Something to think about...

"One of the great uses of Twitter and Facebook will be to prove at the Last Day that prayerlessness was not from lack of time."
— John Piper

I heard this on a podcast that I listen to and let that statement fall heavy on me. I don't have either of those...but trust me there are things like email and blogs that I could place in there as well. What a sobering comment...do I spend as much time in prayer as I do on those other "connection" sites? Do I place as much energy, interest, and time into connecting with my Father

John 1:1-17

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

What a powerful way to begin my time in John!!! I love the stories of Jesus' birth on earth, but I love even more being reminded that He always WAS and is and is to come!!! I just sat and relished that amazing fact today we I sit alone and begin a new book study. I am finite and limited. We celebrate Jesus' earthly birth each year...but more joyous to me is that before that birth...He was and is GOD! He was not merely man...He is GOD!!! That makes that earthly birth so mind boggling...God in flesh...I can't comprehend it.

But wait. There is something that really got me truly rejoicing today!!! He tells us here in these verses that those who believe...He gives the right to be called the CHILDREN of God!!!!!! Now I just sat and pondered that. It says that we didn't get this right by our birth, our own human decision, or of our human relationships...but we are BORN of GOD.

Y'all that is going to take some soaking in. I've read it in several translations and it is just amazing and breath-taking in all of them. Y'all I am BORN of GOD! That is something we say and toss around like it is NORMAL...girls that is anything but normal!!! Just as GOS is all creation who was and is and is to come put on flesh is NOT normal...being born of God is crazy amazing!!

And it wasn't my birth that brought me into His family, it wasn't my own decision that brought me into this family. It was God alone who brought me into His family...born of God! WOW!

This also rings in heart for adoption. If there is to be a child brought into our family...it will not be birth (I had a hysterectomy at 30), or by our own human decision, or by some legal paperwork. It will a child born of God into this family. It will be by HIS work and not our own...should we try to boast. Oh His Word is so good! The satisfaction of our souls, my friends!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from our home to yours today!

Thrive!
Frances
www.desertflowerministries.com

Merry Christmas!!

I pray that you all enjoy a beautiful time of JOY today and throughout the year as you focus you life on the gift of Jesus Christ! We will be out of town some over the next few days...but look forward to a new year of ministry together! Merry Christmas to all!!!!

Thoughts on finishing the book of Luke

Well, after almost a FULL year in the book of Luke...it has come to an end. I am now working on my read through the Bible chronologically that I do in the evenings before bed. It has been quite sweet to have spent an entire year in Luke. I have stood in the crowd as Jesus was baptized, walked from town to town as he healed and loved on people. I have watched as he stole away to pray with His Father and I have sat beside Peter warming my hands by the fire as he and myself denied Jesus while He was right there looking at us. I was there raising my hands in worship as He rode in on a colt and I was humbled as He washed feet and broke the bread and drank the wine. I was certainly there struggling to keep watch and pray along with Him in the garden...but many times falling asleep spiritually. I looked on as they beat Him, tried Him, and grieved when they hung His almost unrecognizable body on that cross.

But, thankfully I was there when the triumphant news came that He was risen from the dead!!!! I ran to the tomb and gazed at the
miraculously empty tomb...and walked with Him on the road to Emmaus. Oh, the miles He and I have shares this year in one single book! The miracles I have seen...in my own life. You just can't walk with Jesus for that long and not be changed. Oh how the change has come this year. Oh how I have know more than ever the sanctifying work of the cross. Is it a hard and dusty journey? Oh yes!

But, where else could I go? Oh, how I love you Jesus! I can't wait to see you again in John and love you all over again in a fresh way! I look forward to the conviction and forgiveness you you will give and the bond that will daily grow deeper! What a wonderful ride you have invited me to join!!

My almost year in the book of Luke was amazing...but don't think this was they kind of study where I was reading multiple commentaries, pulling a part the Greek words, and writing a thesis on it. No, this was just Jesus and I walking VERY slowly together talking, laughing, certainly crying, and loving together every day...a few small verses at a time. There are times when I did pull out those coomentaries and look up a few Greek words...but more often it was just some quiet time with the lover of my soul. As Psalm 23 says...he restored my souls day by day.

Now...on to John!!!

Luke 24:51-53

"51While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God." Luke 24: 51-53

After those who were with Him as He ascended worshiped Him, they went back to their city of Jerusalem with great joy!!! I love this ending, because it reminds us that the great joy we find in Jesus is for every day! It wasn't just for when they had him there in flesh and blood, but continued after He left them and ascended into heaven. It continues every minute of each day!

They took this joy back to their daily lives and to their churches! Oh how I pray that we would richly desire to not only seek God's Word each morning, but would take the great joy we find in Him into our day! The way we are going to have lives, marriages, families, jobs, and a world filled with great joy is to first be found with Jesus each day. Allow Him to bring you into real passionate worship of who He truly is. There is GREAT joy in Jesus and the gospel!!! Then we take that joy into our own daily lives. It is transforming!!

Today I am asking God to help me take the great joy I have on meeting with him this morning into my marriage, my parenting, my schedule, my shopping, my time at church, my time with friends, into every area of my life! Won't you seek that with me today? This world is dying without knowing the great joy in worshiping Jesus Christ the Lord!!

There is good news of GREAT joy which has come...it is Christ the Lord!!

Merry Christmas from the Worthington Family!

This year we are doing Christmas cards a little differently! Since we are adopting from Uganda and for the price of ONE stamp Amazima Ministries will be able to feed a little one in Uganda THREE meals, we are simply sending our Christmas greeting electronically this year!

We will also be donating what we would spend on Christmas cards to Amazima Ministries so you can feel good about NOT getting a card from us this year:)

We had so much fun putting this together because instead of just one or two photos...we are sharing a little bit of our entire year with you! We hope that you enjoy it and know that we are so blessed by your friendship and support.

We love you all and pray that the JOY of Christ will fill your hearts to overflowing this year! May His Word satisfy your soul as with the richest of foods...we pray that you THRIVE every single day of your lives no matter where you planted!

Enjoy the stroll through our year together and we look forward to many more...Merry Christmas sweet friends!

PS...many of you may also get this in an email too! If you didn't it just means we didn't have your current email address. Sorry for the duplicates!

Make a Smilebox greeting

Luke 23:45-47

Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

All I could think of when I read this was WOW!!! Oh how we need Jesus to open our minds to DAILY understand the Scriptures!!! And what dis He open their minds to understand?

The Gospel.

There are no words to expound on this...the power is captured in the God-breathed words on this verse. I am in awe. I am in desperate need every minute for Him to open my mind to the Gospel. It is my only thought. My only prayer. My only hope!

I think these verses are going on my shower wall to memorize. Oh, how His Word pierces my flesh and soul...I love it beyond measure!

Luke 24:36

"As they were talking together, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, 'Peace to you!'"
Luke 24:36

I was so touched that as Jesus is resurrected...we find Him bringing the same greeting of peace that the angels who heralded his birth promised! it reminds me yet again this day that Jesus offers us the peace that truly passes ALL understanding. In the hustle and business of daily life I know how easy it is for all of us to get uptight. It's easy to loose the sense of peace in the midst of everyday life. But, Jesus offers precious life breathing peace to you and to me today.

This month I am trying to focus on enjoying and embracing my Jesus. I am trying to focus on the peace amidst the chaos and busyness. I tell you that I am learning it is a battle to focus my whole day around Him! Oh how the enemy and my own flesh wAnt to do their thing so many times throughout the day.

Thank you Jesus for greeting me today with peace! Thank you most of all for the ultimate peace you offer through Jesus and the substitute he was for my own sins! Peace to you my friends today!!!

Luke 23: 50-52

Jesus' Burial

" Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea and he was waiting for the kingdom of God. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body."

Oh, Father how I want to be one like Joseph who is not going along with the decisions
of the wisdom of this works, but to look for the Kingdom of God! I pray today that I will keep my eyes on what is eternal and not focus on the distractions of this world. Help sweet Father to live today with expectation and anticipation of your coming again, and may that change every thought, word, and action. Help not to be lulled into the complacency of this world and the the false sense of satisfaction it wants to offer. Help me to live a life waiting for your Kingdom every day here in this life! Thank you for your Word that satisfies my deepest desire to be filled.

In the precious Name of my coming King,
amen

Update

Things have been pretty hectic around here with the Thanksgiving holidays and some writing projects along with the Georgia Baptist Convention! Whew...that sentence already made me tired!

It has all been wonderful, but I will hopefully be able to wrote a little more in the coming days. I am now able to keep up with my blog by my phone...so maybe that will help me to stay up to date...who knows!

There are lots of things going on right now. I was honored to be brought in as the new president for the ministers' wives for the GBC. I look forward to a wonderful year of serving Georgia's ministers' wives!! Also, I had the great opportunity of writing an anchor article for the WMU magazine called Conversations. There are sure to be lots of great things in this magazine...I can't wait to read all of it!

Several retreats are scheduled for January and a few committee meetings too. God has opened some new doors and I am prayerfully walking through them. I ask that you pray with me also. I haven't updated in a while...so I wanted to let you all know what God has been up to.

I am closing in on the end of the book of Luke after one year in it. I can't wait for John! What are you studying? I pray you are savoring His Word each morning as you start your day. It restores your soul!!

Thrive!
Frances

Good Morning!

This morning as I was beginning the 22nd chapter of Luke, I was reminded of the amazing details God orchestrates for His glory. In Luke 22, we find Jesus sending Peter and John to prepare the passover meal. Here are Jesus' instructions to them:

"Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover."

"Where do you want us to prepare for it?" they asked.

He replied, "As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, 11and say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?' 12He will show you a large upper room, all furnished. Make preparations there."

They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. " Luke 22: 7-13

Jesus was very specific! This morning I was convicted by my own visions of God being quite vague. I seek God's counsel every morning through His Word and prayer. I lay the day before Him and I ask Him for guidance. But...many days...I don't ask Him HOW to go about the tasks of the day. Many days I seem to just want the "gist" of it and then walk it out myself. And if these passage didn't convince me of my error...then Charles Spurgeon (whom I read every morning after my time in the Word) wanted to prod a little further.

"We must carry out into practical actions that which we believe. If a person walks in Christ, then he acts as Christ would act. Since Christ is in him as his hope, his love, his job, his life, he is the reflection of the image of Jesus. There must be a perpetual abiding in Christ...

How many Christians think that in the morning and evening they ought to come into company of Jesus, but then they give their hearts to the world all day? But, this is poor living!" Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon (November 9)

Whew! Today, I am surrendering not only my morning and my evening to Him...but all the hows, wheres. and whens too! I want Him to be the one I go to in prayer about EVERYTHING without ceasing.

He is a detailed God! Look around at creation that constantly calls out His glory. I'm without excuse! My response to God's directions should always include waiting and walking out the details by which He wants it accomplished. Most times I'm halfway out the door busy about the task not having much of a clue how specific my Father wants to be about my life. He has a sovereign plan and I want to give my heart to that all day long...not just in the mornings and evenings!

What a good Word this morning! How about you? What did you learn this morning? Please share!

Thrive!
Frances

Upcoming Events!

Hi all! I know I have been a little slack on my blogging lately...Fall has me baking and playing with the girls outside:) Oh, how I love my ministry as a mom! It's my favorite.

But, I do have a few events coming up soon that I would love you to pray over with me:

November 3rd - Ladies Night Out at Church of the Hills; Johns Creek, GA

November 9th - Georgia Baptist Convention Minister's Wives dinner; Woodstock, GA

November 12th - Fall Luncheon at North Metro First Baptist Church; Lawrencevill, GA

Tuesday evenings - GED facilitator at Atlanta Union Mission (My Sister's House)

Thursday afternoons - Christian Women's Job Corps in Clarkston, GA

Thank you for continued support and prayers. Life is always an adventure and many days it just seems to fly by, but I pray that you are taking time to enjoy a hot cup of tea or coffee and curl up with God's Word!

Ahhhh...there's nothing finer...and you'll find me there every morning too!

Thrive!
Frances

Hands of Hope

I have had the joy of being a part of the ministry in Clarkston, Georgia for the past few months. Clarkston is a refugee resettlement area that houses thousands of refugees from all over the world. This past summer along over 1500 new refugees were settled in Clarkston from places like Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, the Congo, Sudan, Iraq, Afghanistan, and more. But, it seems that so many of us living right here...only miles away...have no idea this area exists!

About 3 months ago I met Terry who is a Missionary Service Corps worker with North American Mission Board and she began to share about Clarkston. We walked the apartment complexes and in one day I was able to visit in the homes of countries like Nepal, Sudan, Burma, the Congo, and Afghanistan...in ONE day! It's reaching the nations in one afternoon!

Recently, I have had the honor of being asked to serve on the Advisory board for Hands of Hope which will be the new ministry reaching the refugee women of Clarkston. We will work to provide job skills, life skills, mentorship, and Bible study weekly for these women. They come to this country with literally nothing and many can not speak English or drive! We want to help them to not only learn to survive in this new culture...but to meet Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

We had a meeting this past weekend and it was wonderful to see and hear all that God is doing! We enjoyed a time of fellowship and then we began to talk and dream about what God would allow us to do in His Name in Clarkston.

Continue to pray for God's work in Clarkston. Pray that He alone will be lifted up. If you are interested in working with refugee women in Clarkston...please let me know! Email me and we can discuss what all God is doing! Frances@desertflowerministries.com

Thrive!
Frances

Last week, my friend Paula and I got to help lead a conference for the new ministers' wives in Georgia. We had SO much fun (we had gotten to do another conference the week before too!). The ladies were so sweet and open.

Mary (in the red) is our Georgia Baptist Convention ministers' wives consultant and she is such a wonderful resource for all the wives in Georgia. I just love working with her! Katie ( in the cream) is the current President and Paula (in the green) is the upcoming secretary. I am so honored to work with these women! Amy (who could not be there) will be the upcoming Vice President. We all are looking forward to our year of leadership starting in November!

God continues to bless me with the opportunities to serve the women of Georgia...alongside some awesome wives! We talked about ministering in our spiritual gifts. We had lots of yummy goodies, enjoyed some get to know you games, and got some groovy bags. Mary ALWAYS gives out wonderful bags.

So, if you are a minister's wife in Georgia...let me know! We have an amazing retreat we are planning for you in January. Please let me know so that I can give you all the details.

PS...what's with me looking pregnant...do you think it's the adoption:

Appalachian Vision Trip...Recap

I wanted to take a moment to share about the wonderful time we had together on the Appalachian Vision trip with the Georgia Baptist Convention! This precious group of ladies were some of the most amazing women I had ever gotten to know! They love the Lord...and they LOVE their neighbors (no matter where they live, what they look like, or what they have done) as themselves!

We traveled many hours on the road each day. We traveled through West Virginia, Virginia, and Tennessee. The scenery was beautiful and we learned so much about the needs of this region. There is so much poverty and yet so many wonderful ministries truly reaching the needs of their communities.

I do not have all the photos from the week, as we mainly had one photographer in some of the areas where we visited. I know that shocks those who know me well...I'm always wanting to take my OWN photos. But, it was such a full week...I enjoyed just living it!

This was my roomie for the week...Stephanie! She was so cute and we loved talking each night until all hours about church life, being a minister's wife, and our passion for the lost. I miss you Stephanie!

The women on this trip were just awesome! We had a group of 11 women...and not for ONE moment was there ever a sense of disunity!!! I can honestly say I have NEVER been a trip with that many women...for that long...where there wasn't at least one crazy moment of hormones, lack of sleep, or fleshy stuff. Not ONCE I tell you! That is such a tribute to the way these women dive into the Word and allow the Spirit to lead them all. I LOVED it!

We also saw some amazing scenery. We spent so many hours in the van, that we had times where I could put on my ipod and enjoy looking out the windows and praising God! This was just a breath-taking view of this bridge that we actually got out and enjoyed seeing.

I will post more photos when I get them! I thank each of you who prayed over our trip and God truly answered those prayers. It was such an honor and a blessing to have met these women, those who are ministering in the cities we visited, and getting the opportunity to see God's work in Appalachia!

A New Journey!

Our family will be embarking on a new journey to adoption from Uganda! Please feel free to follow the adventure at our family blog:

www.theworthingtonjourney.blogspot.com

Thanks for lifting us up! We can't wait to see all God has in store...

I'm Pregnant...

...PAPER pregnant!!!!!! For those who don't have any idea what that means...we have been officially APPROVED to adopt a precious new little Worthington from Uganda!

We are in a state of shock...and JOY unspeakable! It has almost been a year since we began this journey of adoption with doors shut time after time. But, on Monday our new Worthington journey began. A journey that will lead us to our precious Africa...and to our little one.

We don't have any more information at this time. We just know that for once we have been OFFICIALLY APPROVED! We will be adopting from Amani Baby Cottage in Jinja, Uganda. Oh, what a precious group of amazing Christian people work there...and here in the States to bring orphans to their forever families.

Our hearts overflow. Our lives are taking a new turn. Our God is so good. Our joy is in His timing.

But, you just gotta see a glimpse of where our little ones lives and thrives! Grab a tissue and smile as you see God's love for the orphans....it's the call for ALL of us in some way. You can pray, you can give, or you can bring one home forever. But, you can't ignore and do nothing...how could you after seeing this?

Appalachian Region Vision Trip!

This week I will be traveling with the leadership of WMU of the Georgia Baptist Convention on a vision trip through the Appalachian region. I am thrilled to minister and serve along with this amazing group of women!

I will be posting my prayer requests on my personal blog each day...so you can visit that sight to pray for our team as we travel, serve, minister, learn and experience all God's work in the Appalachian area.

My personal blog is: www.theworthingtonjourney.blogspot.com.

Thank you for traveling alongside me on this trip! I covet your faithful prayers!

Thrive!
Frances

Busy Summer!

It has been a busy summer and now that school is starting back soon, I am trying to get back in some kind of writing schedule. I have enjoyed taking time off and enjoying my family time with the girls and Jay along with lots of playdates with good friends. It's always great when summer comes, but I find that many times I struggle with keeping diligence when my schedule does not exist!

So, now that summer is closing and the thoughts turn to a new and exciting homeschool schedule, I will try to get back into the routine of posting a small devotion time as I still travel through the book of Luke...if you are counting...I have been in the book of Luke since January 3rd! The crazy thing is that I am only in chapter 12!!

It's just too good to rush through. What else have a I got to do, anyway? It's like a story you just don't want to rush to the end. So, I am savoring my time with Jesus. I spent 7 years in the Old Testament catching pictures, prophesies, glimpses, and symbols of Him...I just couldn't wait to finally walk with Him every single day as I am now! The Old Testament lights a fire of hope that only Jesus can fulfil!

So, I pray that you have been consistently thriving through your summer chaos! I have loved longer times alone with Him, reading some amazing books at night, and truly enjoying the crazy pace of summer. But, I do love fall and the turning of minds towards Thanksgiving and Advent (my favorite!). I look forward to walking with you in the Word this fall...

Thrive!
Frances

Headed back to Clarkston!

Please pray for me today as I head back to the refugee camp in Clarkston, GA to meet with some women whose heart is to care for the women there. These women are many times widowed due to war, genocide, etc. Others have come here with their family with nothing but a small bag of their belongings. They do not speak our language, they do not have any friends or family, and they have fled their country due to oppression from war and persecution.

We will be prayer walking and talking of ways we can encourage the women there...and mobilize other women in GA (or beyond) to go and minister to the "alien" in our midst as God commands.

If you are interested in becoming involved in encouraging women who have fled here to find hope...and you desire to share with them the TRUE HOPE of Jesus Christ...let me know. I would love to share what I have gleaned from the time I have spent there. I don't know much, but I do know who to send you to talk to:)

Please pray for discernment and wisdom as we seek God's ways in loving the orphans, the widows, and the alien among us. The time is short...life is such a vapor...invest in what lasts!

Has it really been a MONTH??

I can't believe it has really been a month since I last posted! Since the girls got out of school, we have been busy with days at the pool, enjoying the free summer movies for kids at the local movie theatres, days on field trips with our local homeschool excursion team, 4th of July with family in Alabama...and so much more!

But, now that we are heading into August, things are slowing down since all our friends are getting back into school. We don't begin school until the middle of September with our online academy...but when everyone else is in school that really slows us down a bit!

In the month of August, I will be turning my focus onto another study that will work verse by verse through the Isaiah 58. That chapter has really challenged and changed my outlook in so many ways. I have so many notes about it that I want to compile it into a study...if God desires that to take place.

Tomorrow I will be meeting with some women in Clarkston, GA. We will be walking around the "village" and praying over our involvement there. Please pray that God will give us all wisdom and discernment!

I will be posting more often now that summer is coming to a close. I so enjoyed taking time off to really enjoy this time with my girls during the day. We've had so much fun!

If you want to know what we have been up to this summer...feel free to check out my family blog at:

www.theworthingtonjourney.blogspot.com

Thanks for journeying with me!

Clarkston

Today my family was blessed to visit the city of Clarkston, GA. I was able to attend a women's group and had a chance to share my personal testimony with them. We began the time with singing together. I was in heaven when they brought their African drums out and we began clapping! It was in Kirundi...but I loved every moment of it!

God was so kind to me in allowing me to not only meet some amazing Burundian and Rwandan women...but the ladies who lead this group each week. My girls enjoyed playing with their children and they even came in to enjoy the music for a while...then it was off to play again!

Alicia offered her home for the meeting and I LOVED meeting her...as she said...we are "kindred spirits" (Anne of Green Gables quote!). It was so encouraging to meet these awesome women who were all about sharing the love of Christ with refugees who literally have left everything...and are starting over with NOTHING.

Jay had an amazing meeting with World Relief too. He got to literally meet EVERYONE there and hear all that they are doing. We will prayerfully be praying to see how God will lead us and our church to be involved with the ministries in Clarkston.

I will be going to Clarkston again to actually be In the homes of families in "the village." I can't WAIT...I would MOVE to Clarkston if we could take Noonday church with us:) There were lots of ways to be involved and I just can't wait to see where

Please Pray!

Well, I have been back...and then gone again...and now back! We have been on our Families On Mission trip with the North American Mission Board. We had an amazing time! If you are interested in reading about the trip, you can check out my family blog at:

theworthingtonjourney.blogspot.com

You will need to scroll down to see the posts about the trip. Jay and I have been on many mission trip around the USA and the world, but this trip with our family is always the biggest blessing! I enjoy traveling and sharing with DFM, but we are entering a season where our girls are old enough to begin traveling and ministering together with us! What a blessing!

This will be the case tomorrow as our family heads to Clarkston, GA. This is a city where thousands of refugees are relocated each year. This summer alone over 1500 refugees will be relocated to Clarkston.

We will be heading there tomorrow and spending the day the staff of World Vision and sharing life with refugee families. I will be sharing my story with Burundian (African) ladies, our girls will be with me in those homes playing with their children, while Jay meets and visions with one of the leaders of World Relief.

Please pray as we walk, talk, and pray about how God may choose to partner our family and our church with the work He is doing in Clarkston!

Thrive!
Frances

I'm Back!

Well, I have been back for about a week but with lots of laundry and school to do with the girls...we are just not getting back into the swing of things. We had an amazing time in Disney...and my trip to Richmond was AWESOME!

God really met us and led in wonderful ways. God gave us vision, friendships, connections, answered prayers, opened doors, and valuable knowledge that will last a lifetime! I met some wonderful women and pray that God continues to work all over this country and world calling more and more workers to the harvest!

Thank you for praying! Your prayers were answered in mighty and unexpected ways! There are several things I am praying over and processing right now. Please continue to pray for me and Desert Flower Ministries as we have open doors. Jay and I need much discernment as we pray about directions and opportunities in the future with this ministry.

For the next few weeks, I will be sharing some from the new study God has called me to write and it will be followed with practical ideas for engaging in the heartbeat of God as found in Isaiah 58. So...hang on and check back often as we start another journey...hang on for the ride!

Thrive!
Frances

Kingdom Women: Impact Your World

I will be headed to the Kingdom Women: Impact Your World Women's Leadership Dialog today and I would love to have your prayers! I will fly to Richmond, VA to meet up with women from around the nation to dialog about how to engage women in missions. Each woman has a specific area of leadership in ministry and they desire to bring us together to talk about ways we can all work together to engage women in missions.

Please pray for me as I will be one of the session speakers on "Going as Engagement." I will be sharing along with Paula Hemphill about ways we can engage women in going! Pray that God will fill my mouth with the words He desires!

I will then be out of town for the next week with my family on vacation. I'm so looking forward to this time and will not be posting for that time. Thanks again for your sweet prayers for myself and for DFM ministries. Have an amazing week in God's Word!

Thrive!
Frances

Blessed Weeping - Luke 6:21b

"Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.” Luke 6: 21b

This verse really caused me to think today. We don’t really feel like weeping is a blessed thing. Our culture runs as fast as we can away from those things that would cause us to weep. We hate feeling sorrowful, sad, full of remorse, pain, or suffering.

As I thought about this verse this morning…I wondered how it can be blessed to weep. In a culture that tries to insulate ourselves from every pain, suffering, and sadness…do we truly understand and embrace this verse? Do we truly see the blessing in weeping…or do we find ways to flee from its presence in our lives?

Jesus wept. That could be the most famous and most quoted verses in the Bible. But, it’s true. He DID weep. He wept over the rebellion of Jerusalem and His people. He wept over Lazarus and his sisters in their grief. He wept in prayer the night he was arrested. Jesus understood that it was blessed to weep…for one day we shall laugh in joy!

Jesus was not immune from sorrow. His life was filled with hurt and suffering and rejection and denial. Many times in our own daily life we try so very hard to keep ourselves from such things. We don’t want to suffering along with Jesus’ example.

If we do not see the blessing in weeping, then we do not experience the joy in Christ to the fullest! In weeping with others in their times of mourning and pain, we follow Christ’s own example of weeping with Mary and Martha after their brother Lazarus died. Jesus knew he would raise him from the dead…but he wept because he fellowshipped in their pain. He loved them deeply…and when they mourned he did also. He wept because He loved.

In weeping over sin in our lives, we will experience the joy of the Cross fully. We will realize that each moment we rely on a Savior. Jesus wept over the sin and rebellion of His people as He gazed over Jerusalem. In our Christian culture our desire to be happy all the time has insulated from the godly sorrow that leads to repentance. We are truly blessed when we weep over sin because in that godly sorrow we see the worth of Jesus Christ moment by moment in our daily lives.

Weeping is truly blessed in God’s eyes…but this verse also gives us a hope of laughter! Perhaps you will not experience laughter in this earthly life in your particular situation…but you are promised a day when you will have complete joy in the presence of Jesus Christ! His Word is true…His promises answered YES in Christ.

Weeping lasts only for the night…joy comes in the morning. May we fellowship in weeping for it shows that we love like Christ loved, we grieve over sin as He grieved, and that we surrender to the will of our loving Father. Let’s not run from weeping…may we see it as blessed when it enters our lives…knowing that our sweet Savior was very familiar with weeping and He promises laughter one day!

National Day of Prayer

"Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place. " 2 Chronicles 7:14-16

Lord,Today we join with those around the world in prayer to You. We humble ourselves, for the very nature of prayer reminds us that we are completely at Your Sovereign mercy. We come to You knowing that we can not heal ourselves or forgive our sins...or restore our land. We know that You are omnipotent...all powerful.

We recognize today that You are all powerful...meaning there is NO other power. We are powerless and humbled before You. We seek You face because You are our only hope.Hope is never found in our country, government, parents, bank accounts, jobs, IRAs, families, children, the next generation, or ourselves. Hope is from You alone. Hope that flows from Jesus Christ's veins on Calvary. Hope of standing forgiven and right before You...the Holy and all powerful God. Our coming to You alone today in prayer...is a reminder that our hope is in You.

As we seek Your face today, we must also be faced with our wicked ways. For we can not see Your holiness and then look blindly at our own depravity. We deserve death and the wrath of a perfect God. Sweep us up in your mercy today in order that we may turn from our wicked ways. Open our eyes as we seek You...to who You are...and a sobering view of who we are.

Thank You that by the blood of Jesus we have His power to turn from our sins and embrace You as Lord!Thank You for hearing us. Thank You for the awesome relationship we are allowed to have with You through the gruesome death of Jesus. Open our eyes today to see the amazing worth of Jesus. For without His death, burial, Resurrection and rule...we would be a part from You forever...experiencing the focused wrath that sin deserves.

Oh, Father I pray that you will forgive our sins. We are so depraved...every thought is dipped in self-absorption, every deed is motivated in some way by our own agenda, and every moment drenched in rebellion of a Holy God. I am depraved...I am the poster child. Have mercy on me and forgive my sins.Lord, today we turn our thoughts and our hearts to You.

May we see prayer as it is...a declaration of total dependence on the mind and thoughts of You alone. As we surrender our lives to Your sovereignty...may we see our sins as you see our sins, may we be about the "least of these," may we give up the American Dream...for a cross every day.

Father, I ask that You bring those around this world to Yourself. Restore our land...not to prosperity but to holiness. This scripture is spoken of your temple, built by Solomon. Lord, we know today that WE are your temple! We are Your body and your bride. Hear our prayers.

In the Name of Jesus at which every knee WILL bow and every tongue WILL confess He is Lord, I offer this prayer. Amen

Blessed are...

Looking at his disciples, he said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God." Luke 6:20

Matthew's version of this text tells us that blessed are the "poor in spirit." I prayed over this small sentence this morning. In America we don't do poor. We don't like to do without anything at ANY time. We use credit cards, loans, and lines of credit to do exactly what we want WHEN we want...we don't do poor...especially poor in spirit.

In our society, we are about rights. We are about equality. We are about...ourselves. No, we don't want much to do with poor...or poor in spirit. We want to be treated like queens by our husbands, admired by our friends, treated with respect by our coworkers, and obeyed by our children. We don't want to be poor in spirit...completely destitute with nothing of our own to claim. We want to be rich in spirit and in our bank account too for that matter.

But, Jesus looks deeply at his disciples where a "great number of people" were gathered around and being healed by simply touching him. Can you just see this? Can you see desperate, sickly, demon-possessed, and the poor of this town desperately clinging to him? Can you see our Jesus there in the midst of all this...living the picture of love...in the midst of the poorest?

He lets them gaze upon him in the midst of this chaos of healing and tells them that the poor are blessed. Um...what? No, no, no, Jesus! WE are blessed...right? I mean, we are the ones who lead Bible studies, who write eloquent words about You, who clean ourselves up very nicely for church on Sunday, who smell nice and have it together. We are blessed...right?

Jesus reminds them that we are desperately poor. On our own we are NOTHING. We don't own our bodies, our finances, our families, our possessions, our spouses, our children, our jobs, our coworkers, our friends, our churches, ourselves...we are dirt poor. But, in understanding and EMBRACING that poverty of spirit...we are blessed!

In embracing the fact that our Father is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords...we are blessed. In the understanding of sin and the cost it requires and knowing that we deserve wrath and death forever and ever...we are blessed. In clinging to grace and mercy that flows from Emmanuel's veins...we are blessed. In taking up a cross, denying ourselves, and following Him...we are blessed.

In our poverty...amazingly we have inherited a Kingdom.

Jesus used the poor to confound the rich. He used the foolish to confuse the wise. He used a cross to give us an inheritance we could never earn or buy...

because we are poor.

When you embrace poverty of spirit in your life, the next action is to reach out to those just like you and share the grace you have been given! It is all His! Ask Him today how you can be a blessing because you have been richly blessed.

Embrace your poverty...because only in that will you inherit a kingdom.

A word from my friend Charles...

Early each morning, I can be found wrapped up in a cozy robe and blanket with a cup of steaming hot Yerba Matte hot tea on my couch savoring precious Words from my Father. After time of study and of prayer, I take time to read a section of Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon. Each day I am encouraged by such an anchor of the faith and one who daily challenges my ways of thinking about life. It is good reading, my friend!

So, today after I read the section for today...I went back to the preface where he introduces the morning and evenings. I wanted to share some of what he says about meeting with God in the mornings...

"Morning devotions have always been dear to the enlightened, heaven-loving souls, and it has been their practice never to see the face of dawn until they have first seen the face of God...The first fresh hour of every morning should be dedicated to the Lord, whose mercy gladdens it with golden light. Morning devotions anchor the soul, so that it will not very readily drift far from God during the day. The morning is the gate of the day and should be well-guarded with prayer. It is one end of the thread on which the day's actions are strung and should be well-knit with devotion.

He who rushes from his bed into his business and does not wait to worship is as foolish as if he had not put on his clothes or washed his face. He is as unwise as one who dashes into battle without being armed. Let us bathe in the softly flowing river of communion with God before the heat of the wilderness and the burden of the way begin to oppress us." - C.H. Spurgeon

These are portions of the preface to Morning and Evening devotions by Spurgeon. I have been in them since January 1st and have truly enjoyed his company in my morning time. I pray that you are finding time to meet with God during that very first hour of your day...before all else distracts you. I pray that you will take time today to savor the Words of your loving Father and allow it to overflow into all the areas of your life. May it truly satisfy your souls...

Isaiah 58

This past weekend God allowed me to share Isaiah 58 with the ladies. The weekend was entitled "Embracing the Satisfied Life" and it started where Satisfy Our Souls leaves off. It walks through Isaiah 58 verse by verse.

This passage shares with us the indicators of a life fully satisfied in God and His Word. It compares and contrasts the kind of worship, fasting, and prayer that we bring to God and the kind of life God wants us to lead. This kind of life will overflow all over this world. It will feed the hungry (I mean the real hungry), it will clothe the naked, visit those in prison, break the bonds of injustice and oppression around this globe and in our own neighborhoods, and much more!

The much more will be found in the follow up study to Satisfy Our Souls..."Embracing the Satisfied Life." I know....I NEVER in a million years thought I would ever write another study. I was fully turned toward Foundation Bible Series doing the book of John. But, God has intervened...again:)

In a matter of 20 minutes early before daylight one morning, God poured 8 weeks of study into an outline (I thought I was preparing for a weekend...but no!) about the indicators of a life that is truly connecting with God. A life that is truly satisfied. I'm surprised, but the words are burning in my bones! I was so excited to be able to share just a small portion of the new study with the ladies this week and that was so valuable to me. They had no idea, but they were my test group!

Then, as if for further confirmation, I read this post on the Living Proof Ministries blog from Beth Moore's daughter Melissa as she in ministering with Compassion in India. I was just smiling because she expounds on the same passage. Do you think God is up to something in this generation or what?

So, check out this link and pray for me as I begin writing the next study...oh mercy I can't even believe those words are being typed...gotta get used to that! I'm pumped and can't wait to share it...thanks for letting me work through it this weekend ladies in Panama City!

http://livingproofministries.blogspot.com/2009/04/gods-shameless-love-for-poor.html

Have a blessed day and try meditating on Isaiah 58 for a while and see what God has to say...watch out...He means what He says!

We had a wonderful time this past weekend with the ladies from Calvary Baptist Church at their annual Ladies' Beach Retreat. We enjoyed lots of wonderful fun, sun, and amazing time together in God's Word!
My friend Paula and I headed to Alabama to meet the group at their church on Thursday afternoon. We had a wonderful time of talking and sharing about God's work in our lives! We had a BLAST and the time flew by so quickly!

After we met the rest of the ladies, we headed to a small town called Abbyville where we ate dinner at a cute little place called Huggin' Molley's. I got the worst salad in history...but the company and atmosphere made up for it in a big way! We spent lots of time in Isaiah 58 talking about "Embracing the Satisfied Life." It was great to share together about all God was doing in our lives and learning how to live a life truly connected to the heart of God. It was a blessing!

The beach...was AWESOME! The weather was amazing and we enjoyed lots of relaxing time on the beach. We even got to jet ski! I had a blast with Patty as we raced over the waves at record speed. We even managed a swap in the middle of the ocean so that I could try driving. I have some kind of crazy fear of deep ocean water (even though I used to be on the swim team). I just don't like knowing there are animals 5 times my size in water I can't see where they are!

I had a small sense of panic as we headed way out into the water where the jet skis may drive along with boats, but after a few minutes I was having the time of my life! We laughed and just had a great time jumping waves.

We ate some amazing food...both in the room and at the restaurant! Here we are about enjoy a wonderful seafood dinner together...there is a whole other table of women to the right with us...so those around us might have wished they were in another section! We had lots of fun and ate some wonderful fresh seafood...I had yummy she crab soup!!!

We all headed to the beach for some sunset photos together! Here Paula and I look like we are reporting live from a tornado! The wind was blowing like crazy...and though several photos were taken...this was the best! I am so grateful that Paula was able to come and thanks to her for driving me home after a long weekend of speaking!

Meredith is one of my close friends and she is the woman's retreat leader and also the wife of the youth minister...who happens to be my husband's best friend! We all went to college together and have enjoyed staying amazing friends. I have gotten to spend the last two weekend with her! She was also at the scrapbooking retreat too. I love getting the chance to hang out with her and the ladies of her church! Thanks to Meredith for allowing me to come and share with her ladies...I was truly blessed by each one of them.

Pray for Panama City Retreat!

The past few weeks have been busy with retreats and preparation for retreats, so I wanted to take a quick moment to ask you for prayer on the upcoming retreat in Panama City, Florida. Our theme will be "Here comes the sun: Embracing the Satisfied Life."

We will be taking a look at what a satisfied soul's life looks like from biblical models of women in scripture. We will be looking at the lives of:

Mary: Living satisfied in your worship

Anna: Living satisfied in your marriage

Hannah: Living satisfied in your parenting

And a few more! I am excited about it and can't wait to see these ladies and also the beautiful beaches of Florida!

Thrive!
Frances

Luke 4:38-39

"And he (Jesus) rose and left the synagogue and entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them."

Thank you Jesus for healing my life! Thank you for shedding your blood as payment for my sin. Thank you for rebuking the hold sin has on my life each day through your Word.

Please help me today to use my healed life to serve...and not to be served. Please help me to live each day as a servant the way that you did. May I not ever desire to live a life greater, easier, more comfortable, or less painful than yours. May I give up the desire and the expectation of being served on this earth...and embrace the joy of being a servant!

Thank you for the example of Simon's mother-in-law. Help me to follow in a life of service to You who has healed me and restored me and ransomed me! May I reject the flesh which desires to be pampered, right, respected, admired, and liked.

Help me not to be surprised (as Spurgeon says) when I embrace the role of a servant...that I am treated like one by the world! May I not strike back, be indignant, or frustrated. May I follow in your footsteps as a servant!

Ladies' Retreat in Pell City

On Sunday, I was blessed to be able to lead a mini retreat at a church in Pell City! It was amazing to see about 50 or more women who have been doing Satisfy Our Souls over the past 6 weeks!!! What a great group of women I was able to meet and minister alongside. It is always wonderful to hear the joy of ladies spending time in God's Word each day. There were so many who were OVERFLOWING from satisfied souls!

It was a wonderful time of fellowship and food and words from the Lord. I am so grateful that they invited me to meet their group of women and I know that I was truly the one blessed! Thanks to those who worked so hard to prepare food, desserts, and a beautiful venue for us to meet. I know the hard work that goes unseen! Thanks so those who prayed for those ladies and for me this weekend. Thanks to God for His presence there among us! And a special thanks to my mom, aunt, and cousin who came to support me...and bring flowers!

Ladies at Eden Westside...thank you for your precious gifts and your joy in the Lord. Thank you for allowing me to hear all God is doing in your lives as you journey in your deserts...THRIVING instead of surviving through the power of His Word!

Prayer Items

I wanted to put an updated list of prayer items for upcoming events! Thanks for your constant prayer support.

April 5th: Ladies' Satisfy Our Souls retreat - Pell City, AL

April 13th: Foster/Adoptive Parent Orientation meeting - Canton, GA

April 23-26th: "Here comes the Sun: Embracing the satisfied life" ladies beach retreat - Panama City, FL

May 8th: Georgia Baptist Convention Ministers' Wives leadership meeting - Marietta, GA

May 12-14th: Kingdom Women: Impact Your Word leadership visioning retreat - Richmond, VA

May 16th: Tuberous Sclerosis 5K to raise money for Grant Parker - Marietta, GA

June 7-11th: Vacation Bible School (Missions leader) - Marietta, GA

June 13 - 16: Families on Mission - Jay camp pastor - Helen, GA

Thank you again for all of your support! Have a blessed week!

Countdown to Resurrection Day # 13

"He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.

Isaiah 53:7

The Bible teaches us that when Jesus Christ took our sin, he tool all of the punishment that goes with that sin. A Part of that punishment is shame. Had Jesus defended himself and protested his innocence, he would have suffered no shame, and that would have left us guilty.

Jesus could not prove himself innocent and then die in our place the shameful death that we deserve. Thank God that Jesus was willing to be counted a sinner before God, that we might be counted as righteous before God!

Jesus help back any words that would have relieved him from the shame and blame of sin. He was not a sinner, but he took fully the sinner's place. And here's another thought to consider. If Jesus had risen up to his own defense during his trials, I believe that he would have been so powerful and irrefutable in making his defense that no governor, high priest, or other legal authority on earth could have stood against him!

In other words, if Jesus had taken up his own defense with the intention of refuting his accusers and proving his innocence, he would have won! But, we would have lost, and we would be lost for all eternity.

They accused Jesus of blasphemy lying, sedition, and many other things, but the Savior answered not a word. This is the amazing silence of the Lamb.

Excerpted from the Passion of Christ and the Purpose of Life by Adrian Rogers.

Countdown to Resurrection Day #14

"Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him."

Matthew 26:67

There are two or three thoughts that come to my mind when I think that these wicked men did actually spit in Christ's face - in the face which is the light of heaven, the joy of angels, the bliss of saints, and the very brightness of the Father's glory. This spitting shows us, how far sin will go. If we want proof of the depravity of the heart of man, I will not point you to the stews of Sodom and Gomorroah, nor will I take you to the places where blood is shed in streams by wretches like Herod and that sort.

No, the clearest proof that man is utterly fallen, and that the naturals heart is enmity against God, is seen in the fact that they did spit in Christ's face, did falsely accuse him, and condemn him, and lead him out as a malefactor, and hang him up as a felon that he might die upon the cross.

O my sisters, let us loathe sin, not only because it pierced those blessed hands and feel of our dear Redeemer, but because it dared even to SPIT in his face. No one can ever know all the shame the Lord of glory suffered when they did spit in his face.

These words glide over my tongue all too smoothly; perhaps even I do not feel them as they ought to be felt...If ever anybody should despise us for Christ's sake, let us not count it hard, but let us be willing to bear scorn and contempt for him.

Let us say to ourselves, "Then did they spit in his face. What then, if they also spit in mine? If they do, I will 'hail reproach, and welcome shame,' since it comes upon me for his dear sake."

Adapted from "An Awful Contrast," sermon by C.H. Spurgeon.

Countdown to Resurection Day #16

"And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, 'My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.'"
Matthew 26:39

This is what bearing our sin means to Him - utter distress of souls as he confronts total abandonment and absolute wrath from His Father on the cross, a distress and an abandonment and a rejection we cannot begin to grasp.

In this, our Savior's darkest hour...do you recognize his love for you?

Listen again to the precious and powerful words we hear him repeat to His Father:
"Yet not what I will, but what You will."

Jesus is saying, "Father, I willingly drink this cup by your command - I'll drink it all."

And He will. He'll drink all of it, leaving not a drop.

Not only will he leave nothing in that cup of wrath for us to drink...but today you and I find ourselves with another cup in our hands. It's the cup of salvation. From this precious new cup we find ourselves drinking and drinking - drinking consistently, drinking endlessly, drinking eternally...for the cup of salvation is always full and overflowing.

We can drink from this cup only because Jesus spoke those words about the other cup:
"Yet not what I will, but what you will." I will drink it all.

As we watch Jesus pray in agony in Gethsemane, he has every right to turn his tearful eyes toward you and me and shout,

"This is your cup! You're responsible for this. It's your sin! You drink it." This cup should rightfully be thrust into my hand and yours.

Instead, Jesus freely takes it himself...and so that from the cross he can look down at you and me and whisper our names and say,

"I drain this cup for you - for you who have lived in defiance of me, who have hated me, who have opposed me. I drink it all...for you."

Excerpted from Christ Our Mediator by C.J. Mahaney. 2004 Sovereign Grace Ministries.
(From the book Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross: Edited by Nancy Guthrie)

Countdown to Ressurection Day #18

"When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem."

The answer of the whole New Testament is this: the surprise about Jesus the Messiah is that he came to live a life of sacrificial, dying service before he comes a second time to reign in glory. And the surprise about discipleship is that it demands a life of sacrificial, dying service before we can reign with Christ in glory.

Jesus' journey to Jerusalem is our journey, and if he set his face to go there and die, we must set our face to die with him.

One might be tempted to reason in just the opposite way: that since Jesus suffered so much and died in our place, therefore, we are free to go straight to the head of the class, as it were, and skip all the exams. He suffered so we could have could have comfort...He bore abuse so we could be esteemed. He gave up the treasures of heaven so we could lay up treasures on earth...But this is NOT Biblical reasoning. It goes against the plain teaching in this very context.

Luke 9:23-24 reads: "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it."

When Jesus set his face to walk the Calvary road, he was not merely taking our place; he was setting our pattern. If we seek to secure our life through returning evil for evil or surrounding ourselves with luxury in the face of human need, we will lose our life. We can save our life only if we follow Christ on the Calvary road.

Adapted from "He Set His Face to Go to Jerusalem," sermon by John Piper, Bethlehem Baptist Church.

Countdown to Resurrection Day: #20

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:2-3

When tribulation and sickness assail you, think how slight these are compared to the thorns and the nails of Christ. If you are thwarted, remember how he was bound and dragged. If pride besets you, see how the Lord was mocked and with robbers despised. If unchastity incites your flesh, recall how his flesh was scourged, pierced, and smitten. If hate, envy, and vengeance tempt you, think how Christ for you and all his enemies interceded with tears, though he might rather have avenged himself. If you are afflicted and cannon have your way, take heart and say, "Why should I not suffer when my Lord sweat blood for very anguish?"

Astounding it is that the cross of Christ has so fallen into forgetfulness...you must personally experience suffering with Christ. He suffered for your sake, and should you not suffer for his sake, as well as your own?

True Contemplation of the Cross
Martin Luther

Praise God for Changed Lives!

I read this post today from a sweet friend I met at the Georgia Baptist Ministers' Wives retreat in January. I HAD NO IDEA!!! I had to post this today as I was sitting in shock watching the short testimony of Norma McCorvey..."Jane Roe" from Roe vs. Wade. What amazing things God can do in lives! Bless His Name today as you watch this truly miraculous video!

St. Patrick's Day

Today people all over will be wearing green and looking for pots of gold at the end of the rainbow. But, who was St. Patrick and how did this holiday actually start? I was doing some research and found this article from the History.com. It really sheds some wonderful light on the man behind the holiday. I thought I would include some of the information I found interesting:

Who Was St. Patrick?

St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is one of Christianity's most widely known figures. But for all his celebrity, his life remains somewhat of a mystery. Many of the stories traditionally associated with St. Patrick, including the famous account of his banishing all the snakes from Ireland, are false, the products of hundreds of years of exaggerated storytelling.

Taken Prisoner By Irish Raiders

It is known that St. Patrick was born in Britain to wealthy parents near the end of the fourth century. He is believed to have died on March 17, around 460 A.D. Although his father was a Christian deacon, it has been suggested that he probably took on the role because of tax incentives and there is no evidence that Patrick came from a particularly religious family. At the age of sixteen, Patrick was taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders who were attacking his family's estate.

They transported him to Ireland where he spent six years in captivity. (There is some dispute over where this captivity took place. Although many believe he was taken to live in Mount Slemish in County Antrim, it is more likely that he was held in County Mayo near Killala.) During this time, he worked as a shepherd, outdoors and away from people. Lonely and afraid, he turned to his religion for solace, becoming a devout Christian. (It is also believed that Patrick first began to dream of converting the Irish people to Christianity during his captivity.)

Guided By Visions

After more than six years as a prisoner, Patrick escaped. According to his writing, a voice-which he believed to be God's-spoke to him in a dream, telling him it was time to leave Ireland.
To do so, Patrick walked nearly 200 miles from County Mayo, where it is believed he was held, to the Irish coast. After escaping to Britain, Patrick reported that he experienced a second revelation-an angel in a dream tells him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Soon after, Patrick began religious training, a course of study that lasted more than fifteen years. After his ordination as a priest, he was sent to Ireland with a dual mission-to minister to Christians already living in Ireland and to begin to convert the Irish.

Bonfires and Crosses

Familiar with the Irish language and culture, Patrick chose to incorporate traditional ritual into his lessons of Christianity instead of attempting to eradicate native Irish beliefs. For instance, he used bonfires to celebrate Easter since the Irish were used to honoring their gods with fire. He also superimposed a sun, a powerful Irish symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what is now called a Celtic cross, so that veneration of the symbol would seem more natural to the Irish. Although there were a small number of Christians on the island when Patrick arrived, most Irish practiced a nature-based pagan religion. The Irish culture centered around a rich tradition of oral legend and myth.

So, there is the story of the man behind the holiday filled with green clothing, pots of gold, leprechauns, and parades! I hope you enjoy your St. Patrick's day today!

Luke 2:44-45

"Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

Today, I am finally back into some sort of routine! I was able to get up at my normal (too crazy early to mention) time and be with my Father for a nice long chat over His Word. Well, I must say that Simeon could have been talking right to me this morning!

This morning Jesus, through His Word, revealed the thoughts of my heart and pierced my soul with His Sword. He revealed areas of laziness over the past 2 weeks while I have been wildly off schedule. His Word revealed thoughts of my heart that were purely selfish and seeking comfort over obedience. He pierced my soul with words from Psalm 39: 4-7...and I want to share those with you:

"Show me, O LORD, my life's end
and the number of my days;
let me know how fleeting is my life.
You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Each man's life is but a breath. Selah
Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro:
He bustles about, but only in vain;
he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.
"But now, Lord, what do I look for?
My hope is in you.

Lord knows I have been bustling about these past days but many times only in vain. I prayed with a pierced heart and revealed heart...Lord, let me know my life is fleeting! Help me to be a part of Your kind of worship! May my life not be a bunch of bustling about in vain!

Over the next few days I will also be sharing about the kind of worship and religion that God's Word tells us He finds worthy. I pray that today your heart's thoughts will be revealed through God's Word and that your soul will be pierced as mine was today. May God's Word continue to change us into the image of His Son...Jesus!

Luke 1:69-72

He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us—to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant.

I'm not back 100% yet, but I missed sharing with you each day from the Word! Today as I meditated on this passage again (I am a little further along since I haven't been writing) it continues to comfort me that God remembers His Word. He knows each thing He has promised and said in His Word. Zechariah could rejoice in the coming fulfilment of Jesus as the Messiah, because he knew the promises of God.

Look in the parentheses...it says LONG AGO! It had been a VERY long time since the words of the prophets had spoken about Jesus, but Zechariah knew that God would not forget His Words!

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. " Romans 5:6

I love that God is always right on time! He's not always on MY time...but looking at the history of my own life and timing...THANK GOODNESS! Because God sees all of time, He knows when "just the right time" came for Christ to die for us. What a great God we serve!

What things in your life are you having trouble trusting the timing of God's answers? Have you given up thinking that God will answer? Do you feel discouraged that God isn't answering in your timing?

Try to memorize Romans 5:6, because God knew just the RIGHT time for Christ to die for our sins...and we can be sure His timing for everything else is right on time too. Surrender your timing today and allow Him to guide your calendar, day timer, schedule, to do list, and your life today. He keeps His Word to us in HIS time...let's trust that today and allow Him to be the guide.

The Flu...

Well, I wanted to let you know why I haven't posted in while...it's because my girls and I have the flu! We went to the doctors yesterday and were tested and found out the we were very positive for type A flu. The flu vaccines did not immunize against type A this year...so it's all over the place. I have NEVER had the flu in my life! I have to say that it is NOT fun.

What has been worse, is the fact that I am sick right along with the girls. We have been in our king size bed for 3 days now and I am praying today will be a better day. So, I haven't been writing lately due to a high fever, crazy cough, and overall feeling like death!

So, I pray that I will be back to the devotions this week sometime, but until then keep us in your prayers! We have the meds to slow the replication of the virus and thus help us to get better faster...if they work. Since the vaccine was wrong this year, the tamiflu that was made to stop the replication is only about 50% effective. I just pray that the girls feel better soon! They are so pitiful.

Thanks for your prayers for our family and I'll post soon!

Luke 1:68-68

His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
"Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people."

What amazing faith Zechariah had! Jesus has not even been born yet, but He is filled with the Holy Spirit and sharing the redemption of God's people! What faith...I pray for that kind of faith in my own personal life. I pray that I can stand firmly on the Rock of my salvation and trust the His Word is the satisfaction of my soul!

I want to share with you a picture of what salvation means to us...in the words of Charles Spurgeon. I read his book "Morning and Evening" each day and today was a perfect compliment to the verses we had in our family devotion this morning.

"Salvation is of the Lord." Jonah 2:9

Salvation is the work of God. It is he alone who quickens the soul "dead in trespasses and sins," and it is he also who maintains the soul in its spiritual life. He is both "Alpha and Omega." "Salvation is of the Lord."

If I am prayerful, God makes me prayerful; if I have graces, they are God's gifts to me; if I hold on in a consistent life, it is because he upholds me with his hand. I do nothing whatever towards my own preservation, except what God himself first does in me. Whatever I have, all my goodness is of the Lord alone.

Wherein I sin, that is my own; but wherein I act rightly, that is of God, wholly and completely. If I have repulsed a spiritual enemy, the Lord's strength nerved my arm. Do I live before men a consecrated life? It is not I, but Christ who liveth in me. Am I sanctified? I did not cleanse myself: God's Holy Spirit sanctifies me. Am I weaned from the world? I am weaned by God's chastisements sanctified to my good. Do I grow in knowledge? The great Instructor teaches me.

All my jewels were fashioned by heavenly art. I find in God all that I want; but I find in myself nothing but sin and misery. "He only is my rock and my salvation."

Do I feed on the Word? That Word would be no food for me unless the Lord made it food for my soul, and helped me to feed upon it. Do I live on the manna which comes down from heaven? What is that manna but Jesus Christ himself incarnate, whose body and whose blood I eat and drink?

Am I continually receiving fresh increase of strength? Where do I gather my might? My help cometh from heaven's hills: without Jesus I can do nothing. As a branch cannot bring forth fruit except it abide in the vine, no more can I, except I abide in him. What Jonah learned in the great deep, let me learn this morning in my closet: "Salvation is of the Lord."

Oh, what a good word this morning from my brother...and what a blessing to hear Zechariah's heart of faith. I pray today that each of us will understand the true meaning of our salvation. I pray that it was not simply a one time event...but we see how it weaves it's fiber into every part of our lives. What a reminder to me, that if I hunger and feed on His Word, that it is such a precious gift from Him every morning. Let's not take our salvation as common place, but rejoice in humility at the Christ who redeemed his people!

I can't even begin to thank Him for my salvation. Each day He is pouring the reality of salvation into my heart. He is breaking the bonds of unbelief and giving me wings of faith!!

On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said,
"No! He is to be called John."
They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name." Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "His name is John."

Many times in our lives God asks us to do things that do not make any sense to those around us. They look at the decisions we make and the ways we live, and they think we are crazy! They look at our lives through eyes of common sense and logic...while we are called to live a life of faith.
Look at the very definition of faith Hebrews 11:1 -

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Being certain of what you do not see? Our world doesn't think that is such a good idea. But, we are called to please God through our faith and not the logic we display according to the world around us.

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18

WOW! I want to be full of that kind of foolishness! I want to know the power of God in the foolishness of the cross. But, so many Christians want their lives to make "sense" to those around them. They want to have a logical reason for the decision they are making. They want God to "back them up" on the things they are doing. They don't want to look like a fool.

But, that is our call. Corinthians assures us when we make our life decisions based on the cross...they WILL be foolish to those who are perishing around us. But, to those who are saved...they should be seeing the power of God! Many times, we as Christians, are wearing eyes of the perishing.

Last night we had the honor of having dinner with friends who are stepping out on faith in a huge way. People around them are buzzing...and "not all of it good" is being told to them. We can understand their journey. We have had to check pride at the door more and let go of looking together in front of people. It's not fun...but God will bless you in mighty ways!

If you are not hearing Him correctly...He will change you! If you are hearing Him correctly...He will guide you in it and through it. But, focus on His voice and obey it. Zechariah heard God's voice and did not believe it at first. After months of silence, He put aside his doubts and acted in faith. He named his son John, though everyone around him could not make any sense of that decision.

I pray today that you will listen closely to the message of the cross. I pray that you and I will check pride at the door and follow this Jesus wherever He leads. May we never be found judging each other with the heart of the perishing, but embracing the foolishness of the cross!

Luke 1:57-58

When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

Ladies, this one is for us! So many times in our lives we are so discouraged about our own lives, marriages, children, parenting, finances, jobs, and friendships that when someone sees a HUGE move of God in their lives we have a hard time sharing their joy. When a friend or family member comes to us with great news of God's amazing mercy in their lives which is blessing them beyond anything they could think or imagine...many of us tend to put on a good front of joy...but inside we are jealous.

We think about our own lives and wonder where God is in OUR lives! We huff a little and puff a little and hope that no one will notice our lack of real JOY for them. I have been a female for about 35 years...and have been around women for the past 15 years enough to know that we deal with a hefty dose of jealousy. It's not that we don't want to be happy for those around us who are seeing God's blessing shower all over them in amazing ways...it's just that WE want some of those blessings ourselves.

This all stems from the fact that we are just not satisfied in our own lives. We are not filled to overflowing. We are starving and slain with thirst...and when someone walks by with a steak and a Diet Coke from God...our tummies cramp and our mood darkens.

But, ladies there is a way that we can ALL be satisfied...every SINGLE day of our lives!!! Jesus knew the way and He shared it with all people in Matthew 4:4-

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

A healthy diet of God's Word each day will fill our souls to the fill line and even more! Then, and only then, can we truly rejoice with those around us. Because we have our identity sealed in Christ and His Word to us, we are able to rejoice with those around us and find the joy in God's great mercy! What a gift!

Today, look at your own life. Do you deal with jealousy? If you were Elizabeth's neighbors would you truly be able to SHARE in her joy? What about those around you? Are you able to share in the mercy God is showing them in their lives?

Look closely at your self today and ask God to show you any traces of jealousy. We want to be so full of God's Word in our lives and we can't wait to hear about the blessings He is sharing with those around us! What a better way to spend our time. I

Luke 1:54-56

“He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers."
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

God remembers His Word! He never forgets what He has promised…ever. Yesterday, I had the joy of talking with a lady who came over to my house in the afternoon to share the challenges that are going on in her life and ministry right now. I must admit, I had no idea what to say in the way of wisdom. But, God did!

God’s Word is the answer for all of our lives…even when we can’t even find the questions among all the chaos. As we sat together for hours, the one thing that stayed constant was God’s Words. He has made so many promises in Christ to us as believers, and He has not forgotten them…not a single one! What He has said He will do.

But, the problem arises when we start to put our own spin on His Word. We want things our way in our time frame…at least I do many times. We must be immersed in His Word each day (without an agenda) and allow it to transform our MINDS! We want to hear and apply God’s Word as He designed it, and not how WE want it.

Today, you can take comfort in the fact that God always remembers His Word and does what He says. Perhaps there are areas of your life today in which you simply don’t believe that statement. You can’t agree with Mary as she praises God for remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendents forever as He said He would. Maybe there are things in your life that you feel God just hasn’t kept His Word to you on.

Talk with God about those things. Go to His Word and surrender your timetable, opinions, and agenda. Allow God’s Word to change YOU…not the other way around. Allow God to speak Truth into those areas and I know that He will show you each day how He has and always will be true to His Word. He does remember everything that He has promised and said…forever!

Luke 1:52-53

He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.

OK, I just LOVE this set of verses! It is so true that God has filled the hungry with GOOD things!!! In my life, I spent most of my time searching for things to satisfy the hunger in my soul. Jesus was my Savior, but I had not truly found that God could FILL my hunger with GOOD things. I went about my day filling myself on the acceptance of others, the love of my husband, my ministries, my children, family, stuff, books, knowledge, and the list could go on and on.

I was quite rich in my own eyes! I had gorged myself on the things of this world and even the things of the church, but found myself extremely HUNGRY every single day of my life. Then, one day almost 7 years ago I began to feast on God’s Word EVERY day! These verses finally came true in my life. I put away the “riches” of this world and began to be filled with God’s RICHEST foods.

David understood this and has been my example for years as he said:

O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.

My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

He understood the richest of foods was the very presence of God in his life! He sought Him with everything he had…body and soul…and found the richest of foods for his SOUL.

Mary echoes what David says in her song. She knows that when we seek the riches of this world (and I’m not just talking money and stuff) we will not be able to truly know how God can fill your soul. My soul is filled every single day that I meet with God over His Word and seek Him in prayer. I can stand beside Mary and David and confirm once again that His Word is the satisfaction of our souls!

I pray today that your souls are satisfied in Christ. Spend time in God’s Word today and taste of the richest of foods for your soul.