Gateways to Joy

Right before I got ready to publish this post, I received an email from another blogger, Angela England, whose post I subscribe to.  What caught my attention about this particular post was her title, 'The Power of Exposing Your Dreams.' I opened the email and this was her introduction: "Did you know that a dormant seed is so well protected it can survive for years in a dead-but-not dead, alive-but-not alive state? In fact, kernels of wheat found buried in ancient Egyptian tombs were able to be germinated. The wheat survived for centuries, yet never served its true purpose." We do that with our dreams, don't we?  We keep them safely tucked away and protected in the shell of our minds and hearts in a state of dead, but not dead, alive, but not alive, and no one benefits.  Why do we do this?   Because we're fearful.  Fearful of the unknown, fear of failure. After you read the blog post today, please take time to listen to Alma Loveland and Melani...

Are strongholds keeping you in a life of sin and bondage?  Are they holding you back, stopping you from being all that God wants you to be and needs you to be in order to build His kingdom? If you answered yes to these questions, I want to tell you that you already have what you need to resist their calls, lures and temptations.  That is, of course, if you are a child of God. Remember how good you felt when you first accepted Christ? I certainly do.  I was going to be God's favorite girl!  I was going to spend all of my life seeking to please Him.  I felt invincible. {image courtesy of: beginningandend.com} However, after some years, I found myself doing things that I never thought I would do, or doing things that I had left behind years ago.  I was devastated with myself and wondered, "How could this be?"  I was doing that which I didn't want to do. No one, not even Jesus, is exempted from the calls, lures and temptations of sin and b...

This morning while reading some old devotionals of Elisabeth Elliot, I came across one where she talked about being worn out from caring for her second husband who was dying from cancer. I thought it was interesting when she said sometimes all we can do is give God our fear and pain .  "Gosh, that is so true," I thought to myself. What are you fearing today dear sister? Are you in pain, physical, spiritual, emotionally or mental? Whatever your fear or pain today, take it to God.  He cares and He wants to help.  He's there for you and for me. He biddens us: "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and You will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." xo, Angela blog subscription  | twitter | facebook

I'm still here!  It's been a while I know.  I have a few things that I want to share with you all.  Before I share Lifeway's ereader link with you, I want to tell you what the more in the title is all about. 1.  The lovely Beth Moore is doing a biblestudy in June, and she is doing it from the other lovely: Priscilla Shirer.   who has a new study out called, Gideon .  If any of you are interested in joining the study here's the information .  I will also post it here as I find out about it. Y'all this study could not have come at a better time for me.  I feel like Satan has been constantly attacking my family and me.  Even worse I feel like I always rollover and allow him to defeat me.   I'm not defeated. I know. But sometimes, it sure does feel like I am.  I was so reminded of how defeated I am not last night when I listened to Beth Moore's video. Gosh I thank God for that woman. Making me thank God even more is L...

Hi ladies! I know.  I know I am behind.  I am actually eight days behind, but since I just thought of the idea on Saturday I am three days behind of my schedule. Yesterday so much came up and I'll be honest I didn't pray for him at all :-(  I know it's bad.  I won't lie to you and pretend that it isn't.  That's why I need to challenge myself in this way. I want to share a bit with you about what I have noticed in really taking the time to pray for Kennedy. I have noticed that when I take the time to focus on God and pray for my husband, the person that God does the work with is me.  Do I see some changes in Kennedy?  Often times I do, but I see a lot of changes in myself. I seem to become softer.  A lot more patient and understanding, very joyful within .  Relaxed.  I appreciate him anyway, but I appreciate him more and even see a bit of life from his perspective which I believe is how I am able to be more understanding. C...

This was one of the scariest exercises for me.  I suspect had Lisa-Jo not "welcomed" me I may not have done this.  I've thought about participating in this exercise often.  Every now and then I go to Lisa Jo's blog on Friday's to see if she's still doing it. The five minute writing exercise that has scared me away for so long .  Wow, when I got over there today I see how it has grown.  "You scary-cat." I told myself.  "This is something good for you." I told myself, "Na, I'm not ready."  But it was something about that word, "Welcome." So here it is: My five minute writing exercise, unedited.  This is what to mind when I saw the word "welcome."  Now though, I wish that I had wrote how inviting I felt by the word.  So much so, in fact that it inspired me and made me feel comfortable enough to move forward and give this a try. Anyway, here's my exercise.  And for my blog readers, this is a writi...

You know what?  We just never, ever know how God will use our life and our life story. Now adays many use blogs and blogging to get "discovered" but not so with author Ann Voskamp.  Like me Voskamp was a journaler from girlhood who did what she did, "journal." God used her journaling—her love for the scrawling of words to move souls. I hope this interview that World Magazine did with Ann Voskamp will do what it is supposed to do! Happy reading! The write way Author Ann Voskamp says reading, list making, and waiting on the Lord are integral to the creative process | Marvin Olasky               Last Nov. 19 WORLD ran excerpts of an interview with Ann Voskamp, author of One Thousand Gifts , a wonderful book she wrote while homeschooling six children. She continues to live on an Ontario farm and blog at "A Holy Experience" ( aholyexperience.com ). Here's what she said specifically about her writing process. With all the...

"W hat to cling to on days when you're drowning. " Ann Voskamp said that. Do you ever have those overwhelming days? Days where you are tired before you even get out of bed? When I'm having those moments I must be wise in who I talk to about how I am feeling if I share at all.  People, especially those who have not been called to homeschool are quick to tell me the many ways to alleviate my problem.  The first being is to put the kids into a "regular" school. For me however, God has grown and discipled me more through what I've read, than who I've talked to. Any since beginning my blog He has used an even newer and different way of ministering to me.  More often than not, if you have been visiting me for any length of time you know that I still read and share my reviews on books.  I certainly share my favorite blogs with you. But now I have something new to share.  It's something that until recently I'd actually shun.  And that ...

Naomi said to call her, "Mara."  I say call me, "Stained." I'm blemished.  And as hard as I try to make it not so with them, it seems that my children are cursed with blemishes too and I'm sad. At times I just want to throw up my hands in surrender and say, "Forget this!"  It's just too hard.  Not only is parenting hard, but the children have no idea of what I'm trying to invest in them.  It's as if they don't care.  So I'm wondering early this Saturday morning, "Should I?  Should I care?" It is very easy for me to distance myself and get into a mechanical mode, to protect myself, you know? Hmmm.  Choices. As I'm thinking these thoughts I look on my bed and see the book that I bought at the Women of Faith Conference by Patsy Clairmont: "Stained Glass Hearts."  I'm really getting into this book.  While feeling sorry for myself—something I do oh so well.  I saw this phrase written on the...

Take the "Truth or Bare" test at Secret Keeper Girl ! xo, Angela blog subscription  | twitter | facebook

Watch live streaming video from goingbeyondministries at livestream.com Instead of writing something else about this book, I decided to share with you all the not so live, livestream, so that you, too, can listen to the discussion that Priscilla and the other two women in the broadcast discussed. They hit on many topics that we women, married and single, struggle with. We may all be different, but we suffer like things. I don't know about you, but so often I go through life wanting to get to the next thing...the next phase, and in looking back I see how due to my discontentment I've missed out on a lot.  Sometimes it's only in looking back that I see how far I have gotten and how some of the very things I longed for were with me.  I see friend that God truly was and always is faithful toward me. He does know exactly what He's doing. Please, please, stop where you are for a moment.  Take a deep breath... slow down and be here.  Right here in this moment a...

Ladies click on the blue title to leave a comment.  Most of you are emailing me saying that you don't see each other's comments.  I think I fixed the problem and there are comments on some of the other Bible study blog post. I really feel as if we are being attacked already.  I've never had problem with anyone leaving comments before this study, so weird :-( Good morning girls! I hope you all have done your reading for this morning.  I'd love for you guys to share in the comment section of the blog how it went and what you have learned. If you have a blog let me know because I'd like for us to do a link up party sharing what we're learning each week.  Also, Courtney, the leader of the Good Morning Girls group wants all of us with blogs to link up on her blog each Wednesday. I will share with you all a bit later today, through another person what my quiet time was like and what I learned, but first I wanted to share the information with you below from Courtney...

Hi ladies, I have some stuff that I'm getting together to share with you for our Bible study, but until later I want to share this live stream of Priscilla with you all! Enjoy :-) Don't forget to scroll down and quiet the music. goingbeyondministries on livestream.com. Broadcast Live Free xo, Angela blog subscription  | twitter | facebook

I loooove these women and am soooo thankful for their writing ministries.  I've been so blessed by their writings and I hope you are blessed by these conversations! These are real women, with real concerns. Enjoy ladies {and my men followers too!} Renee Swope website: Reneeswope.com Ann Voskamp blog:   Aholyexperience.com

I can't imagine!  I'm shocked that I've been chosen as one of the bloggers to blog at a  Women of Faith Conference event.   Stilled and honored, I am, by such an amazing opportunity.  To share with you my most favorite people amazing stories of ordinary women with extraordinary, electrifying life stories. To see God's work touch ... touch lives through the Internet, through blogging, through Social Media is all pure joy.  Joy mixed with lots of anticipation. It will be the purest of delights for me to see all of us grow and be touched in this new and unique way that God is using to bring His people together. Thank you kindly friends.  Thank you for all your support your continued encouragement and prayers.  Thank you for caring enough to read the words that I tap out here daily. May God truly bless you. Women of Faith is a faith-based women 's organization that encourages women of all ages and stages in their life to grow in spiritua...

Today I'm sharing my devotional with you from The Good Morning Girls Summer Reading Plan For Moms. This is a bit intimidating I will admit.  For one, I'm no Bible scholar.  Secondly, for many years I thought this particular passage to mean one thing, and I saw it in a totally different light today.  I did still see what I thought it to mean prior to my reading today. But my reading today shedded new light. Just to let you know, The Good Morning Girls are going through, 'The Ministry of Motherhood' book.  I'm not participating in those reads only because I found out about the book club too late.  I thought, however, that the Bible reading—in particular, me sharing it with you would be fun. For those of you just tuning in.  This reading plan is using the S.O.A.P. method. The Scripture verse: "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Phil. 1:6 My two observation...