Gateways to Joy

So ladies, are you doing the the Bible study with Beth Moore?  If you don't know what I'm talking about you can refer back to my post that introduced what Beth Moore is doing. Okay, so this is the first and second lesson for the Gideon Bible study.  I put Beth's video below. She asked that we answer a few questions.  I put two of them on the blog here, but to read the remainder of them, you will have to go to her blog here: 1.  Based on the question in the middle of p. 37 of our homework, she says, to what specific bravery do you feel God is calling you to in this season of your life? 2.  After reading p. 46, regarding five ordinary tasks that you perform on a daily basis, share a memory of an ordinary circumstance in which God met you in an extraordinary way. Priscilla ends week one saying: " End this week by prayerfully considering what it will mean to live out Joshua 24:15.  Ask the Lord to give you a holy courage to turn this promise int...

Isn't it horrible that we are on day 22 of this month, and I am only on day 3 of our prayers.  Yikes! I almost gave up, but I'm not going to.  This is important to me and it is important for me to do for my husband. I want to share something that I read this morning with you. Truth Demands A Response: "One foggy night, the captain of a large ship saw what appeared to be another ship's lights approaching in the distance.  This other ship was on a course that would mean a head-on collision. Quickly, the captain signaled to the approaching ship: 'Please change you course 10 degrees west.' The reply came blinking back through the thick fog: 'You change your course 10 degrees east.' Indignantly, the captain pulled rank and shot a message back to the other ship: 'I am a sea captain with 35 years of experience.  Change your course 10 degrees west!' Without hesitation, the signal flashed back: 'I am a seaman, fourth class.  You cha...

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...

One mistake that I often made when I first became saved was to try and be what I thought the "Proverbs 31 Woman" was.  Yes, I said, "mistake." For the next month or so I will share with you what I am getting from reading Proverbs 31: 10-31.  I shared yesterday that I am now a leader with the (in)Courage Community.  The group that I am co-leading with Wendi Lombardo is (in)Couraging you in your pursuit of Proverbs 31. I use the word "pursuit" here because first I believe we are always "becoming" or "evolving" as long as we are on this side of heaven.  Therefore, we are in pursuit of becoming the woman that God wants us to be. What I loved discovering in this book last night and this morning is that although this woman {or this portrait of several women} is described as being an excellent wife and her worth is far above jewels.   She is never thought of  being "excellent" or "worthy" due to her outer appea...

I am very happy to have had the opportunity to  review Amy Bayliss' book, 'Pursuit of Proverbs 31.'   I've never met Amy personally, but I have known of her for quite sometime, and I have corresponded with her via e-mail on several  occasions.  Amy and I are both southern girls so I automatically feel a kindered spirit with, but not only are we southern girls, we are "heavenly" southern girls thus my bond to her. When I first began blogging, Amy Bayliss' blog , Sarah Mae, Like A Warm Cup of Coffee, and the women that I met on the Christian Women Affiliate forum were my life lines to me. These places is where I found my much needed sanity, understanding and camaraderie. I had been hurt by people in my church and those that I were close to so I swore off intimate relationships.  Needless to say God was doing a work with me and my heart online.  I would end up opening my heart in a new and very different way. It was through Amy and CWA th...

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...

I know, I know.  I've been hitting and missing for a while now.  I still have e-mails to get to, etc. So... what' going on with me? A lot.  First off, I'm still learning website {coding} and design.  I've come a very long way, but still have much to learn.  I can finally say that I'm successfully climbing  Mt. Photoshop and it's not as intimidating anymore! Whew!  I never thought I would be at a place where I could say that.  Sadly. I've come to discover that I wasn't loved unconditionally by many like I thought, and when I could no longer give them the time and attention they had become accustomed to they left.  I never realized how I had gotten use to certain people and they had gotten use to me.  I have family members, even, who have stopped talking to me because I have been "just that busy." My situation is not your situation and yours isn't mine.  We all come to a point in life where we must do what...

"W hen you're in a middle of a struggle . . . that's not who you are," says Holley Gerth . A friend of mine use to say to me often, "Your circumstances don't define who you are.  A lot of people find themselves in bad situations and they let that situation define them." I get it now. Girls our struggles are not our identity, it is merely our location at the moment .  And that goes for anything good or bad. "Where we are in life changes.  Who we are stays the same wherever we go."   Personally I was so glad to read Holley's words .  I know sometimes we can find ourselves in situations that seem to have a stronghold on us— in spite of this we must press on as best we can.  Even if we have to fall to our knees, lift our hands and say, "Help me Father."  Seasons do change. Today we are here.  Tomorrow or the next day . . . only God knows. Ladies, we don't have to be perfect, yet we are perfectly loved. xo, Ange...

M y mother is visiting for the weekend.  Like all mothers and grandmothers, she came with gifts.  Her gifts are the "life lessons" of gifts.  Her gifts don't fade or get old with time.  If received properly, in fact, my mom's gifts are a bit like fine wine: they get better with time. Usually I have to swish what she's given me around in my head a bit, savor it.  Pine.  It is only after much thought most often do I come to see the true treasures she continues to give me. Her gift to me today was a paper.  A paper that had been given to her at church.  She couldn't wait to share it with me.  After cleaning under children's bed, sweeping, washing, moving clothes from washing machine to dryer—I am now at a place where I can rest a minute. I remember the paper after seeing it resting on my pillow {I placed it there so I wouldn't forget to read it}. I start to read. Here are the words.  I hope you glean as much from th...

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...

{Jesus} who being the very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men, being found in appearance as a man.  He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ~ Philippians 2:6-8 Friends.  What is Jesus to you? The Bible tells us that Jesus is: King of the Jews He's the King of Israel He's the King of righteousness He's the King of the ages He's the King of heaven He's the King of glory He's the King of kings He's the Lord of lords What is Jesus to you? Gratitude for: ~ knowing the true & living King and being able to call Him: Savior and friend ~ my responsibilities as a wife & mother ~ sitting on the bed having long talks with my husband ~ watching movies with my husband ~ eating Ambrosia salad late at night with my husband ~ long rides with my husband ~ the rides to go g...

I   could feel it rising up within, trying to take hold of me, grip me tight. Anxiety. "I must pray." I whispered, then on with my day I went. Gathering together for this and for that.  Doing the next thing, and the next, and the next, when I came upon what I needed. "Wow.  God always comes through." I inhale deeply, a sigh of relief.   "Thank you Father." I silently whisper. I proceed to read. Peace.  Calmness.  They both sooth my soul and I feel rich. I am richly blessed. I know this because the Bible told me so. This feeling of being close to the Father and in sync with him is far better than anything this world could ever give me or you. Oh how blessed I am to be called a child of God: his daughter.  I am the daughter of the one and only true God.  And I know that I am loved.  I am loved by Love.  It feels good when you know you can give in to love, and you are most assured that you are loved like...