Worship Wednesday

I haven't officially introduced Jonathan David Helser yet, but trust me, I will in a few months! This is just a sneak peek of one of my favorite worship leaders! This song is called, "Just One Drop". This video features many artists I enjoy, like John Mark McMillan (Jonathan's left (your right)) playing the guitar in the back ( most of you know him as the song writer of How He Loves, the song Kim Walker is known for! Does that ring a bell??), also Stephan Roach in the blue (Jonathan's right side (your left)), then there is Leo Jones (Jonathan's far right (your left)) but you can hardly see him. His CD is really good too. Then there is still Amber Brookes in the "choir". She has a few amazing songs that I may feature sometime as well! So yea, so many amazing artists on stage beside Jonathan! Tons of talent!! :)

Anyway I pray this song ministers to you! No matter what you're going through it only takes one tiny drop of God to CHANGE EVERYTHING! Sing this song out in faith over your situation and watch God do mighty things in your behalf! God bless!

He is no fool...

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.-Jim Elliot

Fall - My favorite time of year

     Fall is my favorite time of year! I love the warm colors, cool weather and wonderful smells it brings. So, today I thought I'd share a little of my fall fun! :-)

      I started the season off by pulling out some fall decor!

 

I put fall mats in the kitchen and by the front door! 

 

I bought a set of glass pumpkins for the counter :-) 

 

I also put a fall center piece on the table, along with a fall runner

Several Fall candle holders!

Another exciting part of the fall season is food! I personally love making/buying all sorts of pumpkin desserts. Last night I saw a pumpkin roll at the store, and had to try it. I'd love to make my own this year as well! 

 

OH and we can't forget one more delicious pumpkin dessert this season, thanks to Starbucks!

Pumpkin Spice Frap!!

YUM!!!!

This is just the beginning! I hope to share more Fall fun with you!!

...rather than in the daytime

But because he was afraid of his family and the townspeople, he did it at night rather than in the daytime.- Judges 6:27 NIV

     Sometimes doing what God's asked us to do is hard because it goes against our culture. "What's popular is not always right, and what is right is not always popular", so we may be tempted to do what's right in secret, just like Gideon (take some time a read the story).

    Is this a good or bad idea? What do you think? Does it really matter if we obey the Lord in secret as long as we obey? 

I'd love to hear your thoughts! :-)

Worship Wednesday

 Today's featured song is, "My Soul Longs For You" by Misty Edwards and  the "One Thing" worship team, from IHOP ministries. This song brings me back to 2007ish, but don't worry, it's just as powerful today. I love "One Thing" conferences, especially the music, because many of the songs are spontaneous. Enjoy the video and have a blessed Wednesday everyone! :-)

 "I believe You will come like the rain"

"My soul longs for you, nothing else will do"

When we are confused...

When we are confused about what we should do it is usually because what we want and what God wants for us are not the same - John Paul Jackson

Pardon me, my Lord

When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.”  

 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, 

“but if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? - Judges 6:12-13 NIV

     Wow! Does that sound familiar? Have you ever felt this way? "God IF you are with me then WHY in the world am I going through this? "  That's what Gideon wanted to know!
      Often times life doesn't go the way we want. We have a vision of what should happen and when it doesn't we feel hurt, left out, over looked and even betrayed by God. I can imagine that's what Gideon was going through. He heard about all these promises God had given his ancestors, and yet the opposite was happening in his current situation.
     "Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” - Judges 6:13 NIV 
    The Lord says to Gideon, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”  God gave him authority! God told him to go save Israel out of the enemies hands! (How many of you know when you start asking why this or that is happening instead of something else, you are the perfect candidate to be SENT as an agent of change for that situation?)  God didn't wipe out the enemy with His extraordinary power, which He could have. Instead, He SENT Gideon to take what was his. I believe this is true for us many times. We are waiting for God to do something huge, and yet God is waiting for us.
     Gideon replies, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”  
     Don't we do the same thing?!?! God gives us a solution to our problem that requires a little action on our part and we shrink back in fear, "Me? How? There's no way!", but God answers Gideon, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.”
      God is saying the same thing to our shrinking back, fearful hearts, "I WILL be with you!" When He's sends us, we don't go alone! We go with Him!

He IS with us!

He is FOR us!

     No matter our situation, we never face it alone. Do we trust Him to use us?

Comforting verses:

Do not be afraid of them; the LORD your God himself will fight for you. - Deuteronomy 3:22

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. - Joshua 1:9

The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? - Psalm 27:1

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 
I will fear no evil, 
for you are with me; 
your rod and your staff, 
they comfort me.

- Psalm 23:4

"God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging."

-Psalm 46

Believe

Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, "Don't be afraid; just believe." - Mark 5:36

The Lord is "overhearing" the doubt and unbelief others are speaking into your situation and He's saying to you the same thing he said Jairus ,  "Don't be afraid; just believe."

JUST BELIEVE

because ALL things are possible to those who believe

Worship Wednesday

"True Worshipers" are the focus today for Worship Wednesday! This is one of my favorite songs! Such an anointed group of people! Can you feel the presence of the Lord beckoning you?!?! Don't fight it, lift your hands and worship!!

We will always...

We will always reflect the nature of the world we are most aware of - Bill Johnson

Dew only on the fleece

     When we believe God has spoken to us, it's okay to ask for confirmation. I believe God is more than willing to confirm His word in our life. God is not the master of confusion! He wants us to do what He said, more than we want to do it!

     There is a great story in the Bible about Gideon. In Judges 6, Gideon feels defeated and lacks confidence. He doesn't believe he can accomplish what God's asked him to do, so he does what most of us do. He begins to wonder if it's really God speaking to him. He says to the Lord,  “If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me...(Judges 6:17NIV) " And you know what? God gave him a sign! He actually gave him several signs! :-)

     I encourage you to read Judges 6 and learn about the whole story! I love how Gideon is just a human as any of us. He wrestles with the same concerns and humbly asks the Lord to confirm that it's truly Him speaking in his life. Be encouraged! Asking for confirmation is not being faithless, it's being wise!

One car family?

    Being a one car family seems crazy to many people, but it's working for many others. I guess it depends how you look at it. My fiance and I have been weighing the pros and cons, praying and even fasted about selling his car, and living with only mine (since it's paid off). I must admit I've been more anxious about this idea than my fiance. He seems really confident about the decision and today we finally went through with it.
     I predominantly work from home, so sharing the car wont be as hard as it is for other couples who both work outside of the home. Plus, now that the car is gone, we will start married life together completely debt free. We will also be approved for a bigger loan when we start looking for our 1st home next year and we will be able to start saving what once was the car payment. So there are a lot of positives.The negatives include (when we are married) lack of freedom, more planning for errands and lack of security (ultimately God is our security, so our faith will be stretched).
     We'd like to live our whole lives debt free, except for our future mortgage. Our goal is to eventually save enough to by a 2nd car in cash, Lord willing. Honestly, I don't know if I could ever buy a "new" car again. It seems like such a waste of money, but we'll see!
     As my old pastor used to say, God wants us to be the "lender and not the borrower, the head and not the tail, above only and not beneath". I want to live free! When we are in-debt we are a slave to that debt  and we have to live according to man in some cases. But when we are debt free we can live free, in bondage to no one. We are allowed to follow God's will and not the will of those we owe.
     I will keep you posted as this new season unfolds, trust me there are a bunch of surprises coming! :-)

Worship Wednesday

Everything was done so YOU would come! 

God wants you! He's not mad at you! He's waiting with open arms.

Before the world began
You were on His mind
And every tear you cry
Is precious in His eyes
Because of His great love
He gave His only Son
Everything was done
So you would come

Nothing you can do
Could make Him love you more
And nothing that you've done
Could make Him close the door
Because of His great love
He gave His only Son
Everything was done
So you would come

Come to the Father
Though your gift is small
Broken hearts, broken lives
He will take them all
The power of the Word
The power of His blood
Everything was done
So you would come

1 John 2:27 NIV

As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him. - 1 John 2:27 NIV