Hello everyone!! I have been MIA for the past 4 months, but 3 out of the 4 have been the best of my life. July was super busy with Teen Camp and VBS, in August we went on vacation and since then it has been the best, but also the most stressed time of my life.....and I wouldn't change a thing (well maybe a few things ;) )! God really is teaching me things I already thought I had settled, and it seems to be a never ending time of relearning the meaning of trusting Him and HIS plan completely.
  Glad to hear my little blog has helped and been an encouragement to some of you, God truly gets all the praise for anything good that comes out of anything from me. Stay tuned and the plan is to be back next week with my blogs and share what the Lord has done in the past few months, and also some more fun decorating ideas too in the future!! :)

Dying to Self

These are the two quotes I have written on my dollar tree makeshift dry erase board, in my room. Why? Because in real life I tend to be a very selfish person!

   Within the past month I was really convicted by a person I had recently come in contact with....I could just feel her love toward God and how much of a close relationship she has with God. Through witnessing her testimony I realized that is what I'm missing.....I want to be oh so much closer to God! So I decided to up my Bible reading, and book-ended my day with Bible reading, but still felt I could do more. So I picked up a book that has been in our house it seems forever, that honestly I had never read because it seemed like a boring book. Boy, was I wrong!! Since I began reading this book I have not ceased to be convicted about so many areas I need to fix. I have yet to finish the book, because I am still working on the first few chapters and don't want to move on lest I forget all the areas I need to strengthen and fix! Some of the ideas in this post are driven from this book, but most are just things the Lord has shown me through my time with Him.

    My biggest problem I am working on is 'dying to self'. Dying to self encompasses so much in the Christian life. To be close to God at all, I must learn to die to self. Luke 9:23 "And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." The cross was an instrument of suffering, to die to self or deny yourself what the flesh wants to do is a type of suffering. The suffering is so worth it in comparison with the fellowship and closer relationship we began to develop with our Savior!! Dying to self to many may seem like a small task, but if you have tried it at all you will know differently. Our emotions are not supposed to, but tend to rule any task we do, to deny them in EVERY situation is a tough thing to accomplish. How many times are we supposed to do something that we choose not to, because we don't feel like it? Things we should be doing for the Lord. How many times do we complain about what a certain person said to us? Or didn't do to us? Or we can't believe why we were treated this way? Or many times when someone says something that hurts you, and we respond in anger to the hurt we feel? Those (me included) who choose to complain this way have not yet learned to die to self. The flesh makes us feel every time we are wronged, we must say or do something to "defend" or "justify" ourselves. This is definitely not what the Bible teaches. 1 Cor 6:7-8 "Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren." Now I realize this is referring to taking your brother to court and such, but it's the same principle. The need to justify ourselves when we feel we have been wronged is definitely not dying to self. Jesus is our best example, and here is what the Bible says about Him. 1Peter 2:23-24 "Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously; Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the trees, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." Many times when we desire to justify ourselves to those who have wronged us, the moment we go about 'justifying' ourselves we become no better than those who have wronged us. The test of dying to self is when we are wronged or inconvenienced by someone and we can quietly shrug it off as though it's nothing, that is when we are learning to die to self. 

   It seems because I have been praying for the Lord to strengthen me in this area I have had all of these scenarios in about a week. I wish I could say I passed each test, but unfortunately I still have quite a bit of work to do! I have found though that if I place my emphasis on something else, it makes it easier to die to self. As I mentioned in the beginning of the post my biggest obstacle to dying to self is being selfish! Being selfish is defined as "lacking consideration for others; concerned chiefly with one's own personal profit or pleasure." This is obviously the exact opposite of dying to self. So to help put this into practice in real life, each day I am doing a job or jobs for someone else. All the things I have done so far are things I typically HATE doing myself, so doing them for others when it is not my job takes ALOT of dying to self. Many times I talk to myself, or sing myself through the jobs. Why do I do these? Because it is I who need to learn to not be selfish and to die each day to the things I want or do not want to do! So this is why both of those quotes are up in my room so I can see them each time I come in my room. I try to do all of these jobs as aggressively and positively as I can possibly do them! To be good at anything I must practice, and I have found that this has worked for me. As soon as I look at something and think 'that's not my job' it's like the Holy Spirit says 'it is now, die to that selfish desire!' I really am so thankful the Lord helps me through my learning of this dying to self daily. Some days it seems like I will never get this down, my flesh always wants to dictate what I do....and sometimes it does win. 

   In the end the responsibility of dying to self will not seem like a cross but rather a privilege to reflect the resurrected life. As Jesus had to die physically for me, so must I each day die physically to the flesh that I also may live the resurrected life. When a seed is planted in the ground, it does not cry or whine because the seed has to die to bring forth the life of whatever plant or vegetable it may be. The seed simply yields to the God Who created it, and dies to bring forth life. So also we rejoice when we see the beautiful bloom it produces. Dying to self is not in vain, it brings about a beautiful resurrected life that until our life is yielded, we can only imagine!!

Single & Selective

      Hello everyone! I have been MIA for quite a while. My laptop broke recently, and so I can only use a computer/laptop when it's available. I have also been busy with chaperoning a teen camp last week, which was so fun!! Anyways so hopefully I'm back and a little more regular with my posts! :)
     This post is going to be mainly for my single friends once again. I don't know about any of you, but most of my advice from others comes from those who are already married. I so cherish and soak in the advice I get, but the advice that helps me the most is from people who are single. There's nothing like talking to someone who is going through the same thing, and knows what we experience from day to day, as it is with any situation in life! I'm going to ask a couple of questions, think seriously about them and answer them. How will you know when you find that significant other? Will it be a look, feeling or some other idea? Who or what helps you determine this is the person? Are there certain characteristics you are looking for? These are all really important questions that will help you determine what your future will be!
      I personally believe (in the realm of God's will for me to marry) that there is only one guy out there for me! Not a choice of which one I like best, but a guy God made specifically for me, and made me specifically for him! It is not a choice to be taken lightly, but is a choice that will determine my future. This is not as simple as choosing which outfit to wear today, but what man can I love and be a helpmeet to, for the rest of my life. Once the decision is made in front of God, it can never be changed before God. So what helps govern whom we choose? As I believe in everything God has a way this should be done decently and in order. As so many have done before me, I encourage you to sit down and make a list of rules, guidelines, requirements or whatever you want to call them, for your future spouse. Pray about this list and ask God if there should be any additions to this list. Then follow these!!! This list is not preferences, but rules for you to follow throughout the relationship from the beginning to the end, and also requirements for the significant other you are looking for - these are things he/she must have. These things will define his/her character. I'm going to open my mind and kind of share a few of mine and my thoughts about them! These may seem very small, but each of us is accountable for who we choose to marry, and these three are very important to me! :)

1. Spiritual Maturity
    I must see God throughout his life. Not just a guy who talks about God, but a guy who is focused on pleasing God will have the hand of God evident throughout his life. I won't have to wonder if he loves God, it will be evident. I'm not talking about him being a spiritual giant, but simply loves the Lord and is concerned about displeasing Him. I would expect him to be looking for the same thing in me! I'm sure most have heard this quote that I'm about to type, but this is truly one of my "requirements" for the guy. "A womans heart should be so focused on God, that a man would have to seek Him in order to find her." I truly believe that if I'm focused on God, He will bring this man along in His time!

2. No Initiating
    This one is obviously a rule for myself, and this is actually one that has caught me recently. Initiate means "to cause to begin." I get so tired of seeing girls chasing guys, it should be the other way around. If the guy is interested in you, he will seek you out, instead of making you chase him. Within the past month or so I thought about a certain guy, and asked in my heart, "Lord is it him?" To which in His still small voice He answered, "Did he initiate it?" There was my answer. No it was not His will, at least for now! IT IS NOT THE LADIES JOB TO BEGIN A RELATIONSHIP!  If the guy is crazy about you and is who God has for you, then he will make the first move....if he doesn't let him go, he's not worth it! He is not God's will for you. Anytime a woman initiates things it ends bad. Eve initiated the eating of the fruit, and caused Adam to sin....this ended badly. She initiated. He responded. Sin, sorrow and death were the result. God gave the man the responsibility to do the finding as seen in Proverbs.
Proverbs 18:22 
"Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord."

3. Roaming Eyes
    Hopefully if the first two are met, then this won't be a problem. Still it bugs me enough that I have made it a requirement. Girls, you should not feel flattered if another guy is with another lady and is 'checking you out'. You should feel outraged for the other girl!! If you steal a guy like this, he will do the exact same thing when he is with you. He has a serious problem that getting married to him certainly won't fix. This can go for guys or girls, but from my experience it seems to be more of a guy issue than a girl.

                   

             





**These are only a few of my guidelines I use in "selecting" my future spouse. Yes we are "selecting" our future spouses. Selecting is defined as to carefully choose as being the best or most suitable. Don't ever give into the worlds philosophy that you must be desperate if you reach a certain age and are not serious with someone. This is just one of the Devils lies he will feed you, if you will believe him, in hopes we will grab the next guy or girl we see and quite possibly destroy a beautiful future the Lord has planned for us!! Many before us have and are destroying their lives on the altar of having someone.
**Girls especially, guard your heart. Never allow your heart to have any part of the decision making until you have checked the guy over with your guidelines. As the Bible says, if your heart gets the chance it will deceive you. Proverbs 28:26 "He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered." Given the chance your heart will tell you how unimportant all these guidelines and requirements are!
**I don't know about you, but I am choosing to one day walk down the aisle with the man of my dreams.....because he will be exactly the guy God created especially for me.

***Maybe some of you married or single have certain things you were looking for, or rules for yourself throughout your relationship. I would love to hear some of them. Comment below, if you want to share and they are personal I will not publish them, but I always enjoy hearing others who are just as choosy about who their spouse is! :)

Ladies Banquet - Jewels Of Grace

   Last Saturday our church just had our Ladies Banquet. Commonly referred to as Mother/Daughter Banquet, but we want all ladies to participate regardless, so we call it the Ladies Banquet! It is always so much fun!!! I love all the preparation that goes into it, the decorating...and the actual event!! Each year we search and search for a title, and then decorations to match...this always takes quite a bit of effort. We look at the ever popular Pinterest, as well as any other place we can think of! SO I like to post some of these ideas in hopes that maybe they can help someone else with their special events too! "There is no new thing under the sun" as Ecclesiastes says, so you may have seen these elsewhere too! :)

JEWELS OF GRACE

~ We have a big gym where we do our big events, so we usually use a big wooden partition that folds like an accordion to help give us a backdrop! 

~ Not sure if you can see or not, but we use different color plastic table cloth to put on our lattice (wooden partition) We put 

~ For our tables, different ladies in the church decorated their own table. They were given the 'jewel' and then they just decorated the tables off of them. Some were: emerald, diamond, pearl, opal, amethyst, gold, etc...I will forget each one! SO here are their different ideas of decorating their tables. This is fun to see what each ladies idea is!!

~ I think I got all the tables. The last photo is mine! SO thankful for those who offered their opinions for my table, I drew a complete blank when it came time to do mine! My jewel was pearls, and I LOVE lace and pearls together so knew I wanted to do that...but didn't know much else! All the tables were beautiful, and we had so much fun!! 

~ This next one is of my nephew David. The guys do all the serving for the Ladies Banquet, including cooking most of the food themselves. SO David wanted to help serve so bad, so he matched them, it was so cute seeing him and another little boy serving too! They just melt your heart!! 

Here are all the girls in my family, except one of my sisters! I absolutely LOVE spending time with my family, honestly there is no place I would rather be than with my family! Hope you can say the same!! :)

Psalm 73:1 "Truly God is good to (Israel), even to such as are of a clean heart!"

God is so good to each of us!! 

Salvation For Gods Will ~ Part 2

   In the Christian circles Hudson Taylor is a well known man, he is the founder of the China Inland Mission, and a man who was sold out to and for God's will. Reading in a book recently I was amazed, but also a little encouraged after reading about his life. It's encouraging to know that a great man of the faith struggled with some of the same issues I struggle with from time to time - God's will.

Hudson Taylor, son of a chemist who was also a Methodist preacher in a mining 

town, fell in love with a young music teacher while still in his teens. He wrote to

his sister, "I know I love her. To go to China without her would make the world

a blank." She thought his desire to go to China absurd, and did not plan to go. 

In process of time, it was understood they would be married. Each planning 

to change the others mind. Neither won. Her refusal made Hudson heartbroken, 

but he was comforted in the love of God. He could not get over her, and in 1853

 he asked again for her hand in marriage, which she accepted in spite of her 

unsuitability for Gods plan. Her father later settled the matter, refusing for her

to go to China. 

Hudson left for China on September 19, 1853. He was not long in Shanghai before 

he became lonely, miserable and homesick. He longed for a wife. He wrote to his 

sister to relay any news of Miss Vaughan, no news was ever fruitful for his predicament. 

In his loneliness, his thoughts turned to another woman he knew in, Elizabeth 

Sisson. Through process of time, this venture proved to be heartbreaking as well. Her 

father likewise would only permit the marriage if he came back to England. Hudson 

contemplated returning to England, but this put a "blight" on his prayer life. (Thankfully

he did not!) 

A missionary lady in whom Hudson had confided mentioned Maria Dyer, who was 

working at a mission school. He remembered her as "a good looking girl, despite

the slightest cast in her eye". She had a reputation of being devoted to her calling,

and had turned down 2 other suitors. During the next few months he began having

strange feelings for Maria, unlike he'd had for Miss Vaughn or Elizabeth. After many

months and events along the way, Hudson Taylor and Maria Dyer were married on

January 20, 1858.

    If you read this story in depth it is pretty amazing. His own loneliness and desire could have very well caused him to leave China and destroy the entire work.Many souls would/could have been lost, through his choice to follow his own will (emotions) rather than follow God's will. This story is just one way in which we can get so caught up in our idea of God's will. There are so many different scenarios we could put here. It seems very often in life once we reach one stage of life, we are very quick to set our eyes on the next 'goal' and want that now! Most people are truly never satisfied, always wanting the next big thing, which once obtained that is not enough either. 

    I know what I want but IS it GOD'S will? How do we know if what we want is God's will? This is not really a hard question, it is just a hard answer to receive I think.First, the Bible is our source for determining God's will. If any area of what you want violates ANY part of scripture, then it's not God's will. Secondly, if in your mind it doesn't violate any part of scripture, then go to you Pastor/Preacher or someone who is more spiritual than you are and ask their opinion. Many times though we just choose to overlook what the Bible says, because really it won't be THAT bad! I have had ideas and plans that I hoped was God's will, but in some way or another they violated God's Word. I even attempted to try to overlook them, but I am oh so thankful that by the grace of God I was not able to follow through with what I wanted. I can see the outline of God's hand in my life, and His salvation of keeping me in His will. So what is His will for me? It really isn't a big mystery. It simply is to keep serving where I am, until He changes my course. I have heard so many suggestion about where I should find God's will. I have not lost God's will, nor do I need to find it, I am in His will for me now. I feel such contentment and peace in where I serve and am, I have my desires, but they have not fit into God's will right now. Yes, those emotions sometimes make me want to be spontaneous, or make my spirit troubled; but I try my best to quickly get my Bible. Sometimes I will ask my Mom, "Can you pray a little harder for me today/tonight?" Then she knows those emotions are battling inside. This is really a good verse in those times. "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not in us." 2 Corinthians 4:7  Those times when I want what I want, and am tempted to destroy God's will for me, I remember it's not of my own power that I can win, but His alone. It is definitely no glory of my own that I am in God's will, but it is in His power alone. It is in His power that I find strength to help in time of need.To God be all the glory!    

   Maybe you are struggling with IS this God's will? I encourage you to get into your Bible, ask God to show you the answer, but you must be willing to accept whatever the answer is. If you still aren't sure, ask someone more spiritual than you are. Maybe you know what God's will is, and you are just struggling with His answer. My answer is still the same, find your Bible. Certainly the Great Comforter, can comfort your heart too! 

    I am SO thankful today that even in my 'young' life, I can see salvation for His will! I am reminded almost daily how different my life could be, had I been allowed or able to follow through with some of my wants. More than anything I want to please God, and to be IN His will. He is so good, and so worthy of my entire life. 

 "Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is."

Ephesians 5:17

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

I Thessalonians 5:18  

Salvation for Gods Will ~ Part 1

   Over the past few days I have been so overwhelmed with the goodness of God in my life.  The best thing He ever did was reach down and save my wicked soul from hell, but also has made real to me another kind of salvation. The salvation of keeping me in His will when I am often tempted to run ahead and destroy it. I have always prayed since I was a little girl, "Lord, I want to be in your will. Keep me in Your will for my life." Then at times I get frustrated and saddened when MY own will is not followed. Yet in the same prayer each night I once again pray for His will. How thankful I am for His mercies and that He loves me, even in my fickle and sometimes emotional state. I am so thankful that He DOESN'T listen to my wants!

   A book a sweet friend bought for me quoted the very words that the Lord so often speaks to my heart when I question His will for my life. I say, "If you just give me this, I'd be so happy Lord." to which He responds "Would you be happy in any state? As the children of Israel would you not murmur against Me if I gave you what you wished? In My sovereignty what you have today is all You need right now, and is My most precious gift to you. Do not use My promises against Me as though by loving me you would be able to have what you wish and still stay in My will! When I questions why others have obtained what I so dearly long for. His reply, "I have other things for you. They walk a different path with different problems which would bring you much unhappiness. Do not be jealous, but rejoice in the path I have designed for you to walk." These times of prayer and 'conversation' with my Lord are the absolute highlight of my day. My heart wants to rush ahead and fulfill it's own desires not wanting to heed the warning "he who trusts in his heart is a fool", but when I commit these longings and desires to my Heavenly Father He reminds me through scripture. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9 Once again the Lord has saved me from straying from His will for my life! The difficulty is to keep a tight rein on my emotions. They are there, but it is not they who are to rule the action. A life lived for God is not lived on the feelings, but of the will. I found this excerpt from a book which I found to be so helpful when those emotions try to battle Gods will.

   
    We are not to use obeying God's Word and serving Him as a condition for IF He gives me what I want, this is not true service, and is not useful to God.God is good and because He is good He does good, so no matter what happens in life He will work it to my good if my eyes are fastened on Him.I have so much more to say, and a example that I found amazing in a well known missionary who tried so hard to run ahead of God's will, but the Lord kept 'protecting' him from destroying himself, and God's will for his life. So I'm going to put this in 2 parts. This truth is so good, and maybe you are not troubled in this area, but it is still a good reminder nonetheless. We struggle so many times with is this God's will, and sometimes decide it doesn't matter, because we know what's best. This happens in many areas of life: college, work, marriage, children, and even the day to day life.God cares for every thing we do each day and has a specific plan. More on that in my 2nd part. Here are some verses that are my favorite, especially when I want what I want now! :)

Psalm 9-10, 15, 22
  "Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee. My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me. For in thee, O Lord, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God. Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation."

1Timothy 6:6
"But godliness with contentment is great gain."

Crockpot BBQ Pulled Pork

This dinner/lunch is oh so easy I just had to share! For those who are always busy, but love to have a home cooked delicious meal this is a really good crock pot meal. I made this for our dinner tonight along with mashed potatoes, and Red Lobster Cheesy Biscuits. I was so nervous that it wouldn't turn out well but every one from my nephew and niece to my Dad liked it. So it was a win!! I found a similar recipe to what I made, but tweaked a few things. If you like pulled pork, or even just BBQ this is a great recipe. I will put the brand we used in parenthesis. I doubled the recipe for our family, but this would make plenty for a family with not quite so many people! ;)

Ingredients:
- 6-8 boneless pork chops (Aldi brand)
- BBQ sauce (Baby Rays)
- 1/2 c. water
- sliced onions
- slow cooker/crock pot
- seasoning (Masterpiece BBQ Seasoning)

Instructions:
Pour water and BBQ sauce in crock pot and mix together.
Season both sides of pork chops (cut fat if necessary) and layer in bottom of crock pot. I was able to layer 3 across.
Pour BBQ sauce over chops and layer onions, then add another layer of seasoned pork chops followed by more BBQ sauce and onions. (Since our family is so big there was about 12 pork chops, so we had quite the layers!)
Cooked for about 6 hours in the crock pot.

These are SO tender and delicious. You could easily shred or leave as is. Most of us wanted our pork chops shredded, they are delicious either way though. This was definitely a big hit in our house, and super easy to make!



Also if you like biscuits or bread with your food the Red Lobster Cheesy Biscuit Mix is absolutely delicious, and super easy to make too!:) Hope this helps give someone another meal to add to their selection, and with it being so easy that is a huge plus too!!