other websites.

www.allmodern.com,
www.diningroomsdirect.com,
www.cookware.com,
www.bedroomfurniture.com,

Disclaimer
I did not receive anything from CSN for this post or giveaway.

CSN Giveaway ends March 29, 2010

2010-03-18T08:32:00.000-07:00

I received an email this week and was asked if I would be willing to do a giveaway on my blog, I was thrilled to offer this great giveaway to my followers.
So here is your chance to win this awesome toaster.
http://www.cookware.com/Hamilton-Beach-22600-HMB1168.html

Hamilton Beach Classic Chrome 2 Slice Toaster - 22600

I will be doing a drawing from my little basket on Monday, March 29th. I will post the winner on Tuesday .
First Manditory Entry:

All you have to do is visit the CSN site and come back and tell me what you would like to have from one of their sites. Make sure you leave your email address in your comment and leave a separate comment for each entry.

www.allmodern.com,
www.diningroomsdirect.com,
www.cookware.com,
www.bedroomfurniture.com,

EXTRA ENTRIES:

~Tell me something the Lord has done for you lately
~Follow me on Google Friend or tell me you are a follower already.
~Grab my button and leave me a link to let me know where it is.

I did not receive anything for this giveaway. Just wanted to be a blessing to those who stop by.

Update on the Hearing

2010-02-17T08:30:00.001-08:00

Well, today was the day. Mike had his hearing this morning at 9:00 a.m. When he came home he said the lawyer told him that it went great and that he was 100% sure that Mike won the case.
We will not know for sure until the letter comes in the mail stating that fact, but this lawyer does these cases all the time and his assistant told us that he will be able to tell which way it went after the trial is over.
Most people when they file for disability they have an issue (singular) In Mike's case he has had work on both shoulders, both knees, both hands, lower back and upper back. The judge asked him just a few questions about his daily pain and said "That is all I need to hear." Mike lives everyday of his life in constant pain. After looking over Mike's medical history, I think the judge had already made up his mind before he got there. Praise the Lord!
I am so thankful for all the prayers of God's saints. I am thankful we can see light at the end of this trial. Please continue to pray for us as we live each day, the lawyer did say it could take up to another 2 months before we had any income coming in. God has not failed us over this past 18 months, no doubt he will not start now.

God Bless and Thank you once again for all your prayers.

Rebecca