Sunday Sustennance

During this Christmas season, I wanted to share some of my favorite Christmas songs with you. I, of course, love all the traditional Christmas carols such as Away in a Manger, Silent Night, What Child is This, etc. But the song I have picked to share today is a newer song that makes me think every time I hear it.

"Mary, Did you Know?"

Mary, did you know that your baby boy will one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you.

Mary, did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
And when you kiss your little baby, you have kissed the face of God.

The blind will see, the deaf will hear and the dead will live again.
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb.

Mary, did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you're holding is the great I am.

I find myself wondering, how much did she really know? I mean, she knew that she was carrying Jesus, but I don't know if was able to realize the full impact of what that meant to her and to the rest of humankind. And what a responsibility to raise and take care of Jesus!

Another thing that I always think about when I hear this song is how much do I have that I don't realize? I have Jesus in my heart and life and have complete and total access to Him everyday. But yet, do I take advantage of it? Do I talk with Him, and let Him guide my every thought, action, word, etc.? I have the GREAT I AM, the Lord of all creation as MY GOD - but do I live like it?

I hope as you go through the Christmas season, you will take a minute to think about what Christmas means - Christ came into the world as a baby to bring salvation to all that would believe!

Sunday Sustenance - "A Heart of Thanksgiving" (part 5)

Psalm 100: 5 - "For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations."

I am so glad I waited to write this last post until after church today. As I was thinking about what I would share with you, I was going to say I had enjoyed focusing on being more thankful and even made it a habit in my life. But after church this morning, I realized I have a lot more work to do!

My pastor had a great message in church this morning dealing with the topic of unthankfulness, especially in the end times. 2 Timothy 3:1-2 states "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy." America, and people as a whole are very unthankful.

What can cause us to be unthankful? When we start focusing on the things God gives us as being great instead of the God who gives the things as being great!!! Even this month as I have been trying to focus on being thankful, what have I been focusing on being thankful for - the things God has given me or who God is? When I focus more on the things He gives, it makes me also focus on the things that I still need Him to "give me." Has my thankfulness been "gift-centered" or "God-centered?"

So how can I focus on who God is and not just what He does for me? In the last verse in Psalm 100 that I quoted above it mentions some of the characteristics of who God is - He is good, He is merciful, He is everlasting, His promises endure to all generations! He is also forgiving, loving, powerful, and mighty! So instead of thanking God for something He has given me (which is not wrong to do and I still need to do that too) I could thank Him for being a good God! And when He provides or protects us, I can thank Him for keeping His promise of provision and thank Him for being a powerful God who has the power to control the universe!

So now I have a whole new project - trying to focus on who God is and recognizing His attributes and how He is displaying them in my life. (Here are some of God's attributes - God is eternal, faithful, foreknowing, good, holy, just, long suffering, loving, merciful, righteous, impartial, sovereign, and wise to name a few!) If focusing on the God who gives, just makes us want more; then focusing on the God who IS, will make us want more of who He is!

I hope you have enjoyed this series and study on Psalm 100 and thankfulness. I know I did! I would love to hear from you!

Sunday Sustenance - "A Heart of Thanksgiving" part 4

Psalm 100: 4

"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name."

I am continuing this week with my series on Psalm 100 and my month of thankfulness.

(Read part 1, part 2, or part 3.)

When we come before God we must approach him with thanksgiving and praise. First of all, because of who He is and what He has done for us; and second of all, because He allows us to come before Him and into His courts with free access! We are to be thankful unto Him and honor His name as the greatest name on earth.

So with it being thanksiving this week and since we are told to "be thankful unto Him" I thought I would open this post up for people to share what you are thankful for this year.

I am thankful for:

• a God who has given me the greatest gift of all - eternal life in heaven,
• a wonderful husband,
• God's provision for us,
• a wonderful family to spend Thanksiving with this week,
• and you, my reader, and the opportunity to share the best deals with you!

So how about you? Leave a comment with what you are thankful for this year.

Sunday Sustenance - "A Heart of Thanksgiving" part 3

Psalm 100:3
“Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people and the sheep of His pasture.”

I am continuing my month of focusing on being more thankful and drawing applications from Psalm 100 regarding thankfulness. (Read part 1 and part 2.)

When we recognize that God is GOD we can truly be thankful! He is God over all and has ultimate control in our lives. I am so glad that I don't have to depend solely on myself, but on a God, who is all-powerful and all-knowing, who allows things to happen according to His will for my benefit even though I may not see it at the time.

We can also be thankful because God made us! We are fearfully and wonderfully made according to God's perfect design.

Another reason that we can be thankful is that we are God's people, His children, His sheep. The shepherd cares greatly for his sheep, watching over them and keeping from harm, and leading them in the way they should go. Just as God as our Shepherd cares greatly for us, keeps us from harm, and leads us in the way we should go. And we can be thankful because as His sheep, we can feed and rest in the pasture of the One that owns all the pastures in the world!

What about you? First of all, are you one of God's people/ His sheep? You can become His child by accepting His free gift of salvation today. Read more about that here.

If you are already part of God's family are you thankful for the fact that you are wonderfully made and taken care of by the best Shepherd in the world?

Sunday Sustenance - "A Heart of Thanksgiving" part 2

I am continuing my month of thankfulness here at Centsible Savings.

(Go here to read part 1 of the series.)

----------------------

Psalm 100:2 "Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing."

Gladness can be defined as "characterized by or showing cheerfulness, joy, or pleasure." Can I say that I serve the Lord with gladness? If I have a heart of thanksgiving, realizing the blessings that He has given me, it will make it a lot easier to serve Him with gladness!

I love music! Have you even just sung a song in your car or in your personal time with God just as worship and praise to Him? Or maybe in church in Sunday, do you focus on the words and what you are singing and sing them as you are singing them to God? This is what it means when it says "come before His presence with singing." It is hard to sing with a frown on your face! :)

So how about you? Are you trying to have a heart of thanksgiving and truly serve the Lord with gladness?

----------------------

I have to share this special praise as it fits in with having a heart of Thankgiving.

Earlier this summer, my husband got a 50% pay cut at work. Needless to say, that made things quite tight. Bills vs. income didn't match on paper, but each month everything got paid! We have been praying that the Lord would restore his lost income and this past Friday, he got his first paycheck on a new pay plan. His pay is now 75 - 80% of what he used to make, a huge answer to prayer! To top off the weekend, I had my great shopping trip on Friday night (posted here), got several coupon books in the mail, and several checks in the mail! I was overwhelmed with thankfulness and praise as I realized God's provision for our family never fails!

----------------------

I would love to hear what you are thankful for or what the Lord is doing in your life! Leave a comment or send me an email.

Sunday Sustenance - "A Heart of Thanksgiving"

Do you have a "Heart of Thanksgiving?"

The Lord has recently been working on my heart on being more thankful and having a heart of thanksgiving.

I tend to be a very pessimistic person, always seeing the glass half empty rather than half full, and always seeing or focusing on the bad instead of the good. But as a Christian the Lord has commanded us to give thanks (I Thess. 5:18 "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.") and said that it is His will that we give thanks. So I am trying to consciously find something every day in every situation that I can be thankful for until it becomes a habit in my life.

I am making November my month of focusing on having a "Heart of Thankfulness." One way that I will consciously do this is by making my status on facebook something that I am thankful for that day.

--------------------------------------------

Psalm 100:1 - "Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands."

Psalm 100 can be called "A Psalm for giving thanks." I would like to focus on a verse each week for the next 5 weeks in my month of a "Heart of Thanksgiving." Verse 1 above states that we are to "make a joyful noise to the Lord." Joyful is defined as "full of joy, as a person or in one's heart; glad; delighted." Is complaining a joyful noise unto the Lord? I think not! A joyful noise to the Lord could be praise to Him for who He is and what He has done, a song of praise sung to Him, or a testimony shared with others of what God has done, and many more things.

I would love to have you join me in focusing on being more thankful! Or in making a "joyful noise" to the Lord this week! Feel free to leave a comment of what you are thankful for in the comments below, share it on facebook, or send me an email.

Sunday Sustenance

"Delight thyself also in the LORD: and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart."

Psalm 37:4

I have claimed this verse as my life verse as the Lord has used it at different times to work in my life.

Let's talk about the last part first - "...He shall give thee the desires of the thine heart."

This does not mean that I can just ask God for anything and everything that I want and He will give it to me! It means much more than that.

If my heart is in tune with God, He will give me the actual desires that I have in my heart. Does that make sense? If I am close to God then my desires will match His desires. I won't desire all material or ungodly things, but only the things that will continue to draw me closer to God. My desire should be to know, love and serve God! Then even the physical day to day things that I desire will be things that will get me closer to the goal of knowing, loving, and serving God. Examples: I will desire to go to church and be involved in church = knowing Him more; I will desire to read His word and pray= knowing/loving God more; I will desire to witness and minister to others = serving God more.

When I desire what God wants and wills, God enjoys giving me the desires of my heart.

But don't forget there is condition to getting the desires of my heart - the first part of the verse - "Delight yourself in the Lord..."

Here's some definitions I found for the word "delight" - make happy, to please greatly, be pleasing to.

Wow! Can I say that I make God happy or that I am pleasing to God? What about you? We can only do this when our lives and hearts are so in harmony with our Savior that our only goal is to be more like Him. Our delight must be in the Lord, and Him alone.

I have been struggling recently with being discouraged because I have some unfulfilled "desires" that I know that Lord has given me. I don't know why He has given me these desires and not fulfilled them yet, but I will leave that up to Him. I was confronted with the first part of the verse which is my job right now - "Delight myself in Him..." I have a lot more work I can do in that area while I am waiting for God to work. And maybe that is what He is waiting on! Maybe He is waiting for me to truly delight in Him and only Him and learn to know, love and serve Him more.

How about you? How is the Lord working in your life? I love to read your emails and comments of how God is working in your life.

Sunday Sustennance

I love music! It can be such an encouragement to a needy soul. My heart has been touched a lot by music in the past few weeks as I was facing some storms in life and trying to focus on seeing Christ through them. I heard this song again this week and wanted to share it you. It was one of my favorite songs from my college days. I cannot hear it or sing it without rejoicing in my heart that even if I am in a storm right now that Christ is with me, holds me in his hand, and keeps me safe!

(Click here to hear a version of this song that I found on you-tube as you read the words below.)

'TILL THE STORM PASSES BY

In the dark of the midnight,
Have I oft hid my face;
While the storm howls above me,
And there's no hiding place;
'Mid the crash of the thunder,
Precious Lord, hear my cry;
"Keep me safe 'til the storm passes by."

(Chorus)
'Til the storm passes over,
'Til the thunder sounds no more;
'Til the clouds roll forever from the sky,
Hold me fast, let me stand,
In the hollow of Thy hand;
Keep me safe 'til the storm passes by.

Many times Satan whispers,
"There is no need to try;
For there's no end of sorrow,
There's no hope by and by";
But I know Thou art with me,
And tomorrow I'll rise;
Where the storms never darken the skies.

(Chorus)
'Til the storm passes over,
'Til the thunder sounds no more;
'Til the clouds roll forever from the sky,
Hold me fast, let me stand,
In the hollow of Thy hand;
Keep me safe 'til the storm passes by.

When the long night has ended,
And the storms come no more,
Let me stand in Thy presence.
On that bright, peaceful shore.
In that land where the tempest
Never comes, Lord may I
Dwell with Thee when the storm passes by.

(Chorus)
'Til the storm passes over,
'Til the thunder sounds no more;
'Til the clouds roll forever from the sky,
Hold me fast, let me stand,
In the hollow of Thy hand;
Keep me safe 'til the storm passes by.

Hold me fast, Let me stand,
In the hollow of Thy hand;
Keep me safe 'til the storm passes by.

Sunday Sustennance - Check your vision!

I have been having a hard time seeing God in my circumstances in recent days. I am sure you have been there before too - you find yourself asking, "Where is God in this?" I know He is there, I just need to remind myself of that sometimes.

I was really blessed by this quote that a friend shared on facebook this week. I printed it out and put it in a visible place to remind myself of it.

"Don't let your SIGHT get in the way of your VISION! Your sight is what you see right now which may be undesirable. Your vision is what you see down the road past your current circumstance. Vision allows you to look past your problems and fix your eyes on God's promise to you."

That is so right, God has promised us many things! I found myself looking for some things promised in God's word and wanted to share those with you.

• "Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee."
  
  
• "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1
  
  
• "Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations." Deuteronmy 7:9
  
  
• " Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." - John 14:27
  
  
• "Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." - Isaiah 43:1b -2
  
  
• "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9
  
  
• "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jeremiah 29:11
  
  
• "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
  
  
• "And he said to unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9
  
  
• "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31
  
  
• "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
  

Wow, God has promised to be with us when we are afraid, give us strength when we are weary, cleanse us from sins, give us peace, give us everlasting life, and so much more! So check your vision - are you just seeing your unpleasant circumstances or are you able to look past them and focus on God's promises to you?

How is the Lord working in your life? Is their a promise that you are claiming right now in your life? I would love to hear about it - email me or leave me a comment.

Sunday Sustennance

I wanted to share the words to a song that was sung as a special today in church that was a great comfort and encouragement to me.

His Way is Perfect

(words and music by Betsy Kistler)

When my life seems dark and drear and the future I don't know,
My heart feels so empty as the tears unending flow.
When my heart breaks with sorrow and a tempest fills my soul,
This one thing I know for sure: my God is in control.

When the toils of life are come and my heart is worn with care,
I faint 'neath the burden of a cross I cannot bear.
When the joy has departed from my sorry stricken soul,
This one thing I know for sure; my God is in control.

His way is perfect. His way is perfect.
When I don't understand wise and loving plan, His way is perfect.
His way is pefect. Take my life and make a vessel purified.
God makes no mistakes; His way is best.

So wherever you are in life right now, in a valley or on the moutaintop, rest in the fact that God is in control. And even when you don't understand His way and His timing is best.

This has been hard for me to remember recently so this was a great encouragement to me today - to remember that God is in control even when I don't feel like it. And His way and timing is best - I just need to wait and trust on Him.

How is the Lord working in your life right now? Feel free to share in a comment or send me an email.

Sunday Sustenance - The Virtuous Woman part 1

The Virtuous Woman - part 1
Her Character as a Wife

I would like to start a series on the model woman in the Bible - the Virtuous Woman of Proverbs 31. I know you are thinking "she is the PERFECT woman - I can never live up to ALL those qualities" and I know I have heard sermons or read through the passage and thought the same thing. But can you work on or change one thing or maybe a few things? I know I can!

I know that all of my readers are not women, so you men out there think of this series as a guide to find the perfect wife! Or if you are married, maybe you will realize that your wife has some of these qualities and you can appreciate them even more. For us women, let's try to find at least one area in which you want to work on in becoming a Virtuous Woman.

And another thing, if the "Virtuous Woman" lived today I think I will show in the next few weeks that she would be a couponer just like us!

I liked how this site outlined the chapter and will discuss each one of the 7 areas of what makes her the virtuous woman over the next few weeks

Proverbs 31:10 - 31

1. Her character as a wife (verse 10-12)
2. Her devotion as homemaker (verse 13-19)
3. Her generosity as a neighbor (verse 20)
4. Her devotion as a wife (verse 21-24)
5. Her influence as a teacher (verse 25-26)
6. Her effectiveness as a mother (verse 27-29)
7. Her excellence as a person (verse 30-31)

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. (vs. 10)

The word virtuous in Hebrew is "chayil" and it means a wife of valor — a strong, capable woman with strong convictions. It also says that her price or worth is far above rubies - a valuable/precious stone - her worth is priceless!

The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her,

so that he shall have no need of spoil. (vs. 11)

What a compliment to this woman and a great foundation to a good marriage! Her husband completely trusts in her. He does not worry about her spending money that they don't have, or embarrasing him in public by her actions or attitude. He knows that his every need is her concern. I would even say that she helps supplements his earnings when she can rather than needlessly spending it. Her husband can be at work or be away and he has absolute confidence of her integrity, her wisdom, and her discretion in the the care of their home, finances, children and anything else. To me this trust also speaks of his knowledge of her care for him, he is certain that she cares for him and only him. The virtuous woman is a steward of everything that the husband has provided. He knows that he will not lose any of what he has earned because of her stewardship, wisdom, and management.

She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. (vs. 12)

The virtuous woman is a good manager of her household and makes their home a place of peace. Maybe you can use this verse as a question throughout the day "If I do this or say this, will I be doing my husband good?" She brings no evil to their life or home. "All the days of her life" she is devoted to doing her husband good and caring for his well being.

Come back next week for the next part in the series. At any time, I would love to have you leave a comment on your interpretation of this passage. So how can you work on becoming more of a wife/mother/woman whose worth is greater than the price of the most precious stone?

Sunday Sustenance

I heard this song for the first time this past week in the youth group that my husband and I work in and it was a blessing to me. I hope that it will be to you too.

All I Ever Want to Be
All I ever want to be is what you want of me, Lord; I give my life to you.
And all my hopes and dream and plans I place within Your hands, Lord,

And give my life to You.
Here am I , Lord, use me; take my life and mold me.
All I ever want to be is what You want of me, Lord; I give my life to You.
And all my hopes and dreams and plans I place within Your hands, Lord,

And give my life to You.

I was struck with the words – “All I ever want to be is what you want of me, Lord.” Is that the only thing that I want to be – only what God wants of me? Or do I have my own selfish, sinful desires of what I want to be? Do I honestly place all my hopes and dreams and plans in God's hand or do I try to make them happen and determine the way I want to go in life? After I learned the tune to this song, the words and tune just stayed in my mind all week, and they were such a conviction and encouragement to me to truly place my life and hopes and dreams and plans in God's hands and to strive to be and only be what He wants me to be each day.

How about you? How has the Lord been working in your life? I would love to hear about it. Leave a comment or email me.

Sunday Sustenance

Our country just celebrated Independence Day and our 233rd birthday yesterday. It is a day to celebrate our freedom and remember all of the many sacrifices that were given, and blood that was shed to provide that freedom for us!!!!!! Even today, there are soldiers all around the world that are sacrificing for us - being away from their families and putting their lives in danger so that our country and our families can remain safe and free. I am eternally thankful for them! And I am thankful that the Lord has allowed me to live in America!

But there is another person who offered even a greater sacrifice - He gave His own life for us in order for us to have freedom. Not political freedom, but spiritual freedom and freedom from sin and eternal death in hell. Jesus Christ died and rose again for all, so we may have life eternal! If you would like to learn more please check out this post.

Sunday Sustenance - Happy Anniversary to us!

Today my husband and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary! I am so happy that I am married to this wonderful man and I am looking forward to many more years to come!

As I thought about what to share with you today, I thought it would be fitting to be about marriage. My husband and I watched the most recent episode of a TV show this past week that made an announcement of the couple separating and ending their marriage. How sad! I know that we went to bed that night with a renewed appreciation for each other and our marriage. I am so thankful to have a good marriage - one in which we both love and respect each other and truly enjoy being together! My husband is truly my best friend and I would not have it any other way. This is not to brag on ourselves, as the reason that we have a good marriage is not all of our own doing. We have strived to have Christ be a part of our relationship even from the start of our dating relationship. If we have a good relationship with Christ, it will make our marriage relationship that much stronger. If you put Christ first in every aspect of your life, including your marriage, you will reap the benefits!

I am looking forward to one day celebrating our 20th, 30th or even 50th anniversary (if the Lord tarries His coming!) and with God's help, and only God's help, I know that we can!

Sunday Sustenance

I have been so busy the last few weekends and have really missed having time to share with you on my "Sunday Sustenance" post.

Here's what the Lord has been doing in my life this week:

My husband and I got some disappointing news last Saturday. I was so discouraged and just wanted to cry. But I am so glad that I have a Heavenly Father that knows what I am going through and will supply the encouragement that I need when I need it. Our services on Sunday were especially more meaningful to me as this situation was constantly in the back of my mind. On Sunday evenings our Pastor has been going through a series on the names of God and the names that we are called in the Bible. Last Sunday was on "Christ is the Shepherd and we are the Sheep." He used many comparisons between real life shepherds and sheep and how they relate to us:

• Sheep are difficult to shepherd because they have an inclination to panic - just what I was doing about this situation!
• Sheep need a Shepherd - I needed to leave this situation in God's hand since He knows and can do all things!
• Sheep are valuable to the Shepherd - I am valuable to God and He is looking after me even though I had felt very alone in this situation.

We then read through Psalm 23 and it meant more to me this time than all the other times had read through it. Here's the familiar passage:

"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

I am so thankful that the Lord is MY Shepherd!! And that He will not leave me to feed in a brown, weedfilled pasture, but will lead me beside the still waters, supply my everyday needs, and will be with me every step of the way!

I hope this is an encouragement to you as well. If you are going through a tough time, you don't have do it alone. The Lord will be your shepherd and will provide for you if you only ask and let Him. Read more about how to develop this relationship with God here or email me.

Sunday Sustenance - Happy Mother's Day!

Here is a picture of my mom and my mother-in-law on my wedding day. My mom is on the left and my mother-in-law is in the middle.

I am very thankful for these two people and I am blessed to have a godly mother and mother-in-law.

First of all, I am thankful for my mom. If it weren't for her, I would not be doing this blog today, because I don't know if I would have known how or cared about trying to shop frugally and always look for the best deal. I am thankful that my mom was a stay-at-home mom who sacrificed a lot to take care of us, and homeschool myself and my siblings. I am thankful that she taught me how and instilled a love and desire to take care of my home - cleaning, cooking, sewing, etc. I am also thankful that I was raised in a Christian home that made sure that I was in church and knew about the things of God. I am the woman I am today mainly because of my mom!

I am also thankful for my mother-in-law. She came into my life about 8 years ago when her son and I started dating and let me tell you there are no mother-in-law jokes told here! I have enjoyed getting to know her and enjoyed many shopping outings together. I am also thankful for her willingness to teach me even more about homemaking - in making cakes and decorating my home, and more.. But I am most thankful to her for raising a godly, wonderful man that I now have as my husband! He is a wonderful husband and I am so thankful that he was raised in good, godly home by a wonderful mother that helped make him the way he is today.

Proverbs 31 speaks of the virtuous woman and verse 28 says - "Her children arise up, and call her blessed..."

Mom and my Mother-in-law - you are blessed!

Happy Mother's Day! I love you both!

Feel free to link in and share a comment about your mom and how she has impacted your life. Happy Mother's Day to all you mom's out there!

Sunday Sustenance

I read 2 new verses to this familiar song today that I didn't even know existed and wanted to share them with you.

"And Can It Be"

written by Charles Wesley

And can it be that I should gain

An interest in the Savior's blood?

Died He for me, who caused His pain-

For me, who Him to death pursued?

Amazing love! How can it be,

That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

Amazing love! How can it be,

That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

'Tis mystery all: th'Immortal dies:

Who can explore His strange design?

In vain the firstborn seraph tries

To sound the depths of love divine.'

Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,

Let angel minds inquire no more.

'Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;

Let angel minds inquire no more.

He left His Father's throne above

So free, so infinite His grace-

Emptied Himself of all but love,

And bled for Adam's helpless race:

'Tis mercy all, immense and free,

For O my God, it found out me!

'Tis mercy all, immense and free,

For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,

Fast bound in sin and nature's night;

Thine eye diffused a quickening ray-I woke,

the dungeon flamed with light;

My chains fell off, my heart was free,

I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

My chains fell off, my heart was free,

I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

Still the small inward voice I hear,

That whispers all my sins forgiven;

Still the atoning blood is near,

That quenched the wrath of hostile Heaven.

I feel the life His wounds impart;

I feel the Savior in my heart.

I feel the life His wounds impart;

I feel the Savior in my heart.

No condemnation now I dread;

Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;

Alive in Him, my living Head,

And clothed in righteousness divine,

Bold I approach th'eternal throne,

And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

Bold I approach th'eternal throne,

And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

The words in bold are my favorite phrases of the song. The 2nd and 5th verse were new to me and I love the words to the 5th verse - "Still the small inward voice I hear, that whispers all my sins forgiven..."

I hope that you can proclaim as the song says "No condemnation now I dread; Jesus, and all in Him is mine!" But if you can't, the words of the first verse are for you - "Amazing Love! How can it be, That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?" Christ did die for you so that you can have no condemnation to dread and can be loosed from the chains of sin.

How is the Lord working in your life? Do you have a favorite song that has touched you this week? Leave a comment or email me to share!

Our Pastor started preaching a series on Prophecy from the book of Revelation and there was one thing that he said in his sermon last week that really stuck with me. He was explaining that the purpose of Revelation was to give us a glimpse of what is to come so that we can be motivated to share with others of the things to come, but also so that we can make sure that WE are ready for Christ to come back. That got me thinking - I am a "to-do list" person - not always written down, but I always have a mental "to-do list" in my head that I am checking off. A list for shopping, for cleaning, for errands, for things I need to accomplish around the house, for cake orders, etc. But do I have a spiritual "to-do list?" Are there things that I am working on or need to be working on before the big event of Christ coming back? Am I truly ready to face Christ - with my relationship the way that is, with my service to Him, and in many other areas? There are many things that I want to do before His return - not just the "get married, have kids" sort of things but spiritual things like develop a closer, more meaningful relationship, learn more about Him and His attributes, serve Him more and in bigger ways, share salvation with others, disciple others, and the list could go on and on. So this week I have been working on making a "spiritual to-do list" to put it in my Bible - some are short term goals and some long term. I am looking forward to checking things off and seeing what I can accomplish for Christ!

How about you? Are you ready to face the return of Christ? If you know Him as your Saviour are there things you still want to do for Him, and are you working on them? If you are not sure where you would spend eternity if Christ were to come back today, you can check out this page to read more.

How is God working in your life? I am so encouraged to receive emails from many readers and would love to hear from you.

Sunday Sustenance

My husband preached in church on Wednesday night and I have been thinking about this part of his message all week long. He preached from John 21 where Jesus has appeared to his disciples after His resurrection as they were out fishing and they are eating fish by a campfire.

Here's the background to this passage: The last time Jesus and Peter have seen each other is in John 18 when Peter sees Jesus as he has denies him the third time and Peter hears the cock crow three times. The next time Peter is mentioned in John 21 it begins with Peter stating "I go a fishing" - meaning I am giving up on following Christ because I have failed him and I am going to go back to my old occupation.

Now we come to our passage - John 21:15 - "So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?' ..." Many people debate on what the "these" could mean - is Jesus referencing the other disciples and saying do you love me more than they love me? Or is Jesus pointing to the boat, water, and fish and asking Peter do you love me more than your occupation and what you love doing?

So I ask you the same question. Do you love Christ more than _______? and you fill in the blank. It is so easy to get busy with our jobs, home, family, church, coupons, etc. and forget about the One who loves us more than ANYTHING that He was willing to give up His life on the cross to provide salvation for us.

How has the Lord worked in your heart this week? I would love to have you leave a comment or send me an email and share what you have been learning!

Sunday Sustenance

I am glad that MaryEllen started this part of her blog and I am excited to continue it and share something each week with you that the Lord has laid on my heart or is doing in my life.

Of course today we celebrate Easter - a holiday in which we celebrate and remember the resurrection of Christ. I enjoy this holiday very much. Maybe because it is nestled in the beginning of spring when the weather is becoming warm, trees and flowers are budding, and all of this new life reminds me of the new life that we can have in Christ because of His death and resurrection for us. I look forward to the songs that are sung around this time in church that seem to make my heart swell with thankfulness that Christ not only died on the cross for ME but He rose again and is preparing a place for ME in heaven. I hope in all the busyness that each holiday brings you will see beyond the bunnies and baskets and remember the true meaning of this holiday - Christ died on the cross to pay for your sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day! Out of all of the religions in the world there is only one that people can visit the tomb of the leader and find it empty!

I had the privilege of visiting Israel on a missions trip after high school and this is a picture of the "Garden Tomb" there outside of Jerusalem. We had a wonderful Sunday service sitting there in the garden singing songs and reflecting on the resurrection. I love this picture of the open and empty tomb!!

Here are the words to my one of my favorite songs that tells the Easter story:

"He is Risen"
Men in sorrow saw him there
On the cross He chose to bear.
When He died they low'red Him down,
Wrapped Him in his burial tomb.

Laid Him down and sealed the tomb.
Wandered off to face the gloom.
Roman soldiers watch the scene;
Guard the buried Nazarene.

Two days passed; the third begun,
Satan watched the rising sun.
Though He thought that Christ was dead,
Christ would bruise the Serpent's head;

Chorus:
HE IS RISEN, the grave is empty.
Death would try to conquer Him but He had victory.
None could keep Him in that cave;
Foll'wers found an empty grave,
HE IS RISEN, Behold the empty tomb!

I would love to hear what you think and what the Lord is doing in your life! Feel free to leave a comment. If you have any questions about anything I mentioned, please email me and I will be happy to answer you.