From the Inside Out

Girl Talk!

2012-10-08T17:13:00.003-04:00

I am thoroughly ecstatic to announce that Girl Talk has been officially launched!

Girl Talk is a new website created just for Christian teen girls. This site provides devotionals, beauty and modesty tips, music suggestions, book reviews, and more! God put it on my heart to start this new ministry in July of 2012 and then later that month revealed that he intended for my dear friend Taylor to assist me in this ministry. We are excited to see what God plans to do with this site and would appreciate it if you would take a look and share it with all of the teens that you know!

We set up a booth and publicly launched the site at the Gospel Baptist Church Women's Conference on October 6, 2012.

We had so much fun talking to all of the girls who stopped by the booth!

Please pray for us and this ministry!

Friendships

2012-08-27T09:17:00.000-04:00

This morning I have been thinking quite a bit about relationships, specifically friendships. Friends can enjoy times of laughter, encourage when we are sad, inspire growth in us spiritually, and so much more. A good friendship is more valuable than any game, book, movie, or song.

The thing about friendships though, is that it has to be both ways. You can't be someone's friend if they don't want to be your friend. So, maybe they do "want" to be your friend but still the effort is very one-sided. Maybe you work at it and invite them to do things and try to engage them in deeper conversation, but if they do not reciprocate the same effort you will get no where. You will be left feeling tired and maybe even hurt.

A real friendship goes both ways. Real friends seek each other out, look for and cherish opportunities for deeper more intimate conversations. Real friends sacrifice their time and effort to make sure that somehow, one way or another, they get to spend some time together and invest in each other. The friendship becomes strong and one does not become weary because both are equally investing in the other. Real friends truly love each other.

God wants to have a real friendship with us. He seeks us out and works at the relationship. He invites us to spend time with Him. He offers encouragement and strength and support. He is always there. Never failing, never wavering, with an unending ever constant love for us. His side of the friendship never stops at a shallow level, but runs deeper and more intimate than any other relationship you will ever have.

Unlike us, when we don't seek God back, when we don't show effort to build on our friendship with God like he does with us, he never gives up. He will always welcome us into his arms and will never fail to be that same encouraging, strengthening, supportive, loving friend that we need. That doesn't mean that he isn't hurt by our neglect of effort on our half of the friendship. He longs for us to love him.

Today, I challenge you. If you have not already embraced the friendship that you can have have with God, start now. Don't let it be a one-sided friendship any longer. Put effort into spending time with God daily. Talk with him constantly. Seek Him, love Him, trust Him, and never forget that He is there for you. Embrace the most intimate and deep friendship that you will ever have.

I made my decision to embrace my friendship with God in January 2012. It has changed my life. I have never felt so close to God, so peaceful, so carefree. I know that He is always there.

A Letter from Zambia

2012-08-13T13:18:00.000-04:00

Back at the very beginning of June, Ben and I began sponsoring a little boy from Zambia through World Vision. It was one of those things where I knew without a doubt that God was asking us to do this. I had been at the Beautiful Life conference in Greensboro on June 1, and was supposed to be going back on the morning of June 2nd to finish up the conference. On Friday they had been talking about World Vision and sharing some stories and I felt a little tug at my heart for the thousands and thousands of children out there that still need sponsors. A few hours later, 1:00 am Saturday morning to be specific, I was waking Ben up telling him that we had to sponsor a child. I'm not sure he fully understood what I was saying, but I finally got a sleepily mumbled, "talk to me about it in the morning," and I was satisfied to go back to sleep. So, on Saturday I shared with him what I was feeling and he agreed that I should choose a child for us to sponsor that day.

When I went to the table, I was a little overwhelmed by the number of children whose forms were lying there waiting for sponsors. I didn't know where to begin, how could I choose just one? As I looked through the forms and photos, I came across a little boy from Zambia that was six years old. He was so cute, and his birthday just happened to be our anniversary. Immediately I knew, this was the one, Egnitious.

I was so excited to begin writing letters, sending e-mails, and praying for this little boy. As soon as I got my packet with contact information I wrote my first letter and began to anxiously await an annual report and a reply to my letter.

This weekend, I received his first annual report. It contained a little more information about Egnitious, his hobbies, chores, etc. There was even a little picture that he drew us of, best I can tell, a barrel. But, the thing that excited me most out of the whole report, was a new picture! In this new picture my little boy actually looks happy, and I was thrilled to have it!

Now, I will continue to pray, continue to write, and continue to love this little Zambian boy. God has truly blessed me with the privilege of supporting him and sharing His love with Egnitious. If it crosses your mind, please join me in praying for protection, provision, and a growing knowledge of the love of Christ for this little boy.

Hope Lauren Photography

2012-06-24T17:38:00.002-04:00

I have stayed quite busy the first summer months, and I have really enjoyed it! I have a newly designed website which I would love for you to visit! Take a look around and let me know what you think.

Click here to visit, or type http://www.wix.com/hminter514/hlp in your browser.

It is My Mission...

2012-06-21T22:09:00.003-04:00

To live my life in full surrender to my Lord, denying myself and being obedient to His commands. To spend time daily in intimate prayer with God, and to read and meditate on His word. To be always joyful, thankful and worshipful in all circumstances, humble, and Spirit-filled.

To be the kind of wife that makes Ben feel ten feet tall through love, respect, encouragement, submission, and faithfulness. To be attentive to his needs, and to persistently pray for him.

To lead a life that encourages others to passionately pursue a deeper relationship with God through being a trustworthy and loving sister in Christ. To always be available for my sisters in Christ, studying God’s word alongside them, and lifting them up both with encouragement and in prayer. To be transparent with them: always honest with gentleness.

Where is our Faith in the Storm?

2012-05-31T22:03:00.003-04:00

"Then, He said to them, 'Why are you fearful? Do you still have no faith'?" Mark 4:40

The disciples have been with Jesus and witnessed many miracles at this point. They have seen His great power and all the things that he can do, yet when the storm comes they wake him up and say "Don't you care that we are going to die?" Picture that... things get rough out at sea and they wake him up fearfully proclaiming that they are about to die! I find it wonderful how calmly he handles the situation. He simply rebukes the wind and there is a great calm. Then he asks them, 'Why are you fearful? Do you still have no faith?'. I think there is a lot packed into that little word "still". How many miracles do they have to see before they fully trust and have faith in Jesus? One storm comes along and they are already fearing for their lives. How great is it that even in their doubt and fear, God chooses to step up and show himself powerful again.

Don't we do the same thing the disciples did though? We have all of these blessings... a roof over our head, food on the table, family, a free country where we can worship without persecution, and most of all salvation through Jesus' sacrifice. Yet, when one little storm blows our way and the waters of life get rough we quickly lose sight of all that Jesus has done and we become fearful. We start proclaiming to God, "God help me here, I'm dying! Don't you see what is going on? How am I supposed to handle this? Do you see this, are you asleep?" Where is our faith?! Hasn't God provided and taken care of us every other time?

When we face life's next storm, let us remember that God has always been in control and that He has never failed us. He will be there to take care of us. Have faith.

Pray for the people living in constant persecution in the horn of Africa.

Secret Church

2012-04-07T12:57:00.003-04:00

I was privileged to spend last night at a simulcast viewing of Secret Church lead by Dr. David Platt. This is a meeting inspired by the commitment that is found in believers across the world who are under severe persecution, yet they join together for hours on end in the smallest of rooms to study God's word. Throughout the night we were focusing on prayer for the Christians in the horn of Africa (pray for the horn) who are persecuted daily and risking their lives to follow Christ and spread the gospel.

So, here we are with all of this in mind sitting in a room full of people as the simulcast begins. At 7:00 pm we began with the welcome and some worship, and by 7:30 Dr. David Platt was beginning his lesson on the cross and suffering that would go through what the bible had to say about suffering from Genesis to Revelation over the next seven hours.

All people experience suffering, Christians and non-Christians. Some suffering is universal for all people, such as cancer, death, etc. Other suffering is uniquely suffering that Christians endure, such as persecution. Satan intends every type of suffering to sabotage us, but God intends every type of suffering to sanctify us. The encouraging reality here is that God is the sovereign creator of all things, and Satan is simply a creature. Don't be fooled though, Satan is smart, but he is still only a creature. He can do nothing outside of the sovereignty of God.

The cross of Christ is the key to understanding all suffering. We want to embrace suffering in our lives not because suffering is easy, but because suffering is worth it. It is worth it to experience the sufficiency of Christ in our weakness, to share the sufferings of Christ on this earth, to show the supremacy of Christ to all nations, and to experience the satisfaction of Christ for all eternity.

It is important to remember that we are created in the image of God for the purpose of God. Our purpose is to enjoy a relationship with God, rule over all creation, and most of all to reproduce God's glory to the ends of the earth. We must also remember that the consequence of sin is immediate spiritual death (Gen 3:22-24), and eventual physical death.

Our God is the ever-present Lord, ever-subtle King, and the ever-faithful Savior. We have a Lord who is with us, we have a King who is guiding us, and we have a Savior who will redeem us. God's providence is the only foundation for embracing life's pain. God takes suffering and turns it into satisfaction. God is holy, merciful, ever-present, all-powerful, self-sufficient, eternal, immutable, faithful, sovereign, just, and HE IS GOD! Do not focus on the circumstances around you, rather focus on the character of the One who has called you.

We cannot be casual with God.

"The awareness of sin, a deep awareness of disobedience, and painful confession of sin used to be our shadow. Christians hated sin. They feared it, they fled from it, they grieved over it. Some of our [forefathers] agonized over their sins. A man who lost his temper might wonder if he could still go to holy communion. ... That shadow has dimmed. Nowadays the accusation, 'You have sinned', is often said with a grin and with a tone that signals an inside joke. At one time this accusation still had the power to jolt people." - Cornelius Plantinga

God is committed to sovereignly providing for His people. He is sovereign over everything; He is sovereign over all suffering. Even when we cannot understand His manner, we can always trust his mercy. His path to our joy is not always smooth and straight, but it is always satisfying. When we suffer, He is still worthy! God's sovereign design for our lives on this earth includes suffering. The sovereignty of God is the only foundation for praise in the middle of pain. Ultimately, our pain on earth can be rightly understood only from the sovereign perspective of heaven. When the pain of suffering persists, God is still present. When God seems the farthest away from you, He may be in reality setting the stage for His greatest display of faithfulness to you. When our greatest treasure is in Christ and not the gifts that he gives us, then when we lose those gifts we a driven deeper into the source of our treasure. God has a purpose. His purpose is sometimes different, but God's purpose is always good.

God uses suffering to refine our faith and to reveal His glory. God uses suffering to teach us to rely on Him. He uses suffering to bring us to repent of and renounce the sin in our lives, and He uses suffering to lead us to our reward in Him. Satan's attempts to attack God's people only serve to accomplish God's will. Suffering drives us to God's word: to learn it, believe it, obey it, and love it. Christ suffered in our place so that we would not have to endure an eternity of suffering and so that we could fully fulfill our purpose of bringing glory to His name.

God's capacity to forgive is greater than our capacity to sin! We are dead in our sin. Sin is too strong for us, and we are desperate for a Savior. Only Jesus can change the hearts of people. Therefore, proclaiming the gospel of Jesus is the foremost, fundamental, necessary, nonnegotiable way to address evil and suffering in the world. The work against evil and suffering in the world apart from proclaiming the gospel of Jesus will ultimately be futile.

We may not be certain of the cause of suffering, but we can always be confident that the purpose of our suffering is to bring glory to God. God's word tells us that if we follow him we will be betrayed, we will be hated, and we will be persecuted. (Matt 10:16-18, 21-22) The reality that we must face is that the danger of our lives increases in direct proportion to the depth of our relationship with Christ. We are to confess Him publicly, love Him supremely, take the ultimate risk, and then find the ultimate reward.

And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. - Matthew 10:38-39

Jesus suffered to obey the Father's will and fulfill the Father's word, to ransom people from slavery to sin, to give all who believe unhindered access to the Father, to deliver people from the Evil One, to deliver people from the wrath of God, to proclaim the message of salvation to the nations, to bring sheep into the fold of the Good Shepherd, to establish a new, eternal covenant with the people of God, to demonstrate God's supreme love for sinners by giving eternal life to all who believe, and to glorify the Father. (John 12:27-28)

Jesus is Lord over life and death, Lord over sin, suffering, and Satan, and He is Lord over you and me! (1 Cor 15:55-57, Romans 10:8-10) Proclamation of the gospel will always be challenged in this world, and it will always be costly in your life. Proclamation of the gospel will always necessitate confidence in God's sovereignty.

Our great hope is the glory of God, and our path to this great hope is the suffering of this world. Our suffering produces endurance, character, and hope. So we joyfully embrace suffering as the means by which our hope in the glory of God (which is infinitely greater than everything else in the world that we could imagine) grows. (Rom 5:3-5, 8:28-30)

Suffering is often necessary for the Christian. Suffering is a proving ground for your faith that results in glory for God. It is given to you by God for you inexpressible joy. (1 Peter 3:13) Suffering leads you to find your security and confidence in Christ alone, and is spurs you toward Christlike belief and behavior. Suffering leads you away from sinful lusts and suffering believers must trust in the judgement of God and the fact that suffering is part of the good plan and sovereign purpose of God. Suffering unites you ultimately with Christ himself. It is an opportunity to glorify God, entrusting your soul to the care of your Creator. It is a temporary stop on the path that leads to eternal glory. (1 Peter 5:10)

The starting point for understanding suffering is realizing that God is the center of the universe... not you. You have been created to know and enjoy his glory, and you are commissioned to show and exclaim his glory. Live to know, enjoy, and declare the sovereign glory of God!

In order to see suffering for why it is here, we must see sin for what it is, and we must see ourselves for who we are. The ultimate reason suffering exists is to exalt the glory of God's grace through the suffering of God's son for the salvation of undeserving sinners. God saves us by his grace. God planned the crucifixion of Jesus before the creation of the world. God permits sin into the world, ordains suffering in the world, and sent his son to suffer for sinners. This was not plan B, this was always plan A. He saves us for His glory. (Rev 5:9-14) Forever we will praise Jesus for the glory of God's grace. The health and wealth prosperity gospel is false! God may accomplish higher purposes in our death than in our life. He may accomplish more in our sickness than in our health. The prosperity gospel overlooks the design of suffering and fails to acknowledge the necessity of suffering. (Luke 9:23-24)

The completion of the Great Commission will include great suffering, but eternity will prove it was worth the price.

So for all who reject the King, Hell will be a place of irreversible justice. For those who revere the King, Heaven will be a place of inexpressible joy. We will be with Him! We will see His face! Christ is coming soon!

So, at 2:00 am we conclude this evening of studying God's word and I am left with a renewed passion to love God, follow Him with all my heart, surrender every cell of my entire being to His purpose. How could I want anything else seeing the great love, mercy, and grace that He has shown to me. I will follow Him wherever, whenever, whatever. I was created by Him and for Him, and to Him will be given all the glory!

*The majority of the text in this post was taken either directly from the secret church study guide (which can be found in PDF format at the secret church website) or the ideas within it.*

French Silk Chocolate Pie

2012-02-26T19:30:00.000-05:00

This is a recipe that I got from my mom, and I love it! The chocolate is so creamy.

Ingredients:

1 Graham cracker pie crust
1 square unsweetened baker's chocolate (melted and cooled)
1 8oz cool whip
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter (softened)
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Cream butter and sugar, blend in chocolate and add vanilla.
Add eggs one at a time beating 4-5 minutes after each.
Pour into graham cracker pie shell and chill thoroughly.
Top with cool whip and sprinkle with shaved chocolate.

Holy, Faultless, & Blameless

2012-02-20T20:42:00.001-05:00

"But now He has reconciled you by His physical body through His death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before Him."

Colossians 1:22

What a sacrifice. We often forget the weight of what Christ has done for us. God sent his only son, to die a miserable, drawn out death, for us. He was perfect, completely perfect. He never sinned, and yet he bore the weight of the sins of the entire world so that all may have the chance to be presented by Him, holy, faultless, and blameless to the Father. Let's take time to thank Him for the sacrifice that He made for us. We do not deserve the gift of salvation, and yet we often take it for granted.

A few thoughts...

2012-02-19T21:44:00.002-05:00

"Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:6-7

"Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable - if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise - dwell on these things."

Philippians 4:8

"...In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content - whether well-fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me."

Philippians 4: 12-13

Wow, I really do love chapter 4 of Philippians. There is so much good here. So much for us to cling to, so much to learn from.

We really do worry a lot, but it is clearly stated in God's word...do not worry about anything! Instead of worrying, we should always let God know what is on our hearts, talk to Him, and trust Him. His peace will guard our hearts and minds.

Then, there is the reminder to dwell on the good things, and not the bad. If it is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, or commendable...dwell on that! Moral excellence and praise, that should be a wake up call. So much of our world today does not fall into the "if there is any moral excellence" category. Much of our world today is far from it. Let's think for a moment about the word "dwell". What does the regular old dictionary have to say about that word?

Dwell - to linger over, emphasize, or ponder in thought, speech, or writing

Hmm, linger over... Do we linger over the things in life that true, the things that are pure, and the things with moral excellence, or do we simply let them pass by and go on to what has become normalcy, what has become acceptable, even some of it in christian circles. Why do we let sin creep its way in and think that it is okay? Sex before marriage, not okay. Getting drunk, not okay. Dressing immodestly, not okay! Disrespecting elders, not okay. Cheating, lying, gossiping, making fun of others, NOT OKAY!

Another thing that isn't okay... our complaining. Why have we not learned by now that complaining gets us nowhere. Complaining pushes us farther away from God, and nobody wants to be around a complainer.. but for some reason everyone wants to be the complainer? The children of Israel were not allowed into the promised land because of their disobedience to God. When you look at their attitudes, they were always complaining! We need to focus on learning to be content in all situations with the strength of Christ.

Be A Star

2012-02-13T20:34:00.003-05:00

"Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a cooked and perverted generation, among who you shine like stars in the world."

Philippians 2:14-15

In the two verses above, Paul is telling the people not to grumble or argue about anything so that they will shine like stars in the world. This reminds me of my strong desire, especially here recently, to be a light in the darkness of this world. Stars are millions of miles away from where we are here on Earth, but yet they shine so brightly that even one star in the midst of the dark night sky will stand out clearly for us to see. A sky full of bright stars is an even more beautiful scene to see, and just think how beautiful it would be to God to look down at us as Christians, if we were to not complain and argue, and see us as a group of bright stars shining in the darkness of this world. All for Him.

Need a good Laugh?

2012-01-26T19:48:00.003-05:00

Check out this video that the Youth Pastor and Worship Pastor at my church put together for N.O.W (night of worship).

CLICK HERE

Why Tomorrow?

2011-11-26T22:13:00.001-05:00

A thought that has been going through my mind the last few days has been why we as Christians are always waiting on tomorrow. We say we want to do things for the Lord, and that we want to have a deeper relationship with Christ, but we constantly put it off.

God is presently, in this very moment, seeking a deeper relationship with us. He is reaching out his hand and asking us to come to Him with all of our worries, struggles, and requests. He wants to be there to help us through these situations and wants us to fully rely on him. He is ready to show Himself in our daily lives and give us a deeper understanding of Him through experiencing who He is. So why, why are we waiting for tomorrow?

I love the lyrics to Mandisa's song "Waiting for Tomorrow" that go right along with this thought.

Can't spend my whole life wastin'
Everything I know I've been given
'Cause you've made me for so much more than
Sittin' on the side lines
I don't wanna look back and wonder
If good enough could've been better

Oh, I'm makin this my moment now

I'm gonna grab the hand that's reachin down
And I'm not gonna wait until tomorrow

Let's make this very moment, right now, the moment where we jump in full force and give our lives to God. Let's take hold of His hand and enjoy the relationship that He wants to have with us. Let's show his love to others and not just go about our daily mundane lives... because when God is leading your life there is nothing mundane about it!

I will not let my life continue as mundane, but instead I will spend time with God daily and seek to share His love with others that may cross my path.

Will you wait for tomorrow, or will you make this very moment your moment?

One stitch at a time...

2011-09-06T15:25:00.000-04:00

I've kept myself pretty busy the past few days with sewing projects. It is something I have really enjoyed being able to jump back into right before I start my new job next week. I have two projects to share today plus lots of good sites to recommend!

My first project was a pleated knee length skirt complete with pockets. I found some great fabric at Hobby Lobby and I bought the pattern there too. It had been a long time since I had worked with a pattern, but for the most part everything went fairly smooth. This skirt is also super comfortable!

My second project was a "weekend blouse". I call it that simply because that is what the pattern was called. I used my leftover royal blue poly-satin from my DIY wedding decorations to make this one. I have to admit that I was quite disappointed half way through making this because I really didn't see it turning out well. In the end, after a little seam ripping and redoing, I was happy.

I got the pattern for this weekend blouse absolutely FREE! I found a site, BurdaStyle that has anything and everything about sewing you could imagine on it. You can buy patterns, but best of all there are tons of free patterns, tutorials, and tips! You can also upload your own projects. This site has been one of my best friends the past few days :P.

I guess I have jumped a little bit ahead of myself. I didn't mention how I found BurdaStyle. I was just randomly clicking the "next blog" button at the top of the page seeing what I would come across, and I found a blog that mentioned BurdaStyle... it was Tart Deco: Vintage Glamor & Retro Style. After that amazing find I kept sifting and came across another girl who has a blog of stuff that she has made. It seems that every post she makes she tells how she made the item the post is about ... and best of all ... it is super easy and no pattern is needed! This blog is Comely Vesture.

Well, I think that is all I have to share for now, but I hope you enjoy & can find some treasure in these sites as well! God Bless!

My God's Enough

2011-08-26T07:00:00.001-04:00

Here lately I have been listening to a lot of Barlow Girl's music in the car. While I really like a lot of their songs, recently my repeat song has been Psalm 73 (My God's Enough).

Here are some of the lyrics:

I've had enough of living life for only me
and reaching just for the things
that keep destroying me
so sick of envying the lives of so many I see
somehow believing that they have what I need

I can't explain why I suffer though I live for You
those who deny You, oh
they have it better than I do
cover my eyes now so that
my heart can finally see
that in the end only You mean anything

my God's enough for me
this world has nothing I need
in this whole life I've seen
my God's enough, enough for me

Who have I in heaven but You
Nothing I desire but You
My heart may fail but not You
You are mine forever

This song is so true to the way we are sometimes. We take our eyes off of God and start thinking that others have more than we do. We continually seem to lose sight of all that God has done for us and what we have in Him. It sad that He sometimes has to "cover our eyes" so that our hearts can see in the end only God and the things that we do for Him in this life mean anything at all.

I want my life to show that my God is enough for me.

My God Is...

2011-08-25T09:50:00.000-04:00

As part of my young married group from church, I am reading Experiencing God by Blackaby. I have just started but already the book has been a great motivator to want to experience God in His many characteristics and by his many names.

My God Is...

the great I AM
My witness
the bread of life
my hope
my wonderful counselor
the strength of my salvation
my comfort
my hiding place

My God is all of that and so much more. I want to fully experience God in all of these areas. I can "know" that He is all of these things, but I want to truly experience Him. That is my prayer today.

Nameless

2011-08-15T21:27:00.003-04:00

My Cat. Not because I want it, but because it chooses to stay. When Ben and I moved into our new home, we quickly figured out that this cat also lives here. We don't feed it, but it chooses to stay anyway. It spends most of its days laying on the picnic table on the deck or sitting in the kitchen window (on the outside)... It meows up a storm when I cook and watches me wash dishes. Sometimes it does get quite annoying, but I have begun to enjoy the company during my days here at the house alone, at least when I wash dishes there is someone else there with me. Best of all the cat makes a good photography subject :P

Maybe I should give it a name?

I'm Married!

2011-06-04T13:03:00.001-04:00

Well, it has been quite a while since I have posted on here. Things got so crazy around exams and all of the final wedding planning. The day has come and gone, and I am now Hope Lauren Minter. It sounds so nice doesn't it! I am so thankful that God has blessed me with such a wonderful husband who loves me more than anyone but God. I look forward to a life spend serving Christ with Ben.

Spring is coming!

2011-04-15T19:57:00.001-04:00

I decided to spend a little time out with my camera on this beautiful April day. The bees are staying busy carrying pollen and buzzing about. I also noticed our dogwood tree is a little behind the others this year, but it is beginning to bloom and I look forward to seeing the pink and white blossoms!

What a true JOY it is to attempt to capture God's marvelous and beautiful creation. Let all that hath breath praise His name!

Finished!

2011-02-14T19:43:00.000-05:00

Ok, I just finished my little project :) A bag for my Granny to keep her current embroidery projects in.

It ended up being about 5" wide, 10.5" tall, and 17.5" long.

I made the strap optional (and it pivots really well).

And a little "flower" for decoration :)

Stitch Witchery

2011-02-11T22:50:00.002-05:00

Ok, so I'm sure some of you are thinking, "What in the world is stitch witchery???". Well, I had no idea what it was until today, but I am really liking it already. First, I guess I should let you all know what I'm up to. I am working on a small sewing project for my Granny (her 81st birthday is coming up this month). She really enjoys embroidery/cross stitching and I am making a rectangular bag for her to keep her current projects in. I found a store in Winston-Salem (Hancock Fabrics) ... AMAZING, :P. I found some really great fabric, Fusi-Boo batting (I had never heard of this before either ... it too is great!), and stitch witchery.

Stitch witchery is a web of thread that comes in little rolls of different widths. I believe mine is a 1/2" wide roll. You can fold in two edges of fabric and place the stitch witchery in between. Then, all you have to do is place a damp cloth and top and hold the iron on it for 10-20 seconds. It makes a pretty good bond that you have to tug on pretty hard to pull apart. I wouldn't leave it at just that, but it really does help hold in stubborn edges until you can place a top stitch across it.

Here are a few "in the process" pictures :) I'll post a final once I finish up. The strap is all that is left.

^First place the Fusi-Boo between the two pieces of fabric

^Then turn in the rough edges and place stitch witchery in between. Hold the iron it it (dampened first) for 10 seconds.

^ I reinforced the top of the pocket (the part that will not be attached) so that it will have a stronger hold.

^I then top stitched the pocket onto the lining of the side panel.

^This is the finished product of the panel lining.

For now, God Bless!

PS. I got a new camera, from my wonderful fiance! It is the Canon EOS Rebel T2i ... He got me the body, two lenses, a very nice backpack style case, 16 GB class 10 SDHC card, UV filter, and it was all given with love :) I really can't wait to take some pictures and do a little post-developing in lightroom.

Books You Have to Read!

2011-01-08T23:00:00.002-05:00

So I have read a couple of great books this past week and thought I would share with you all.

The first was The Thorn by Beverly Lewis. Beverly Lewis writes fiction books based on the Amish people. She has spent a lot of time around this type of lifestyle and writes stories that are based on real places and are very true to the Amish customs and ways. I have read three entire trilogy sets of her books (which I will also list) previously, and just this past week read the first of her newest, The Rose Trilogy. The Thorn was a really great and captivating book (I read it in only 3 days). This book is great for teen girls and women.

The other trilogies I have read by Beverly Lewis are:

Annie's People
The Courtship of Nellie Fisher
The Heritage of Lancaster County

Although those are the only full sets I have read, I would recommend ALL of Beverly Lewis' books based on my reading experience with the others.

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**Best Book of the Week Award**

The second book for the week was Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury. This is truly the very best book I've read in a long time. From the first chapter I was hooked. I honestly could hardly put it down. Holden Harris is an autistic eighteen-year-old who is bullied at school. Ella Reynolds is part of the 'in' crowd—a cheerleader and star of the high school drama production who befriends Holden but has problems of her own at home. In her trademark way, Kingsbury tackles real-life issues of high school bullying, autism, suicide, and ultimately ... acceptance. The book goes through the journey of watching Holden, a completely non-communicative autistic, be unlocked from the bounds of his autism. It goes back and forth between the way his family and the people at school view things and what is going on in Holden's own little world.

I spent only two days reading this book ... I honestly could not put it down. This shows how important it is to look past the outer appearance of a person and see them for who they really are. I went from one chapter to the next excited and then crying ... sometimes out of sadness, but more often - happiness.

This book would be wonderful for any teen or adult, it really tackles a lot of issues.

$10 Tote

2011-01-01T23:07:00.001-05:00

I was at Wal-Mart the other day looking for some fabric to work on a little project when I found little packs of fabric. They were really cute patterns, and included two 1-yard pieces that complimented each other. The pack was only $10!

So, I set out to start a little project. I decided to make myself a little tote bag. It turned out pretty cute (and sturdy) so I thought I'd share. (sorry the pictures were taken very quickly and are kinda bland)

I put the shoes by the bag in the picture for size comparison.

I made the straps with the same fabric as the lining of the bag, and I used my favorite decorative stitch on my new machine to secure it in place. I also put pockets on both sides of the inside of the bag (these are great for my phone and keys).

If you would like any tips on how to make your $10 tote just comment on the post and let me know!

Fun Homemade Gifts

2010-12-29T12:31:00.001-05:00

This Christmas I gave a lot of homemade gifts (due to the fact that I have no job, therefore no money). I actually ended up having a lot fun making these gifts and thought I would share a little with you.

I crocheted Granny Squares for all of the women in the family. These can be used as hot plates in the kitchen. I just did a basic solid granny square with multi-colored yarn (5 rounds) and then switched to a solid yarn that complimented the previous. With the solid yard I added one round of doubles and then a scalloped edge. The scalloped edge adds a nice touch to the basic square.

This is an older one that I made a little over a year ago for my mom.

I also made some over-sized pillows for my fiance's brother and another little girl. I took some fleece (with a cute pattern of course ... Hobby Lobby is my favorite place to get fabric around here) and cut large squares of equal size. I didn't measure, but I would guess that it was about 25x35in. These are great because they can be used for laying on while watching TV or even a cushion to sit on while playing video games.

I think my favorite of the gifts would have to be the Organizer notebook that I made for one of my good friends. It is very simple to make, and they turn out very nice. The only items you will need are tabbed index cards (about a 5x7), small notepads, scrap-booking paper, a hole punch, tape and/or glue, index card rings/string/or something to combine the pages, and any stickers you may want to use. I got this idea from a blog I follow by Emily Rose, Simply Vintage Girl. I put a little of my own ideas in with the wonderful tutorial that she gives.

If you would like to try any of these and would like to have some tips and/or a tutorial please just comment on this post and I will work on getting that up for you :)

PS. I got a new sewing machine so keep a look out for any sewing projects I may post in the near future.

Unto Him be the Glory!

2010-11-28T21:52:00.002-05:00

Our Team :)

I returned home from beautiful Jamaica late Friday night. I have experienced a trip that will forever leave me changed. Seeing the contrast of the beauty of the beaches to the sadness and poverty in Canterbury left me speechless, and the faces of the people that I developed a passion to love and help will be forever etched in my memory.

The Community of Canterbury

The beautiful view on the way to Ocho Rios

I feel so blessed to have been a part of the missions team in Jamaica. Pastor Titus and Tammy were wonderful to work with, and we are very grateful for all they did to help us follow through with what we felt God was calling us to do. We were able to paint nails, give baby dolls, basketballs, food, flip flops, frame a porch, fix ceilings, and best of all present the gospel to people who desperately need Christ. As a team our goal was to share the love of Christ and the gospel with the people in Jamaica, and we were blessed to see 25 Jamaicans come to know Jesus Christ as their savior!

Saneika and Tiandra

In Canterbury, I became close with a few little girls: Tiandra, Omeica, and Saneika. I had talked with Tiandra some the first day we were there, but I didn't meet Omeica and Saneika until the second day. I helped Saneika with a bracelet, and then later Omeica and Saneika both started braiding or "platting" my hair. Tiandra jumped in and from that point on the three girls were like glue to me. To my knowledge the girls have not come to a full understanding of their sin nature and the need to accept Christ as their savior. They are young, and seeds have been planted. God's word will not turn void and I hope that one day those seeds will come to fruition, even if I don't personally get to see it happen. As we were leaving Canterbury on our last day of VBS, I was telling everyone goodbye with hopes that I would be able to see them next year. One little girl ran and jumped into my arms giving me the biggest hug I had gotten all week. I had played with her a few times, and comforted her after she had fallen and scraped her knee. I was enjoying the sweet hug as I told her goodbye when she leaned over and said "kiss me please". So, I gave her a kiss on the cheek and she did me the same. I can't explain the feelings that rushed in as my heart broke having to leave her there.

Omeica working on my hair :)

Micala : Another little girl I had the joy of talking with some

"So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up."
Galatians 6:9 NLT

Besides working in the community of Canterbury, we also spent a morning at the Robin's Nest Children's Home. We did various odd jobs to help out such as replacing light bulbs, doing laundry, and feeding some of the younger children. I enjoyed getting to help feed baby Asia. She is 10 months old and has adoptive parents in the States, but has not yet been able to go home with them. Please pray that the adoption process will speed up so that she can be with her new mommy and daddy.

Baby Asia

One of the children at the Robin's Nest preschool

The kids at the fence as we were leaving. They wanted to know if we were coming back tomorrow and it broke my heart to think that we wouldn't be able to spend more time with them before the end of the week.

We also had the priveledge of getting to know a very nice couple: Andrew and Tanesha. Andrew is the associate pastor of Bay Life Baptist in Jamaica. He and Tanesha will be getting married on the same day as Ben and I. We really enjoyed getting to know them throughout the week. They are both very sweet people and you can see the love of Christ in them. I count it a blessing to call them my friends.

Andrew and Tanesha with us after chapel at Fairview Bible College

Ben and I at a stop on the way to Ocho Rios

Ben and his new friends from the Bible College

Unto Him be the Glory!