Gateways to Joy

I'm sure many of you are familiar with this writing by A poor Methodist woman, eighteenth century. I found it in Elisabeth Elliot's book 'Gateway to Joy: reflections that draw us nearer to God.' There are several writings that I read that I wanted to share.  Things that slow us down to see the beauty in life.  This sums up how I feel at times when washing dishes by candlelight.  I do that sometimes to quite my soul and see the beauty around me, even though at times there is chaos around me like now for instances. Kids are quarreling... need I say more.  So I still away.  Yes.  I get still and fly faraway in my mind. This is what I read: "I do not know when I have had happier times in my soul, than when I have been sitting at work, with nothing before me but a candle and a white cloth, and hearing no sound but that of my own breath, with God in my soul and heaven in my eye...  I rejoice in being exactly what I am, a creature c...

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...

One of my favorite passages of Scripture is " Just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear." ~ 1 Peter 3:16 Lord:  human master, ruler.  One who has due power ownership, control, or authority over others.  A term of respect for ones father, rulers and government officials, teachers, et al. Yep.  That's what he needs ladies: reverence.  A man needs his ego fed.  That's just how the Lord designed him. I try and I fall and I try and I fall. And I will keep trying (and falling). So what does it say, ladies, to our man when we treat him as lord?  We say to them that we: trust him we think he's capable he has favor with us we respect him and yes, we love him To put it in today's terminology we're basically telling him that we think "He's all that!" Now...how do we follow in Sarah's footsteps? WE SUBMIT Ouch!  I know for some...

Hey girls, groups are now forming as of,September 15th for the On-line Bible study of 1 John, which will official began Monday morning,September 19, 2011. If you need the schedule for the reading you may get it by clicking on the highlighted link, Good Morning Girls 1 John reading schedule, and go ahead and take a look at this e-book that I hope will answer any questions you may have. Also click on the highlighted portion of this link to see and print out your scheduled daily readings for the entire 12 weeks! Many of you are women very familiar with God's Word and reading it, but I know that sometimes it's good to change things around sometimes, so I thought I would share Courtney's method of how she studies. Remember, Good Morning Girls uses the SOAP method—which is what Courtney will share on this video. So take about 7 minutes out of your schedules to watch the her video please. Also, almost all of you seem to either be having trouble with leaving a comment or ...

Ladies, ladies, ladies, I am fired up over here! I've just had great quiet time , I'm cleaning my house, schooling my kids and have spend some time with some of my online friends this morning.  Yes, ma'am, I've been a little busy bee over here. This morning I shared the live stream with you all from Priscilla Shirer over at Going Beyond.  I joined the book club over there The Resolution Revolution for women and let me just tell you it is exciting.  We had a blast fellowshipping with Priscilla, the girls and even Jerry :-) What I am really finding exciting about this particular book club is that we have pen pals.  We've tried to link up with other women in our city, but if that isn't possible it's okay, we just link up with another sister. In light of me doing the book club and the Bible study with Good Morning Girls, I wanted to share another way with you for studying the Bible.  This is closely related to the SOAP method that Good Morning Girls u...

Hey Girls! Today is the day that we introduce ourselves.  I would love to hear your testimony, if you're married tell us how long you've been married, if you have children or not, and anything else that you're comfortable with. Let's take today and tomorrow connecting with one another, and then on Monday... we will begin. If you have any prayer request please share them with us on the blog or send me an email. On Monday, wake early, read your Bible and then contact us or me to let us know you had your quiet time.  Please share with us something you learned and are praying about.  Let's be open and encouraging with one another. See you back here on Monday ladies! xo, Angela

Please take time today to listen to this podcast by Dr. Charles Stanley .  I really enjoyed this message today and I just know you will be blessed by it too, so PLEASE find a bit of time to listen to this audio and allow God to bless you, teach you some new truths and remind you of a few old ones. You will do have to scroll down to the bottom of the blog to mute the music. Dr. Charles Stanley Desires of the heart part 2 "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.~ Psalm 37:4 How do we do this?  How do we delight ourselves in Him and commit our way to Him? When we delight in someone that means that we experience extreme pleasure and joy from being around them—remember when you were dating your spouse?  The pleasure and the delight that we seek to have with God can only come from us spending time with Him—becoming intimate.  This is how we get to know and experience God better. When we commit to ...

T his week has brought some surprising developments as it pertains to my husband and my blog.  He's been visiting everyday.  This week he's been a DIHH (do it himself husband).   Get this: not only has he visited, but he's been coming back sharing how MY WRITING is helping him SPIRITUALLY!  This is BIG sisters!  What a blessing!  His praise of my blog and writing has meant so much to me.  It's reeled me in some more y'all. Experiencing that got me to thinking about today's topic post: The practice of marriage.  Praise and interest in what our spouse is doing  seems fitting for discussion today. Taking an interest in the things our spouse is involved in or in things that are important to them sends a message way better than just the proclamation that comes from our mouth.  Doing—putting forth an effort to do says,  "I love you."   Doing is our proclamation in action....

F acing  times of troubles? In my morning devotions I read a conversation between God and Jeremiah where God explained to Him why he was having troublesome days. I'm so sure God's  respond is the same to YOU and ME many times. When we're going through problems troublesome moments can be very useful.  A good way to look at our troubles is to think of them as "Our training."  They're our "training days." I'm convinced that it is in the days of difficulties that we are able to see what kind of character we've developed.  To check your character begin to discern your own actions—learn what they mean.   You can check for things such as: What is your thinking like when you are facing certain troubles? How do you feel within? Are you angry?  Why?  Why not? Are you blaming someone else?  Or have you taken on too much of the blame? How is your relationship with God, now? How is your relationship with...

I'm so messed up.  I'm such a sinner. Seems like no matter how much I try I fall to sin's calling and temptations.  I fall down, cry...get back up, only to fall again. I've come to the realization that as much as it hurts to admit:  I don't like suffering.  Rather, I should say I want to choose what I will suffer for and deny myself of what I choose to deny myself of. Often times, I will do almost anything to avoid pain.  I pick and choose, though, I call it by another name.  God calls us to be willing and prepared to do His will. Whatever His will is, even if it means that I must hurt, suffer, or  become BROKEN . Once we are obedient to God and do what He has called us to, sin then looses its grip on us. Have you noticed how when we are in bodily pain, or our health or the health of our love one is in jeopardy our values become clear and, sinful pleasures, whatever they might be, become bleak and less important?...

S ometimes we, Christians, have a tendency to panic within, even though we know God and believe what His Word says. We panic even though we've experienced Him and His faithfulness.   We panic, at times, when we can't readily see or predict an outcome in certain situations . This week I was revving up to set into panic mode.  You see we had to drop our health insurance (again) because it was simply too expensive. Last week, my older son (17) and I had stomach viruses (we never get sick).  I needed medication that needed refilling, but I had to get a doctors authorization and didn't have the $300, just for the office visit (that didn't include test).  My oldest son fainted...but we have no health insurance.  Our family is among the people who are "uninsured." Have you ever tried going to the doctor or the ER, for that matter with no health coverage?!  It's ludicrous and a very unpleasant and humiliating experience. ...

N othing but the truth is acceptable to God. We sing to Him We speak of Him We serve Him BUT.  Hypocrisy closes the door on FATHER accepting acts of service from CHILD. ... lying ... pretense Father, forgive me, your fragile sinful child. He sees ... He sees through us. He refuses to listen ... MY BELOVED CHILD, he calls to me, " To be close to Me, you must be HONEST with Me. O LORD , do not Your eyes look for truth? You have smitten them, But they refused to take correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; They have refused to repent. ~ Jeremiah 5:3

"D o not be excessively righteous and do not be overly wise.  Why should you ruin yourself?" ~ Ecc. 7:16 Admitantly, I don't know much about the book of Ecclesiastes other than the "Time to ...," but that's close to it. What I got from this verse may be so different from what you've gotten, or maybe even so far from what the author intended.   I've been on both side of the spectrum of what Solomon is talking about. I've been what I call (don't think God called it that) "excessively righteous and overly wise."  Thinking this way has gotten me in so much spiritual trouble.  Through much trial and error God showed me that my problem was a lack of balance. Balance.  That's the key ingredient in our walk.  Balance seasoned with grace.  The older I get the more I'm learning to appreciate both. Where would you be?  Where would I be if our Loving Father didn't know how to bestow balance and grace unto us? I th...

Cover via Amazon Hey there my peeps! T oday I was going through my books and came across one of my most beloved.  Beth Moore 's, ' When Godly People Do Ungodly Things —Arming Yourself in the Age Of Seduction. * * *  My name is Had.  You may know me, but you may not know my new name.  You may have no idea what I've been through because I do my best to look the same. I am scared to death of you.  I used to be just like you.  I once held my head up high without propping it on my hymnal. I was well respected back then, and I even respected myself.  I was wholeheartedly devoted to God , and if the truth be known, somewhere deep inside I was sometimes the slightest bit proud of my devotion.  Then I'd repent ... because I knew that was wrong.  I didn't want to be wrong.  Not ever. People looked up to me.  And life looked good from up here.  I felt good about who I was.  That was before I was Had.  Strangely, I no longer...

This morning I received an email from Lysa Terkeurst assistant Holly explaining of their excitement to Lysa's book, 'What Happens When Women Say Yes To God , ' hitting the number 28 mark on Septembers CBA bestsellers list!  Now I have no idea of what that is, but I presume—rather I know it's a good thing, otherwise they wouldn't be excited, right?  I'm excited for her too, as I love and appreciate what she does immensely.  Not only that, but I hope to one day do what she's doing for the Lord . Anyways, Holly had a link to Lysa's video which I clicked on and was sucked into by the writing.  The writing beneath the video caught my attention before I could even click on the video.  What caught my attention? These words: " T otal obedience to Christ can transform an ordinary life into a remarkable journey!"  That's exactly what I'm sensing is going on with me.  I'm as ordinary as they get, but I sense God transforming me...and...

You know when I started hosting blog tours on my blog I was excited.  I thought it was cool and I figured it was one way to help someone else, even though I wasn't sure how beside the obvious of helping to promote and sale books.  This particular story I'm aware of how it can help many, as it has already helped me.  This story, to me, is so much more than a mother telling the story of how her son ended up on death row in a maximum security prison and how she and her husband are coming to terms with their "new normal."  To me, this is a story...a teaching if you will, from one Christian to another— explaining how to deal with trials, and how to deal with them from the perspective in which God has allowed them, seeing them as God intends for us to see them: A building of our character.  Carol Kent does an excellent job through her words and stories, as well as using the stories of others, showing us how to view our hard places ...

Image via Wikipedia Have you ever responded to a circumstance in a way you wish you hadn't?  Me too.  I do it way more than I'd like to admit—even to myself. Take last night for instance.  A friend and I were talking outside in a parking lot,  I felt like he wasn't being totally forth coming about an issue he and I have been dealing with for a few years now.  Although I handled the situation better than I've handled some of our encounters in the past, I still didn't handle this issue the way I wanted to.  Clearly I see how the Lord is using me in this relationship to build my character, but I keep faltering.  We both ended up calling each other rude and he even called me mean before driving off. Let's try and remember this: OUR CHARACTER IS REVA LED BY OUR RESPONDS TO THE UNEXPECTED. Today, I was pulled toward Mary, the beloved mother of our Savior.  What a girl!  Look at her responds to her unexpected situation.  " 'Behold...

In the practical way that he delivers all his messages, be it through his written words or preaching, Charles R. Swindoll  doesn't disappoint his followers with his latest book, 'THE CHURCH AWAKENING:  AN URGENT CALL FOR RENEWAL.'   In this book Chuck   gives keen insight into the going on of the evangelical church of the twenty-first century and contrast it to the church of the first-century. In all honesty, I wasn't sure I would like this book, though Chuck authored it.  I thought that any book that dealt with the church and how to handle it—"the church" should be read by a pastor or someone in a "leadership" position.  However, being a fellow blogger as well as a friend to Ronnie and knowing how he and my mother simply love Chuck I felt obligated to chose this as one of my review books.   I can honestly say, that the joke turned out to be on me because this is one of Chuck's finest and I feel privil...