Me and my "testy's" aren't getting along

Well, being the lame parent that I am, I have not one picture to show you from Easter. NOT ONE. I leave early to go to church+ kids and hubs leave church to head before I do=NO PICTURE!!

I'm sorry. I know you are sad. ;)

Anyway, all I can say is WHOA from yesterday. Our early service was unstinkinbelievable. I've never, in all my 9 yrs of being there, seen a service overflow like that one. I really thought my heart would explode at some point over the weekend. I fell in love with Jesus all over again.

And, can we all try to hang onto that Easter spirit for the next 364 days?? Please??? Because that kind of feeling is fabulous and not one I want to lose.

As I sit here in my post-Easter hangover, I want to share a smidget of something I'm learning.

It's all about love. And, I think it's very appropriate coming off our Easter high.

It's about "loving well." And, I think I stink in an area or four.

1 John 4:7-21 has been my focus. And, did you know.....

1. People will know us by how we love others. If we are growing in Christ, then we are growing in love.

2. We have no higher calling than to love. God measures maturity on how we love.

3. God manifests himself within us more than any other way when we are loving beyond our human abilities.

4. Is our love wide, but not deep?? God must love on us before we can truly love others.

5. Each one of us has these types of people in our life that we are called to love. Joy....Testy....Foe.....Far.

How are you doing in the love department??? It's easy to love the "joys" in our life. But, those dang "testy's??" Those are the ones who are in our path all the time and we want to choke. This is where I need some serious help.

Think about it, too. Who do you need to love better? Don't you want to see God do something through you that can only be Him? Don't you want to be mature in Christ? Don't you want to see relationships transform??

I do.

I'm going to go let God tend to me for awhile so I can love those people who drive me crazy.

I love you all. God loves us more than we could ever imagine. We realized that this past weekend.

Hugs and blessings~

Better watch out...

Well, it's time to hit the road. I'm picking up Patty and Georgia and heading to the big state of G-A!!

We are staying with another amazing blogger, Stephanie. I think there are about 25 of us getting together for the weekend and have some FUN! How cool is that???

Bloggers are getting together! Woo hoo!!!

Fun, food, fellowship, and some praisin' is gonna be going down!!!!

Hugs~

Just gotta say....

I've got to get something off my chest. Will you just sit back and listen and say something real sweet at the end of this very short post? K, thanks.

Welcome to Fran's small pity party. It won't be that fun. But, I think you'll understand.

I work for my church. I'm over Children's Ministry. Its a complete blessing. However.......

I have to work every single Sunday. Yes, I know I signed up for this, but I'm just about being real in 2009. I don't get to go to classes on Sunday's or Wednesday's. I don't get to really just "be" in a worship service because my mind is on the job at task. It's been nearly 5 years.

Play the violins. I hear them. I'm actually sick of them.

So....how do I get fed? I LIVE off Him, His Word, and Bible study. My Bible study group (which varies on who is in the group from study to study) mean the world to me. They have no idea how much they feed this tired and weary soul. I could probably stand to be in a couple. Ha!

I hope you get what I'm saying. I just didn't realize how dry I was or how hungry I stay.

All this to say....I love my Bible study group. You mean the world to me. And, you had no idea.
Please don't stop coming!

I hope you have a small group, Bible study group, or some kind of close knit something or nother that feeds you too.

Hugs and blessings~

I think I may have issues with my friends...

Y'all,

Work with me for a second. Or, maybe humor me for a second.

And....please don't think I'm weird. Weird about these cows I keep talking about and am obviously obsessed with! :)

It's Wednesday morning and it's my Bible study day at my house. However, most of the group could not come.....there is only about 9 of us when we are all here....so, when 2/3 of us couldn't be here....I had to make a decision to take a week off and resume next week. That was hard for me to do.

So...I have enjoyed the quiet morning at home. Fighting a cold. Enjoying the must needed rest that I have been craving. Just not in the form of a cold though.

For several Wednesdays in a row....a certain group of "girls" are showing up in my yard. And...here they are ready for a Word maybe?? Some encouragement from me??
A little "talkin to" from their pesky woman neighbor that runs outside every time they get this close???

I don't know.

Here are the girls today....

Momma


Daughter


A Momma and a daughter


After annoying them by taking pictures and telling them how precious they are....

I told the "girls" to get along today....I told the "girls" to enjoy the beautiful day God has given us......I told the "girls" to be nice to one another....I told the "girls" to include the one that is a little different than the rest...



Who said these cows don't teach me anything??? They remind me of the simple things every single Wednesday they show up for Bible study.....

Is this coincidental?? I don't know. I think God and I are having a little fun together through them. They won't be around for long. The owner, Mr. Smith, will sell them all soon. I'll probably shed a tear when I realize they are gone and gone who knows where.

So....I came back inside and enjoyed a little study time with this precious woman!!!!



Ms. Beth taught out of Revelation and showing us examples of our Alpha and Omega God.
We see that He is the one "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."
(Rev. 1:8)

Our God is the Almighty One of our "is" right now. Don't get hung up on the "was" or the "is to come." Let Him be the "is" of our "is" right now. Don't spend all your efforts and thoughts on worrying about the future that hasn't even happened yet.
Let Him be the Almighty of your "is" right this second.

He is an "is" kind of God!

Hallelujah!

Have a blessed day....no matter who your friends and teachers are....cows are great friends! Ha!

I've clearly got issues.

I took a leap of faith....

Hey girls....

I love me some "God Stop Friday!" Thank you, sweet Patty, for hosting this for us each week.

It does my heart such good to come by and read what sweet things God has done in peoples lives. He is a detail God and I love seeing Him at work. It increases your faith doesn't it??

Ok....

I have been thinking, studying, listening to, many things about walking by faith and not by sight.....going into the unknown places with God......just "going there" with Him bc you love Him so much.....and completely trusting Him to take care of life and stuff......

Well, I was so passionate and fired up about the last 3 sessions of Beth Moore's "Wising Up" that taught on being the Godly wife and momma that He wants for us, that I, in a heart of Jesus passion, sent out a mass email to others and begged them to come join the fun and wisdom from this study. This was something completely separate and different than my "normal" Wednesday morning Bible study group.

Well....today was our 1st session on being the Godly wife that Beth taught on. I really didn't know who would come, and I did ask them to forward the initial email on to others that might be interested. I was so excited this morning that I knew I had done the right thing. I knew that God would bring some women and bless our time. How could He not?? We were in the Word! :)

So....just want you to know that if you have a moment of love and "out of the box" thought that involves bringing someone closer to Jesus in their daily walk, that you just jump out there in that water with Him. He's your life perserver. He'll take care of it all.

I'm so blessed and grateful for those amazing young women that came today. I'm praying that the seeds planted with be watered and hearts, lives, marriages, and families are changed.

"Change us Lord. Change us."

Enjoy the weekend friends. Take a leap of faith if He's calling you to do something for Him.

He's with ya!! Glory, glory to God!!

Hugs and blessings~

Fran

Being in the middle

Wow! What a beautiful day! I sure hope your weather is as nice where you are as it is here.
I'm almost tempted to "layout!" That tickles me to just say that little phrase....takes me back in time! How about, "sitting outside" and listening to those precious cows in my backyard talk. They are up to some kind of conversation. Wish you could hear 'em! :)

This is short and sweet and just something for you to think about. I've been chewing on it since church yesterday.....that's the sign of a good message isn't it??!

Place yourself in a position as the middle child.

Who are you looking up to as your mentor???

Do you have a mentor?? Someone that you talk to regularly for life advice, spiritual advice, family advice?? This person just needs to be far enough ahead of you in their walk that they can guide you and help you and support you and love you.

If you don't have a mentor.....please begin to pray for God to place one in your life.

And....who is behind you??? Who are you shepherding or mentoring along the way???

My heart is deep into this concept right now. Find yourself in the middle if you can.

Ask God to strategically place people and opportunities where you can be mentored and then you can be a mentor to someone else.

Its exactly what God has called us to do. He wants us in the middle. He wants us to encourage others and teach others as well as be taught and encouraged. As a woman, I love this scripture and it takes on more meaning for me every time I study it....

Titus 2:1-5 says..."You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. Teach the older men to be temperate, worth of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. They they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God."

Being in the middle is a good thing!! Pray to find yourself there.
Blessings~

A Secret Life....

How about a secret life with God.....just for you. Just between you and Him. And, you don't tell anyone the details of your time with Him. Can you have that secret life??

Of course you can!!

A secret life with God looks like this....thank you Angela Thomas and this teaching from her study, "Living Your Life as a Beautiful Offering."

Matthew 6:1-7 tells us to give, fast, and pray in secret and God will reward us.

That can be hard for us women. We like to do things and tell people what we are up to, what God might be up to in our life, or to simply just say how cool things are once we have done something. Maybe it's just bragging on God. Oh....and how I think we should sing His praises and give Him a shout out when He deserves it. But.....

Can we have a secret life, a secret place that goes on just between the two of us???

That's a challenge for me. Not to have the time with Him, but keep it to myself? Some of that may be hard for me.

When we go to our secret place with God......

1. He will restore our souls. 2 Timothy 3:6-7 tells us about weak-willed women. They may learn all the "stuff" but you can't tell by their lives, their hearts or the attitudes they have.

2. We will have power when we have had time in that secret place with God. Humble yourself before Him, pray hard, and He'll give us power through the Holy Spirit. When we have had our conscious cleared during that time alone and away with Him, we are empowered!!! We can handle anything, in the Name of Jesus, that comes our way.

3. When we have been in our secret place with God, our hearts will be tendered to Him and we will be storing up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21). We don't need to put forth all our energy into worrying, but instead spend time with Him in that secret place and our hearts will begin to follow Him. What does your heart reflect?? What is my heart following??

4. Matthew 6:33 "But seek first his kingdom, and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Seek him first. Seek Him in every situation. Seek Him when we feel as if we are free falling and nothing is under us. He will catch us. We must trust Him. Spend time in that secret place with Him. And, if your kids disrupt that time....that's ok....they need to have that visual of mom being in prayer, face down, before the Lord. Hard times might be on you, but when we are in the secret place with God, heavens blessings will break through.

Do you have a secret place where you can go and be with Him?? Are you humbled before Him and know that apart from Him you are nothing and can do nothing???

Jesus spends a lot of time talking about what to do in secret. Read Chapter 6 of Matthew on your own and ask God to give you the desire to have a secret place with Him where you can just be with Him.

Having a secret life with God will be blessed and rewarded. Jesus tells us that in Matt. 6:6.

Get you a secret place and secret times between you and God!!! He'll bless you deeply.

Hugs and blessings~

Don't put all your eggs in one basket....

Have you ever heard that expression before???

Don't put all your eggs in one basket???

What does that mean exactly????

Don't put everything you have into one thing....

Don't put all your hopes and dreams into that person....

Don't put all your energy into one thing....

Well, let me tell you quickly how I got to re-visit this concept today. We had bible study this morning at my house. We only have about 5 weeks left after finishing "Wising Up", so we decided to watch the DVD's from the "Bible Study On Demand" by Lifeway. It is 5 different Bible teachers with 5 different independent lessons. Personally, I wanted to see other teachers I wanted to study for the Fall.

So.....this morning, we watched a session from Priscilla Shirer's study called "He Speaks to Me."
Well...this woman rocks!!! AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME little 25 minute teaching on
single minded worship.

She asked us these questions about our worship experience on Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, Wednesday nights....

What or Who is holding you back from true single minded worship with God??? Go ahead...go back and read that one more time.

For me...I'm too busy thinking other things, worried about the people around me, thinking about the people around me, distracted by the people around me, afraid of being looked at, keeping a wall up between me and God so I can't experience Him fully, and hanging onto sin, pride, fear or doubt as I "attempt" to worship Him.

PATHETIC!! I can honestly say....I do not give Him all of me during worship. Whats up with that??? I don't know...bet I have a hunch that I have some issues with myself that need to be dealt with before I ever step into the church doors.....

So...as we talked about worship experiences.....I said these words....

"If you are counting on getting everything you need in one worship service....you will be disappointed."

So...that is my point. You cannot be completely filled if you are putting all your eggs in one basket.....whether its a worship service....Bible study group.....Sunday school class....

You will be completely filled by having many ways of worshiping Jesus. It will not happen in one hour on one Sunday morning. You will be disappointed if you think your Pastor, the musicians, the teacher, the study will do it all for you. They can't do that for you. They are human. There is no one perfect worship experience.

Get out there and find you some worship, some Jesus, some growth, and some learning in as many ways as you can!!!!

You are gonna need a lot of baskets girls. No need to have just one. It won't work for ya.
At least that's how I feel about it right this second.

Blessings and have a great day with Jesus....

Well, its Friday!!! YAY! YES! The best day for me bc I can be home most of the day ALL BY MYSELF!! I don't work on Friday's so I absolutely love me some Friday!

And...it's God Stop Friday hosted by our beloved, Patty! This is our time to reflect on specifics that God has done for us, showed us, helped us through, or whatever the case may be for you during the past week.

I'm sitting here with my coffee right now and have my praise music in the background and it just makes me so happy.

My "God Stop Friday" moment of choice today would be something that was said during our DVD viewing of "Wising Up" on Wednesday morning.......It was very profound for me at the moment and something that I have thought of many times since Bible study.

The magnificent teacher, Beth Moore, was teaching us about how to be wise with our finances.
At the end of the DVD, she was talking about situations in marriages when the husband and wife are in two different places of giving. She said something in the middle of her "how to handle that" that freed me so much.....

Relax before your God!!!

Relax before your God!!!

We bring our pure, clean hearts before Him, we pray for whatever it is, and we RELAX before Him. Don't get worried about any part of what you are asking, feeling, wishing, wanting, needing. He knows our hearts girls.

Let's relax before God and not get hung up in anything we are afraid of or thinking is weird. He is a loving God. He can handle anything we need to give Him. Even our finances. Even our broken relationships. Even our frustrations. Even our marriages. Even our troubled children.
Even our jobs. Even our feelings of despair and hoplessness.

Cry out to God. Relax before Him. He loves you so much. You are EVERYTHING to Him.
Relax. Enjoy. Be with Him in complete honesty.

Blessings~

It was just so sweet for me......

Let me just say that God was there for ME this weekend! He was there to meet with me and 65 other ladies from church and speak something so personal over our lives. It was our first overnight retreat for the women of our church. I was so excited. And, I was scared to death.

But, He held me in His hand. He spoke such peace over me before I spoke. That came completely from Him bc I was truly shaking at one point and thinking "how in the world am I going to get through this?" He even gave me complete joy while I shared my testimony of how God settled this wild buck down and changed her heart completely.

It was scary to think of me exposing a part of my life that I had not shared with many people at all. And, when I say "many" I think 2 people know the full deal history of where I had been and how He truly saved my life.

So, to get up there in front of 65 of "your church girls" and expose so much.......almost had me throwing up in the ladies room! What if.....

they don't like me any more?

they don't see what I'm trying to offer?

they miss the whole point of what I was hoping to share?

But, I believe with all my heart that God showed up in His glorious way and truly gave me the story to tell at that given moment. He was present with me. He was felt so deep within my heart. It was like He just placed His arm around me and said..."Go on and spread the Good News.....that is what I have called you to do right at this moment."

And...it was time to begin. But, 1st a prayer from my precious prayer partner, Carolyn. Of course I got teary-eyed. We have prayed 100 times together. We've spiritually grown together. We've experienced signifcant growth in our passion for Jesus. There was not a better person to pray for me. Thank you Carolyn. May His mighty hand continue to guide and strengthen you! I hope you have many "Carolyn's" in your life.




I did my thing and honestly I don't know what I said. I followed my notes, but added in a whole bunch of stuff that probably made our retreat leader very nervous. :) You know, the whole time issue thing that they want to follow! But, I went exactly where my Savior took me for that amount of time and I loved the laughter, the reflections, the scriptures that mean so much to me now, and believing that God spoke hope and encouragement to at least one woman in that room.

I give Him all the glory and praise for the work He does in my daily life. I give Him such praise for the Resurrection Jesus that He is. I am in awe of what He did in my life. He is utterly amazing to me how He can change hearts and lives COMPLETELY AROUND!

He was there this weekend. I thank you for your prayers. My sweet friends here at home, my best girls here in blogworld, and our sweet Heavenly Father held me up. I'm overflowing with love and gratitude for you all. Truly. I'm different through Him and through you.

A few pix with some of the girls.....and, you never take as many pix as you would like. Oh well. You can look around the website of where we were here. Talk about an amazing Christian camp for kids. Truly amazing. Thank you Victory Ranch. I wish I could go work there. :)

We had a blast hanging out together. I laughed so hard I cried at times. I loved being with some new friends and my old friends. I loved experiencing God in very different and personal ways at one time. I can't wait for next year!! I had a complete blast with y'all. It went by way too quick.

And, to my church girls....I smiled over you and gave thanks for you as I fixed my cereal tonight and waited on my electric blanket to warm up! (wink wink)

Have a great time with God in ALL things. He blesses me beyond words.

Peanutbutter crackers, a Dr. Pepper and God!

HALLELUJAH!

I'm so overwhelmed with our Lord right now that my fingers are CRAZY on this keyboard right now. He's just too much for my little bitty brain right this second. Oh, but I love Him and wouldn't trade Him for anything!

Had Bible study at my house this morning. We have gone completely nuts and are doing Beth Moore's "Wising Up" that has NO HOMEWORK people. I'll just confess that I'm a little nuts right now bc I have nowhere to channel this nuttiness that is in my head with all that we are learning. Beth, could you whip up some homework for our group real fast and email it to me??!! Thank you! :)

I've always got 5001 things to say but I'm gonna say this simply with my peanut butter cracker crammed in my mouth and my DP close by......I'm skipping a real lunch so I can get this down!

OUR HEART IS EVERYTHING TO HIM!!!!

What does your heart say about you? Lets see for a quick second and then I'm done......

1. Do you give HIM your ENTIRE heart?? Or just pieces??

2. Do you have an anxious heart?? If so, throw Him your concerns bc when we do not....we have some control issues going on between me and Him.

3. Do you have an isolated heart?? Noone will ever get our situation or ordeal like we do. We should not be surprised when we fell misunderstood. HE is the only one who knows why we do the things we do. Be joyful in all our daily situations. We have resurrection power girls!! USE IT!

4. Do you have a hope sick heart??? Have you waited so long for something that you've lost hope?? Remember Abraham? He waited FOREVER for that 1st son. He finally had him and named him Isaac.....which means laughter. The laughter and joy will come. Hang in there sisters. And, it will be good.

5. Do you have a hardened heart?? Oh, do I know how to do this one. I can cut you off just as quick as I let you in. If you have betrayed me, hurt me, or done anything that is just "not nice"
then I can cut you off. Now, I may have done the big girl thing and forgiven and even prayed for you. But, let me remind us all.....our heart cannot and will not be hardened. Let Jesus tend to that heart. Restore that person. "Anyone that hates is a murderer!" 1 John 3 tells us! YIKES!
Let me love them through the healing name of Jesus.

Give Him your WHOLE HEART! Mess and all. He wants the entire thing so He can do His healing magic and tend to that treasure He has placed within us.

Me and Him gotta do some work together on this one. I bet you do too. Stay faithful friends.
He does.

Blessings~

Completely all over the place...

Well. Its Monday morning and we are out of school (hallelujah!) and my brain is just moving 100 mph and for the life of me cannot settle itself down. Just like a kid in a candy store.....or Disney World.....or their favorite sports store.....or the ice cream store.....but, you get the idea.

My problem:

Too much Bible! Too much Jesus! Too much of Him in my head! Too much of His Word!

Now that I have typed that out.....thats not a problem at all! It's wonderful!

However, when I'm trying to focus on one thing to share with you......I've got so much swirling in my head that I can't settle it down. But, I shall try. The biggest thought I have right now is this.....

RESTORATION!

I've been reading the book of Job. We all know about Job and the horrible things that happened to his life and his family. But, what I had forgotten......the IDIOT friends he had!! Oh, how I wanted to just yell at my Bible and tell them to S-H-U-T U-P!! I had heard enough of them and their lies to poor Job. I mean how many chapters are there that deal with these arrogant little guys??? But, finally......at the end of the book.....here comes the restoration from God.

God reminds Job of all the glorious things God does. God reminds Job of His awesomeness.

Job listens and is reminded of the love between the two. And, then, some things take place.....

1. Job humbles himself before the Lord.
2. God rebukes the 3 idiot friends :)
3. Job PRAYS FOR HIS FRIENDS
4. Job prays for the idiot friends...the ones that completely brought him down.....
5. Can I do that???
6. But, when you do.....God RESTORES you!
7. He'll bless you more than you could have ever imagined!! In this case, the LORD prospered him and gave him twice as much as he had before.

So, if someone has brought you down for whatever reason....begin to pray for that person. Seek God and His "mighty-ness." Let Him bless you AFTER you have prayed for the people who hurt you. He restored Job. He'll restore you.

But, the last piece to this puzzle that I have not done in the past.....YOU restore that person to the place where God holds them. Don't just forgive them and pray for them.....put them in that high place where God has them. For me, that was the hardest part of all. I did not want to restore them.

Whew! Just a small piece of what God is doing in my heart right now. I hope it made sense.
Blessings friends. Have a day with God. :)

Oh baby, it's here!!!

For all of you siesta's out there that I'm gonna cry all over when I meet you for the 1st time...I'm SOOOOOO super duper excited because the wristband came in for San Antonio and Siesta Fiesta next Summer!!!!!!!

I truly can't wait. I am sure I'll be a nervous wreck, but it's a good thing. And, yes I'm strange for even taking a picture (a blurry one at that) and then posting it! :)

Love y'all! Have a beautiful day.

I am SO thankful for Bible study

Y'all...it's Thursday morning and I'm just completely S-A-D!! Bible study is over!

I loved this particular study. I loved the group. I love the accountability. I love what I learned. I love what God showed me. I love how He spoke to me. I feel like we have been side by side for 10 beautiful weeks and now its time for Him to leave and go home. I hate this feeling.

It's OVER and I'm just sad. My group of amazing women and I have spent the last 10 weeks studying the Tabernacle..."A Woman's Heart, God's Dwelling Place" by the beloved Beth Moore.

Who knew the Tabernacle was so profound, so amazing, so beautiful, so meaningful, so full of depth, so full of Jesus, so full of His glory, so inspiring, so full of God's love for His people, so truly HIM!!! God's desire is to dwell with His people.
Oh, that touches me a little differently this morning as I reflect about what I have learned. He wants to dwell with me. ME!

This study has just blown me away. We are the current "house" for Jesus if you are a believer of Jesus. We are the light that should shine BRIGHTLY for the whole world to see. We are to shine BRIGHTLY my friends.

I am a changed human over this study. God has done a number on me and my heart.

I am so thankful for that. I mean truly grateful for our "now" God and His ability to get in there and do a number on each and every one of us. I love Him with all that I have. I thank Him with all that I have. I praise Him today for his perfect Word.

I hope you are in a small group or a Bible study where you can see, feel, study, and know our Most High Father! I pray that you are diligent with your homework and your time spent with Him. I pray that you do so out of complete desperation for MORE JESUS PLEASE!!!

I can't wait for our next study to begin after Christmas! Do you have any favorites that you would like to share as we pray about what to do next?? I'd love to hear what Bible studies have touched your soul.

Have a great day with Jesus!! I will add another workbook to my stack of "finished." My Bible will be in my possession at all times. I am an addict. I am addicted to Him and His Word. Don't you just love it???



Enjoy Him today! And shine brightly for all to see how awesome He is!
Blessings~