today

Today has been a very busy day ! We went down to chattanooga today and picked up my oldest son Bradley he got a refreshing vacation with his daddy. School is starting back soon Brad will be in 3rd grade and Brandon will be in 2nd. I am also returning to school myself as of right now I will be going back to earn my degree for Resp Therapist! I am so exicited ! I have been so blessed by the Lord and have a missed my blogging friends ! So I am back ! Lets begin this wonderful Journey with the King together. Shall we ? I am ready for what the new school year brings ! Are you ?

Blessings,
Donna Fuson

Serenity Prayer

I havent been on in awhile and I have so missed all of my friends. I have alot of exiciting things coming up and will be back blogging :) I wanted to post this Serenity Prayer tonight.

God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
the courage to change the things I can;
and the wisdom to know the difference.

Please pray for me as I am praying for all of my friends.

30 days 30 ways to encourage your husband day 30

today is the last day for 30 days 30 ways to encourage your husband. I pray that each of these ways to encourage your husband was a blessing to you and your husband .

Does your husband have a playful side?  Is there a "little boy"

that wants to escape from time to time, reflecting the joy in his heart?

This is a wonderful part of who he is, and a great strength. Let him know that you
appreciate his joyfulness and his playful spirit. Find opportunities to join him in positive
play times.

http://www.reviveourhearts.com/pdf/30DayChallenge.pdf

30 days 30 ways to encourage your husband day 27

surprise him with a kiss before he leaves for work or as soon as he wakes up in the morning

30 days 30 ways to encourage your husband day 26

praise his attempts to help you with cooking or housework or whatever he helps you with.

30 days 30 ways to encourage your husband day 25

wake up extra early to make him a special breakfast before he goes to work

30 days 30 ways to evcourage your husband day 21

Go with him on one of his hobbies weather it is hunting, fishing, cars etc....... and be exicited to go and have fun.


Donna Fuson

30 days 30 ways to encourage your husband day 20

The other night I was lying in bed with my husband I told him that I was so lucky to be his wife. Tell your husband how lucky you are to be his wife and what a wondeful provider he is for you and your family.


Donna Fuson

30 days 30 ways to encourage your husband day 19

when he comes home from work greet him with kiss and tell him  you love him.


Donna Fuson

30 days 30 ways to encourage your husband day 18

tell him one thing everyday that you love/appericate about him everyday.


Donna Fuson

30 days 30 ways to encourage your husband day 17

Always encourage your husbands dreams and support his decisions in the household.

30 days 30 ways to encourage your husband day 16

Always say good things about your husband to your friends and family. Don't say negative things about him.

Donna Fuson

30 days 30 ways to encourage your husband day 15

greet him with a loving smile when he comes home!

Donna Fuson

30 days 30 ways to encourage your husband day 14

Make him his favorite meal for lunch and bring it to him at work.If you cant make him his favorite lunch stop at his favorite resturant and pick it up. Deliver it to his job and stick an encouraging bible verse in it.


Donna Fuson

30 days 30 ways to encourage your husband day 13

Pray for him daily!
His spiritual life,
His work,
Your marriage
Pray for Christ to be the center of his life and your marriage. Daily
Prayer changes things

30 days 30 ways to encourage your husband day 12

Give your husband a back rub after a long hard day at work.

30 days 30 ways to encourage your husband day 11

Call him at work just to tell him you love him.

Donna Fuson

30 days 30 ways to encourage your husband day 10

For my husbands birthday in 2009 I sent him a candy bouquet and some balloons to work that said I love you and happy birthday. I wanted to do something special for him but didnt want to send him flowers. He really enjoyed this and it made him feel really special.

Donna Fuson

30 days 30 ways to encourage your husband day 9

Make a movie dinner date at your house. Start off making his favorite dinner and dessert. Pop in a movie that you know that he will enjoy and watch it together.

Donna Fuson

30 days 30 ways to encourage your husband day 8

If your hubby brings a lunch to work, tuck a note in there letting know how much you appreciate him.




Carolee Sperry

The Blogging Biz Mom



www.bloggingbizmom.com

30 days 30 ways to encourage your husband day 7

I took my husband down to his favorite store Brass Pro Shops for his birthday and took him out to eat at  Wood Grill Buffet in Pigeon Forge, Tn. We had so much fun it was his special day and I wanted to him feel special and appericated ! He really enjoyed the day and our time together.

Donna Fuson

30 days 30 ways to encourage your husband day 6

Figure out his "love language" and use it! (My husband's are touch and words of affirmation. So telling him AND giving him random caresses are the way to go. So I'll say "I love you" and rub his shoulders)




Kasondra Morin
http://morinhouse.blogspot.com


..

30 days 30 ways to enocurage your husband day 5

- I put a letter in my husbands mailbox at work telling him how much I love him and respect him and how much I apperciated all he does for us.

Donna Fuson

terrific tuesday

Welcome to Tiggerific Tuesday! Blog Hop...or Bounce!

Link up, meet new friends, network with other bloggers, and have fun!

<a href="http://www.magicalmouseschoolhouse.com/search/label/Tiggerific Tuesday"><img alt="Magical Mouse Schoolhouse" width="120" height="120" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-g6-SekzlyRQ/TXQCdkjV9OI/AAAAAAAABME/X8OAFOOOF7Y/s1600/Tiggerific+Tuesday+no+border.jpg" /></a>



The Rules:

1. Follow the Host (Magical Mouse Schoolhouse) and the Guest Host (Journey with the King) on GFC. (We will follow back!) Leave a comment below to let us know.



2. Follow as many people as you can and be sure to let them know that you are from "Tiggerific Tuesday! Blog Hop...or Bounce."



3. You are not required to, but we'd greatly appreciate it if you could grab our button and write a post about this hop and/or display the button on your sidebar. Hops are only fun if bloggers know about them, so please help spread the word!



4. Every week I will pick someone to Guest Host the hop with me. If you would like to be considered for the Guest Host position, leave a comment under this post to let me know you're interested and  follow us on GFC.



If you're not sure how a blog hop works, check out Katherine's explanation at Made It For You.

get the InLinkz code

30 days 30 ways to encourage your husband day 4

- Leave love notes. Write in soap on the mirror or leave a note in his lunch.




Kasondra Morin
http://morinhouse.blogspot.com


Tomorrow I will be posting another idea on ways to encourage your husband and hosting Tiggerific Tuesday!!

30days 30 ways to Encourage your husbands day 3

I am a huge fan of encouraging your husband/wife instead of complaining about what they don't do. What I have found that works great is to remember husbands need to be reminded how much they mean to the family on a regular basis. It is very easy to get in the habit of expecting our husbands to know what we need or want from them. So instead of getting upset that they did not take out the trash un till you asked them to, just give them a BIG "Thank you" after they did it. Another thing that helps me deal with the daily chore of marriage is to remember that women and me DO NOT think the same way. For example my husband can clean a car till it shines and you can see yourself in every part of the car but if you ask him to clean the bath room he think if he take out the trash and wipe off the sink he is done.


The more we are grateful for what our husbands do the more they will be willing to do. REMEMBER: Women are Women and Men are Men we don't think the same and that is what makes us, us.
Here is a great book that can really help you understand your hubby: The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands by, Dr Laura




Lisa

www.lisabcarter.blogspot.com

www.lisabcarter.com

30 days 30 ways to Encourage your husband day 2

I leave scripture or quotes on the bathroom wall to encourage my husband. Whenever he is feeling down or stressed I find something to help him gain perspective or keep him going. The bathroom wall is great because they can see it for a few days and it wipes right off. See there is another use for your kids bathroom crayons.




Allison Bonar
http://www.twinglemommmy.blogspot.com/

30 days 30 ways to Encourage your husband day 1

Today is the 1st day of April so we are starting with the very first way to Encourage your husband.

1. I try to love/support/inspire my husband by always talking about him positively. I have learned from him that knowing I'd never cut him down, even if he doesn't know the listener, is the biggest inspiration. So no matter what happens at home he is my sunshine. And not only does it support him, but it also means that I constantly remind myself how blessed I am to have him.

Michelle Tompkins
Georgia

Michelle is a high school friend of mine. Thanks Michelle for sharing your wondeful idea.

I am still looking for more ideas if you have one please email me at donnafuson@att.net.

Sweet Blessings

            how sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
                                                   Psalm 119:103







come and like the sweet blessings page!!!!http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Sweet-Blessings/206124646066011

I am also doing many giveaways to bless people for Jesus. I love making cakes, cookies and candies. Please pray for me as I continue in the Lords will. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8

Update on my God Provides

I want to post some more pictures on the room addition we are receiving.







The room is not completed they will be doing the siding and the inside of the room soon. I will post pictures as soon as more is completed. All I can say is thank you Jesus !!

Vacations and Adventures

My family and I went on vacation last week to Pigeon Forge, Tn. We all had so much fun ! Me, my mom and kids had such a blast, it was so good to get out of the house. We left Thursday and spent Thursday night in a motel room. Friday morning we went to eat breakfast and I took my daily devotional book and that morning at IHOP we read our devotional. The verse in the devotional for that day was Hebrews 13:5 I will never leave you nor forsake you. That spoke volumes to me. Right now as I think about that verse, I am in aww of it. We were on vacation and God was speaking to us and telling us that he will never leave us or forsake us. I just had to come and share this with you. No matter how far we are from home or from him he will never leave us. I love how he speaks to us when we dont really expect it. This has been on mind the whole trip and it is still on my mind today.

30 Days 30 ways to encourage your husband

I and doing 30 Days 30 Ways to Encourage your husband in April and would like your help. I am asking my friends to send me an email at donnafuson@att.net with any ideas for ways to encourage your husband when you send me the email please put your name. I will post your name with your idea. I would like to post one to two ideas a day. I am also looking for stories of encouragement you have given your husband and how it has blessed your family. These can also be sent to my email donnafuson@att.net. Included with the email please put your name and you can include a picture of you and your husband/family. I will post your story and picture! Please send me your ideas thanks so much for you help. I have gotten several good responses but always accepting more. So please send me your idea I will feature your idea on my blog with your name and will also email you when your idea is posted thanks so much

My God always provides

            "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment."
                                      1 Timothy 6:17

I have seen time and time again my God provide for my family! Always on time evertime! The Lord has provided once again, with a new room addition on our home. This was all provided by Henderson Settlement in Frakes,Ky http://www.hendersonsettlement.com/! This is so needed! We  really needed the extra room so bad and the Lord provided. What a mighty awesome God we serve! Such a blessing :)


This is the crew taking off our old porch!


Putting down the foundation


What they got done yesterday.

I just cant believe how much the Lord has blessed me and my family since we have obeyed him. I Love the Lord not only for the blessings I have received from him, but also for how much he loves me! He shows me everyday ! I love serving such an awesome mighty God, in good times and bad. I will keep posting pictures as their work progress and keep everyone updated.

A wonderful wedding

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
                                                       Genesis 2:24


This past weekend I got the honor of going to Amanda and Adam Phillips wedding. Everyone and everthing was just beautiful.You could feel the love they have for each other. I was so honored to be there. We had so much fun. Amanda has been my friend since 2006. She is a wonderful, mother, friend and was the only person there for me, during my tough times. She also is a wonderful matchmaker! She matched Larry and I up and he is my soul mate. For that I will be forever grateful! I can always count on her if I need her for anything. She is a mother to three handsome boys Chase 11, Cody 5, and Cameron 2. She is now a stepmother to a beautiful little girl named Daria :)



The beautiful couple.


Hunter and I

Her beautiful wedding dress


Mr. and Mrs. Adam Phillips




The beautiful bride and my friend Amanda Phillips

THESE BEAUTIFUL PICTURES WERE TOOKEN BY MY FRIEND CASEY GRAY AT CMGRAY PHOTOGRAPHY! This is her facebook page http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/CMGrayPhotography

They did a wonderful dance and I put it on youtube :)
here is the video !


I can honestly say I am blessed to have a wonderful friends like Amanda and Casey. Please pray with me that the Lord will bless both of them and their children. Please pray with me that Adam and Amanda will put the Lord first in the marriage and that the Lord will continue to richly bless them and their marriage. I LOVE YOU ALL !!!

Grace and Ace

I am entering the Grace and Ace Cake decorating contest!!

Please pray for me as I use this opportunity to bless someone and share the love of Jesus with others. I mailed off my application yesterday. I have an amazing story that goes along with this. I have always had the urge to want to decorate cakes. I love baking and I am good at it. My urge lately has been alot stronger!  Well the other day I felt led to go and take some money and get the items needed to decorate cakes "to bless someone else".

I went and bought most of the things I needed and decided to strart Sweet Blessings. Later on that day I was doing my bible study by Beth Moore Jesus 90 days with the one and only. In this day of the study we were reading in Matthew 14:19-21 with the main focus being on Matthew 14:20. This is what really spoke to me when she wrote "The smiling nod of God. Nothing like it." She was telling about her a time when her daughter obeyed the Lord and spoke to a group of people, even though she knew she felt like she could'nt. The next day she called her mother Beth Moore and told her "Mom, I just had my time with the Lord.... and he was so....sweet." Wow that spoke volumes to me! Yesterday a friend of mine posted this link on my wall http://www.gracenowky.com/ . Last night I was doing my Bible study and the Lord showed his very sweetness to me. WOW! I finished my bible story and was praising God! Just saying prasies to God during and afterwards. I am so exicited! I will start practicing on my cake next week and will show pictures of it. I will keep you all updated.  Thanks so much for the prayers. I KNOW the Lord is going to use this opporunity for his glory. I ampraying that they see Jesus instead of me. I was thinking about it all night last night and could'nt hardly sleep. I have a wonderful idea and I cannot wait to show it to you.


Donna

Denying our self daily

Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Luke 9:23

There are two main ideas denying self and taking up the cross daily. Fasting from food or denying yourself anything extra special is NOT the denying of self Christ was speaking of . I believe the kind of self denial Christ is speaking of the our right to have our own authority. The be your own boss kind of authority! When we have the idea that we have our own authority, we then begin to have the things of men in mind. This can easily be turned into Satan's authority. I have been doing Beth Moore's daily devotional Jesus 90 days with the one and only I have really enjoyed this bible study. I wanted to share with you what I have learned this morning. "I believe the key to "follow"-ship with Christ is the recommitment to take up the cross daily."-Beth Moore
This is what really spoke to me "live life one surrendered day at a time. Eyes to the East. Hands to the cross. Feet to the path."- Beth Moore.

Lord help us to deny our self daily and take up your cross. You are so good and we know that you love us so much and you know whats best for us. In Jesus Name.

Homeschool Curriculum for 2011-2012

I have already ordered some of my curriculum for next year! Here is some of the curriculum I will be ordering for next year.

Math     Horizons 2nd grade ( I am extremely happy with Horizons)
History  BJU Heritage Studies
Spelling  AAS Level 2 ( I love All About Spelling)
Reading  2nd Grade HOP
English   Shurley English Level 1( I have changed this one from BJU. I just didnt really like BJU's English so I am going try Shurley English)
Handwriting ( Horizons Grade 2)

Things I am considering and have'nt ordered yet.

Science  will more than likely be BJU
Unit Studies  Gallopping the Globe
I would also like to order Story of the World for supplement for history.

Please pray for me as we continue on this Homeschooling Journey with the King.
Donna

Sweet Blessing

How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
                                 Psalm 119:103

I am going to start Cake decorating business I am naming it Sweet Blessings and using Psalms 119:103 with my name. I am combining my love for baking and my desire to serve the Lord and turning it into sweet blessings. I want to bless others through my baking that is why I chose the name sweet blessings.

I have always had a desire to decorate cakes but was afraid to do it. My desire lately has been really strong. But I was afarid that it wasnt the Lords will. I attended my Church yesterday and the Pastor was talking about using your gifts and talents to reach others for Christ. I have already orchestrated a bake giveaway, we gave away baked goods(i.e cupcakes, cookies, brownies, and candies) at a local grocery store, We gave those away to bless others in the name of Jesus. What a fun day it was to see the smile on others faces as we gave them a simple treat for their stomach. We also gave them something much bigger than that and that was the most important part, we shared Christ with those people. Sweet Blessing does have a facebook page on my blog you will see a button to go and like Sweet Blessings facebook page. Check it out

I have baked cakes, cupcakes, brownies, pies,  and candies. I honestly love baking and seeing the smile on my families faces. Here are a few things I have made already

My Chocolate Covered Cherries

My Valentine Heart Shaped Cake I made for my oldest sons class, it was a hit.

Please pray for me as I begin this new Journey with King. Please pray that I will bless and share Christ with others through my baking.

I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

The Mom Pledge

The Pledge means blogging without bullying, blogging with respect for all opinions,I am against online bullying,peaceful blogging for all moms,moms working together with other each to build each other up. We moms are a community,and together we can make a difference! I made the moms pledge! will you?

30 days 30 ways to Encourage your husband!

I want to do 30 Days 30 Ways to Encourage your husband in April and would like your help. I am asking my friends to send me an email at donnafuson@att.net with any ideas for ways to encourage your husband when you send me the email please put your name. I will post your name with your idea. I would like to post one to two ideas a day. I am also looking for stories of encouragement you have given your husband and how it has blessed your family. These can also be sent to my email donnafuson@att.net. Included with the email please put your name and you can include a picture of you and your husband/family. I will post your story and picture! Please send me your ideas thanks so much for you help.

Pledge of Allegiance Unit Study

In January we started a unit study on the Pledge of Allegiance/ American Flag. The boys really enjoyed this unit study and learned so much! I got all of my lesson plans for the Pledge of Allegiance fromhttp://www.hubbardscupboard.org/the_pledge_of_allegiance.html I love this website!! I downloaded and printed the Pledge of Allegiance and hung it on my morning board    I got the morning board idea from http://homeschoolcreations.blogspot.com/. We resited the Pledge of Allegiance every morning. We learned about the first flag and the flag of today ! We colored the first flag . The unit study made the boys very exicited and they loved learning the Pledge of Allegiance and about the history of the flag. We started a new unit study on Daniel Boone this week. I cant wait to tell you all about that unit study and what we learned.

Abraham Lincoln Unit Study

We have been doing a unit study on Abraham Lincoln for our civics class. Friday March 4th we visited the Abraham Lincoln museum at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tn. The boys really enjoyed the muesum!! They had so much ! Brandon said oh mommy how cool!
During our unit study of Abraham Lincoln we watched short videos on youtube.com about Abe Lincoln.
We also colored pages of Abraham Lincoln that I got from http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/Themes/Abraham_Lincoln/index.shtml
We even made Abraham Lincoln hats! I got this idea from http://crafts.kaboose.com/paper-plate-abe-lincoln-hat.html. We had so much fun during our Abraham Lincoln unit study.
We also celebrated Dr Seuss birthday on March 2,2011 we dressed up like the Cat in the HatWe also read Green eggs and ham and played games online at http://www.seussville.com/ we had so much fun! Also on Friday March 4th we spent the school day at outside enjoying this warm weather. It was a little windy at times but we had so much fun !

Train our children

Train a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6





As I look at this verse I am reminded that being a parent is a huge responsibility. We as parents shape and mold our children into who they are and who they will become. Every word or action can be either encouraging or discouraging.



It is our responsibility to teach our children the ways of the Lord. It is our responsibility to take our children to church. It is also our responsibility to have praise and worship in our own homes. Daily family bible reading, prayer and worship times are so important in our children’s Christian growth. These times show our children how important daily bible reading and prayer time really is. Daily worship times also show our children the importance of daily praising the Lord, even if it’s just in the car listening to worship songs on the radio. For our daily family Devotional we use the book Daily light on the daily path by Samuel Bagster. I bought this book on the Above Rubies website, which is listed on my blog.



It also important for our children to see they we are living the Christian life not just telling them about it. They look at how we react to certain situations instead of what “we” say how they should act in these situations. How easy for one action or word to tear our testimony in two, especially in front our kids. We must not only tell our children how they should act but we must lead by example.

New Year New Journey

2011 year and school year has started out great. We are using Horizons for math and handwriting, BJU for science, history, english and bible, hooked on phonics for reading and all about spelling for spelling. We are having so much fun and this journey is going to be an exiciting one. He is so exicited about learning and doing really well.
Horizons is doing great for math and handwriting and I am really happy with hooked on phonics, also very happy with All About Spelling. All the rest of the subject I am equally as happy with. He is picking the subjects he wants to start first, second, and etc........ I am letting him do this because I feel like if he is involved in picking out the subjects. Then he will be exicited about working on the subjects and he has been. We are having so much fun and before we know it we are finished and the rest of the day he can relax and be at ease.

About Me

I love being a stay at home mom to three beautiful boys ages 8,6 and 2.I am also a homeschool mom to our 6 year old son. I love the Lord with everything I have and I do my best to obey him. I have a been married for three years to my wonderful husband Larry. I will be blogging on many different things Homeschooling, and my journey with the king as a mother and wife.  I want to encourage,and bless other woman and show the love of Christ to the world. If you have any questions or ideas please feel free to email me at donnafuson@att.net

Hidden In my Heart

         

                          

                                     

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

                              Psalm 119:11

          Most people say, “I wish there was a manual for parenting, marriage and other life issues.” There is! The Bible is a guide and gives direction for life. We should look to the Lord for direction and the Bible is where we receive it. We shouldn’t just simply read the Bible, we need to study and apply it to our lives. When my children come to me they ask me for guidance and when I give them guidance and they don’t apply it to their lives it becomes useless. We are God’s children and it is the same with us. We should read our Bible daily for the direction because that is how the Lord speaks to us.

 We should memorize the Word of God so the Holy Spirit can speak those verses to us when we are facing situations and issues in life. Our Heavenly Father is an encourager (Romans 15:4). How can He encourage us with His Word if we don’t memorize or read the scriptures?

 The Bible teaches us our boundaries and limitations as Christians. Those boundaries keep us close to Him and keep us out of trouble. We don’t display Godly character either when we fail to apply God’s Word to our lives.

The Bible is a book of instruction, guidance, God’s way of speaking to us, and it encourages us. What a wonderful gift from God!

A woman who fears the Lord

A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
She brings home good, not harm, all the days of her life.
She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.
She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
She sees that her trading is profitable, and her
lamp does not go out at night.
In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.
When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in
scarlet.
She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his among the
elders of the land.
She makes linen grments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.
She is clothed with strength and diginity; she can laugh at the days to come.
She speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of
idleness.
Her children arise and call her blessed.
"Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Proverbs 31: 10-30 NIV

Our duties as christian woman are first and foremost to serve our families.
When I first started on this journey with the king I thought about serving others first outside of my home. Which we as christians are called to serve others.But I focused more on serving others outside of my home than serving my family. God wants us to put our family first, then serve others outside of our home.

I do enjoy serving others to see the smile on someones face from the blessing they received. What a wonderful experience ! I also now enjoy serving my family and seeing the smile on my husband face when he sees me serving him. I love homeschooling our first grade son and teaching ALL of my children about the Lord. I now enjoy this call on my life as a mother, wife and homeschooler. It is such a blessing to watch my son learn and grow. Brandon is growing in all areas of his life. His faith in Christ has increased tremendously. Brandon's academic knowledge has increased as well. The Lord has strengthened our marriage as well. My relationship with my sons has been strengthened.

I have also noticed a change in my oldest son Bradley and youngest son Hunter. Bradley's faith in Christ has really increased. Watching my sweet two year old son Hunter bow his head to pray at the dinner table is such an awesome blessing. I pray that my children will grow up strong christian men. I pray they have a love for God like no other. Please continue to pray for my family as we follow the Lords will.

Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 NIV

I am not letting go

Then the man said, “Let me go for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” Genesis 32:26

I really love the story in the bible about Jacob wrestling God. Jacob ended up walking with a limp because the Lord blessed him on his hip. The reason the Lord blessed Jacob was because he told Him in this verse “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”  Have you noticed once we “wrestle” with God we are never the same?  That limp is a blessing. What might your limp be? How can my divorce, or drug addiction be used by God?

Later on in Genesis Chapter 32 we see where Jacob called the place Peniel, because Jacob said “I saw God face to face, and yet his life was spared.” We can wrestle with God over many situations in life, hardships, and habits in life we don’t want to give up. We struggle to let go. We end up wrestling with God.  He is dealing with us and we choose to ignore him. Eventually you are going to change or you will just keep wrestling with God. We might as well just give up to the Lord and obey him. I believe we have a fear of stepping out in faith, obeying, and trusting God. But once we do step out in faith and we see the blessing, then we say to ourselves “what was I afraid of?”

I myself have wrestled with the Lord over many things in my life. One example is when the Lord called me into ministry and to attend Clear Creek. I kept praying and hoping he would tell me no. I really was not sure that I could go to Clear Creek. Also God's call in my life to be a homeschool mom. I was not sure if what I was doing was the right thing to do. The Lord showed me that I was doing the right thing and he has blessed me in many ways since I obeyed him.

Seeking Revenge

Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.

Leviticus 19:18

We all have been hurt or mistreat by someone we know and at some point or another cared about. I am sure that your first reaction was to repay this person, for the hurt they caused you. We all have that fleshy urge and it is so easy to succumb to.  We see in this passage in Leviticus that we should love our neighbor as we love our self. Through my divorces and as a one time unwed pregnant mother I know from experience the hurt and the urge to repay someone for the wrong they did to me. I wanted so much to repay the men that hurt me, and in the end it was always me that ended up getting hurt.

           We consume ourselves with the hate we have for the person that hurt us. We are simply wasting precious time that we will never get back. The person who hurt is out living life happy and you are at home mad at him or her, thinking about what they have done to us. Just give the anger and the hurt to the Lord and love this person.  Jesus said we should pray for and love the ones who have hurt us (Matthew 5:44). When we pray for the ones that have hurt us the Lord changes our hearts and will heals us.  

Harboring unforgiveness and hatred is like a poison to your soul. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:14 and 15 that we should forgive others who have sinned against us, if we do not the Lord will not forgive us of our sins. I just do not feel like harboring that unforgiveness is worth risking your relationship with our heavenly Father.

Trials of Life

"Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

                                      Genesis 22:12

           Abraham being tested is a wonderful story; it is one of my favorites. It is a beautiful story of Abraham’s faith, love and devotion to God.   I connect with this story because I have children myself. I think about how hard it must have been for Abraham to think that he had to sacrifice his only son. He loved the Lord so much that he would obey the Lord no matter what the price. We are to love the Lord with all our soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37). We prove our love for the Lord when we obey him.

The Lord tests our faith through situations that seem impossible for us to handle. It is in these situations that we see that God can do the impossible. In these tests we see that he is purifying our character so that we can be better equipped to serve him. It is in these test and trials that we draw closer to him.

We also see in John 3:16 that the Lord gave his only son to die for our sins. This is the meaning of true love.

Lord help me to always remember that the trials in my life are to give us strength in you.  Draw me closer to you in this times of trial in my life in jesus name.