My Aunt's Story.....

When I walked down the church aisle September 1951, and gave my heart to God, I never fully realized how it would effect and change my life. I was a Sophomore in High School at the time and the idea of searching for the meaning of life had not even entered my mind. It was definitely not a priority.

But, as I sat under the teaching of my Pastor, I soon became aware that I was responsible for the choices that I make, and my choices could change the DIRECTION of my pathway in life. The decision that I made that Fall day started me on a journey to SEEK TRUTH. That search has not ended. It is still going on today.

As a teenager, when I first began to study the Word, I began to realize that there are spiritual principles and lessons to be learned to live a Christian life. I studied the Bible all through High School and upon graduation traveled to Missouri to assist my grandparents in church ministry. We preached revivals in churches and in the open and brush arbors, such as you see in the pictures. It was a wonderful experience for me because I got to see the results when the Gospel was preached in the power of the Spirit.

Messages such as "Come unto Me, all ye who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." touched the hearts of sinners and they repented and accepted the Lord as their Savior.

Over the years, I have seen changes in the Churches. Not so much emphasis on outer appearance but more attention to the inner man. More witnessing about Jesus love, our love toward each other and more emphasis to meet the needs of others.... and that is good.

I too have changed. I am not so concerned about what others think I should do, to be classified a "Christian", and I do not purposely offend them. But I am more concerned about what the Bible says I should do to follow Christ. I desire to love my Lord God with all my heart, soul and mind and to love my neighbor as I should.

GOD IS SO GOOD!

Community......

Guest post from my friend Sara Chambers "Healthiest Mama" Facebook Page.  Thank you Sara for allowing me to share this today.

Community:: a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common: a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.

Ecclesiastes 4:10-12 "If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble...A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken."

Being in close relationship with fellow believers often brings the best of times and the worst of times. They encourage us & sometimes they burn us and still we are asked by God to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit.” (Eph 4:3) Why does God want this?

First of all it’s for His glory to have a Bride unified as one before Him, pure and spotless, redeemed. But also, it’s for us. Because we need it. Because we will be required to lay down our flesh over and over, to fight fear, take huge leaps of faith and follow Jesus wherever He takes us. We need people beside us saying “keep going” “you’re doing great” “be encouraged” “God will be faithful” “I’m right there with you” “you can cry with me” “I will fight for you”. It’s just not healthy to go it alone. It’s not how we were created to function.

After 14 years in ministry I (Sara) have had my share of ups and downs, but I firmly believe that one of the greatest acts of spiritual warfare is to love. Especially when it’s exactly opposite of how you want to respond. When you love, you cast a judgement on the darkness and declare that you belong to the Kingdom of light and that you, were made for more. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” John 13:35.

There are people out there struggling and they need you. They need you to meet them where they’re at, face to face. They need your listening ear, your empathy and your encouragement. They need your smile and the life that you carry inside of you. They need your accountability and your presence. Hebrews 3:13 says,“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ SO THAT none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”

Get in community. Don’t let your wounds keep you away. God uses people to make us holy.

Prayer: God you have designed me to need and be needed by others. Help me be a light in the darkness. Heal my offenses and my wounds. Help me to love like You love.

Denise's Yadda Yadda on Soap Making, Crafts & Personal Ramblings: Under $2 Victorian Centerpieces

Denise's Yadda Yadda on Soap Making, Crafts & Personal Ramblings: Under $2 Victorian Centerpieces

What Makes You Happy.....AKA "Learning Contentment"

Today, in honor of my papa's birthday on July 5th, I want to share some "soul food" with you that he wrote on his website www.nuggetsoftruth.com

To be happy, add not to your possessions but subtract from your desires.

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"But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. I Timothy 6:6-7

What is the one thing in life that all of us are desperately seeking for? The answer to that question is a one word answer. Happiness! Paragraph two of the Declaration of Independence declares that the pursuit of happiness is one of our inalienable rights.
There can be little question that we have taken that statement to heart, because for the past two hundred years plus we have pursued our share of happiness like a hound dog howling after a rabbit. We know it's out there someplace because our Declaration of Independence tells us we have a right to go after it. It is our right to be happy, and we will be happy no matter what we have to do to achieve it. If anyone interferes with our pursuit of happiness they are likely to get walked on or ran over because pursuing happiness is our constitutional right and woe to the one who tries to tamper with that right.

Contentment isn't getting what we want, but being satisfied with what we have.

In our pursuit of happiness we must be going about it all wrong, for happiness seems to have become a rare commodity among the general population. Some people in their pursuit of happiness are spending themselves into financial ruin in an attempt to capture it. But it seems the harder they try, the more futile their quest.
There is something we need to remember as we run around looking for our pot of happiness at the end of the rainbow. Our constitutional right is to pursue it but nowhere are we guaranteed that we will find it! I sometimes wonder if most people would recognize it if they did catch up to it. Do you know what really makes you happy? Think about that question for a moment. What actually makes you happy? Is it money? Is it friends? Is it possessions? Is it being looked upon by others as being successful? One of the main reasons there are so many unhappy people in our society is because many have never taken the time to discover what it is that makes them happy. Chances are if you were to ask someone else what would make them happy you'd get a list of the same things I mentioned above. The truth is, most people have a difficult time stating exactly what would make them happy for the simple reason they've never really thought about it.
A successful person by society's standard isn't necessarily a happy person. However, I believe a successful person is always a happy person by the Bible's Standard. Just because a happy person doesn't drive the latest car, or have the finest home in the development, or buy their clothes from the finest clothier doesn't mean that person isn't successful. It only means that person understands that material things are not part of the equation for producing happiness.
Our happiness has nothing to do with our possessions, our environment, or even our health for that matter. Our happiness comes from a source that is independent of all those influences. Genuine happiness is a state of contentment - a peace of mind - a sense of well being regardless of outward circumstances going on in your life. The main ingredient to anyone's happiness is contentment.
The Apostle Paul was a man with few friends, no possessions, serving a jail term and facing death sentence. Yes, he was happy. How could he be happy in the midst of this storm in his life? 
Paul tells us in Philippians 4:10-13, "But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly...for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me."
If you and I could master the contents of those four verses, we would find that it takes much less to make us really happy. Paul had learned to be content. His contentment is the number one ingredient to this illusive thing we pursue called happiness.
So -- how do we learn to be content? Let me offer a few suggestions.
(1)  We learn to be content when we stop comparing our life and possessions with other people. There will always be houses bigger, better and more expensive than the one we have. There will always be people with much more money than we have. As a pastor, I know there will always be other ministers with larger and stronger churches than the one where I minister. There will always be those who can declare the Word of God more effectively. If we keep comparing ourselves to those who are better, bigger, richer, more talented, and better looking, we'll always walk under the cloud of unhappiness.
(2)  We learn to be content when we accept the fact that there are some things about our life that we can't change no matter how much we want to, and so we should quit worrying about it.
There are two things we shouldn't worry about. Those things we can change and those things we can't change. I saw this prayer recently on a wall plaque: "God give me the wisdom to change those things that can be changed and the serenity to accept those things which cannot be changed."Contentment comes when we know we cannot change everything about life.
(3)  Contentment is based on making Christ the very heart and center of our life. Jesus has our best interests at heart. Everything He does in our life is for our eternal benefit. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus showed His disciples the highway to happiness. He promises that all who faithfully walk this highway will possess a happiness the world cannot take away.
John A. Redhead in his book, Living All Your Life", said there are three kinds of blessings: pleasure, joy, and happiness. Pleasure comes from satisfying our physical senses. Joy comes from our association with others. But happiness results from a right relationship with God.

The heart is the happiest when it beats for others.

"Where your pleasure is, there is your treasure: where your treasure, there your heart; where your heart, there your happiness."     St. Augustine

It isn't your position that makes you happy or unhappy, it's your disposition.

There is happiness available in this world. And you can find it. It all depends upon where you look as you pursue it. I point you to the source of all happiness and say to you, Look to Jesus! Look to Him - and live and experience happiness   - true happiness.

Pastor Bill