HAPPY EASTER-THE VOICE OF TRUTH

I posted this video for Easter last year and as always, His Word is still relevant today...The Ultimate Voice of Truth, so I thought'd I'd share it again today, with a few more thoughts.

I feel this really says it all and captures the sentiments for this Sunday & The Easter Holiday. "Out of all the voices calling out to me, I will choose to LISTEN and BELIEVE the Voice of Truth" Boy, that is sooo true in my life! Our lives are so busy and crazy and there is an answer and a solution around every corner..what voice will you choose listen to and more importantly, to believe?

The Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns

Oh, what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I'm in
Onto the crashing waves

To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is
And He's holding out His hand

But the waves are calling out my name
And they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The waves - they keep on telling me
Time and time again. "Boy, you'll never win!"
"You'll never win!"

But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, "Do not be afraid!"
The voice of truth says, "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

Oh, what I would do to have
The kind of strength it takes to stand before a giant
With just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors
Shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand

But the giant's calling out my name
And he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
Time and time again. "Boy you'll never win!"
"You'll never win!"

But the stone was just the right size
To put the giant on the ground
And the waves they don't seem so high
From on top of them lookin' down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
When I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
Singing over me

I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth



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FrugalFabulousFinds.com is a personal blog written and edited by Wendy Kohn Little. As a full time Blogger, I do selectively accept various forms of compensations such as cash advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic insertions and/or products and other forms of compensation and incentives from companies and organizations. Compensation will never influence the content or posts made in this blog. All advertising is in the form of advertisements generated by a third party ad network. As the owner of this blog, I am sometimes compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though I may receive compensation for posts or advertisements, I always give my honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own and will NEVER be influenced by any form of compensation.

THE CORE PURPOSE OF MARRIAGE+HOW "MEASURING UP" YOUR SPOUSE CAN TEAR IT DOWN - SUNDAY SENTIMENTS 09-19

I'm going to make a personal confession. I think that I am my own worst enemy at times and especially when it comes to relationships. I can dwell on all the tiny things that need work and all the "opposite" ideas and ways that my husband has that can completely clash with my own and it can be a huge contributor to stress in our home and our relationship.

I've done some serious soul searching and come to a very simple conclusion that I hope might also help someone else.

It came to me very profoundly. I found one of my old journals that I was writing in daily after the end of my 14 year marriage, as my divorce was finalizing. I was so focused on being single at that point in my life. The fall and destruction of my marriage had made it very clear to me what went wrong and that the qualities that would ever cause me to consider marriage again, were very rare. I wrote the following in my journal, it was much more lengthy, but these words jumped out at me when I found it...
My prayer for a REAL MAN:
•A man who sees me , just as God sees me, for who I am In Christ, not for my looks, not for where I've been or what I've done in my past

And this is the final part that jumped out at me :

A man....a real man....courageous, bold, wise, silent when he needs to be, loving, gentle, hard when he needs to be but most of all, A Strong Man of God...everything else falls into place if that's there.

Wow....have you ever been convicted by YOUR OWN WORDS? I prayed for a man posessing very specific qualities and yet for the past year, I have nit picked and analyzed each and every little thing that we don't agree on, justifying to myself that I was still being careful having come from a failed marriage.

I've compare our attitudes and values about wordly things like cleaning/working around the house or our perspectives on handling money...all so that in the back of my mind, subconsciously, I have a reason if this marriage were to fail. Can my Christian friends please stand up and shout with me...DEVIL, you are NOT welcome Here, anymore!!! Satan is a liar and a thief and he comes to seek and destroy that which God might yet still be building!

When I read my prayer from that journal, I realized that God did miraculously bring me a man that is so very rarely "untainted" by this world in the way he views and treats women. This was of HUGE importance to me. So much so, that I didn't wear makeup, fix my hair or get dressed up for the first couple monthes we dated! I was doing my own silly "test" to make sure he was with me for ME and not for anything based on looks, etc.

As for the rest of my "prayer request" for qualities - I stated "Gentle, Loving, Hard when he needs to be"...and without a doubt, this sums him up to a tee.

In that prayer I said "everything else falls into place if that's there" and this was my kick in the pants. That is exactly right! How much time I've spent analyzing our relationship ( this might be a by-product of it being a 2nd marriage) and wondering if we had what it takes to make it last for the long haul. When all along, obviously, God brought him into my life and placed us together for a reason. It will never be perfect, but it is a work in progress...as ALL marriages are.

I think we get so caught up in the little things, that we forget the biggest thing of all! God created EVE so that Adam would not be alone. It's that simple. He didn't create a whole group of women and decide which one would be best for Adam. He created Eve, that she would be "his Helper" and his companion. Is it possible for us to really apply this to our marriages? To view our spouse as the one that God gave to us, so that we would not be alone and that we would have a helper for all that we face in this life?

1 out of every 3 marriages ends in divorce. I wonder what would happen if we simplified our "spousal requirements" and our own role responsibility in our marriage?

I'm so very grateful that I stumbled on my old journal for this reminder and yes..slap in the face! I pray that I will keep that conviction in my heart on a daily basis, knowing that God is still shaping and molding me into the woman and wife He wants me to be. I'm going to make a point to let my husband know how very grateful I am that God chose Him to be my partner and that the qualities that make him so different from all the rest, far outweigh the minor issues we face from time to time. That does make it all worth it!

WHEN LIFE THROWS YOU CURVEBALLS-SUNDAY SENTIMENTS 09/12

Have you had to do something lately that you absolutely had no idea how you would do it...something else you've felt "forced" to take on and thought there was just no way you'd be able to do it.

If you didn't notice, I've not been posting as much this week...I've had so much going on and it's been one of those weeks where I've had to really prioritize every available minute. Such is the life of a mom! And I know that you all know what I mean!

Many of you know that my daughter and 1 1/2 year old Granddaughter moved into their own place about 2 monthes ago. I was so excited for them and to be perfectly honest, it was such a relief to get my house back! With just me, my hubby and my 2 boys, I was able to clean and it stayed that way...the laundry pile wasn't quite as towering and the power, water and grocery bill decreases were a nice perk, as well.

Now, I love, love, love them my daughter & my Grand. My doors are always open to them, but realistically, my "brain" told me that a household of 7 through the summer while my husbands son was with us and 6 year round, was just becoming a little more than I could handle. My "Brain" told me that it was time for her to get a job and provide for herself and her own child, because I was still raising my other 2, ages 10 and 15, which is still a full time job for me in itself.

Then it happened....situations and circumstances too lengthy to detail in a post that basically boiled down to the need for my daughter and granddaughter to move back in with us.

I began to pray about it. My mind was shouting "Here comes the stress of all of us squeezed into my tiny townehome" (did I mention we only have 1 bathroom!) again. Quiet nights and "private" space or time going out the window again. And work...haha!..I work at home, which becomes very difficult for children to understand. The interruptions of "Mommy" and "MiMi" "just being on the computer" are countless (yea, I'm "just on the computer" LOL). So, yes, it means a decrease in income, as my time to work gets decreased. Yes...I could come up with a million reasons to justify how stressful 2 more in our household makes life....

And then something came over me. That sweet little face and the love that flows from her innocent craving of my attention...how on earth could I not want her to be with me, so that I don't miss a single minute of her changing and growing! I managed to raise my own 3 and always had a house filled with their overnight friends, the neighborhood kids, etc. So, why did I think of this, as if it was any different?

It was as if God whispered in my ear to remind me that the kind of mother He equipped me to be did not end because my own children are no longer in diapers. All the tools that I need to make my house a home for ALL of my children and now even my grandchild, have been given to me from Him, for exactly this purpose. Like Beth says in the video..the reminder welled up in my heart..."This is what I'm good at! I've raised 3 babies..in a one income household" rang like church bells in my ears.

I know that while we may not always choose our circumstances, God does give us exactly what we need to make the best of them. While Satan will quickly whisper all of the negative, worldly reasons why something is going to create more stress for us or increase expenses when we might even be struggling with the current ones, if we are truly filled with the fullness of Christ, He will quickly make it all clear.

In my case, it became more than clear...it became a desire to step up to the plate at a time when I am most needed. While there will be challenges to changing our household numbers once again, I know that God will supply all my needs...physically, emotionally and financially.

Have you been faced with a decision or situation in your life recently that you are unsure if you can handle or How you will deal with it?

Give it to God...He will equip you in more ways than you can imagine! It may just be that He's been preparing you for "such a time as this" all along!
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BEING PREPARED FOR LIFE'S MOMENTS IN TIME-SUNDAY SENTIMENTS 08/08

"One Moment In Time" is what Whitney Houston sings about with her phenomenally powerful voice in 1987. That song spoke to my heart then and has actually played a role in my life at various "moments in time".

Reminiscing about all of those moments in time, Whitney was right when she belted out "I Rise and Fall", "I broke my heart for every gain" and "To taste the sweet, I've faced the pain". That's been the story of my life in a nutshell. I've experienced many wonderful successes and an equal, if not surpassing amount of failures. I've risen and I've fallen and figured out that this is my Life, and I'm becoming more grateful for it every day.

Michael Jordan said it best, "I've failed over and over and over again in my life... and that is why I succeed".

I've come to believe that it's not so much the actual failures that contribute to our successes, as it is the ability to pick yourself up after a fall. To reinvent yourself and start over, yet once again. When it would be easy to dwell on the circumstance of the moment and have yourself a pity party, to know that doing so will accomplish nothing.

The "rise and fall" experiences of my life are almost comical, if you were to write them down and almost unbelievable that one person could experience so many various "life issues". I've come to realize that apparently God has a serious plan that I'm not yet aware of. I'm becoming more comfortable with the knowledge that I was allowed to experience each of those falls from Grace, so that He could bring me back to rise again. The purpose for that? Because there are so many people that think they are "stuck" in those situations. Having experienced them gives me a great ability just to say "I know" and to mean it.

The flip side of that...someone else might look at my life and see "me" as a total wreck! Always some kind of "drama" or issue that I'm being faced with. I'm reminded of what Jesus said to The Apostles during the Last Supper: "In this world you WILL have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" ~John 16:33 (emphasis mine) True Christians who are making a difference in lives are the greatest opposition to the worlds ways and views.

I've found the best defense IS offense. I'm prepared and ready for it now. Nothing that comes my way in this life - no situation, no unjustified wrongdoing,etc. can get a rise out of me. This quote sums it up:

"You can avoid having ulcers by adapting to the situation: If you fall in a mud puddle, check your pockets for fish." ~Author Unknown

Let's just say that I'm constantly checking my pockets for fish. Actually, I've decided to choose outfits that don't even have pockets! *grin*

So, what about you? Are you at a place where you've passed through the doors of the life lessons class and become grateful or are you currently in the midst of the game?

WHY MOMS MUST HAVE THE UNCOMFORTABLE DISCUSSION-THE P WORD AND WHY SILENCE MUST END NOW

Todays Sunday Sentiments is really just what I hope is an eye opener for many of you. In the times we live in, it seems anything is possible on the internet. Including the "perfection" of any persons appearance. The problem with that, is that once we lose our grip on reality, the lines of what is real can be blurred, causing problems in various areas of our lives. It is the blurring of reality that is driving the #1 money making industry on the internet...not sure what that is? Read on...

As mothers, because the majority of my blog readers are mothers, I challenge you to really think about this issue. This is one that we need to teach our children about. Why you ask? Because no matter what, our children do and/or will spend time online and this is an issue that effects their generation and the ones to come.

We need to make them aware that not everything they see online is real - this includes people. Every aspect of the way a person looks can be changed and perfected digitally. That might sound wonderful for a moment, but the long term effects of such widespread falsification, is not something to take lightly. Thus, we have the "fantasy world" of the internet and all the downfalls that comes along with it.

For girls, it becomes a self esteem issue, as their "idols" are being perfected in ways that are not possible in real life. Our daughters think they need to be as "beautiful", "skinny" or what have you, as they continue to see in the media.

For our sons, who will grow up to be men one day, it has a huge impact, in the way that they view women and in what "reality" they judge appearances. This will impact their relationships and eventually, their marriage.

If we want to be effective, Moms(& Dads), we have to stay on top of issues relevent in the moment. In the years past, we remember the "Friends don't let friends drive drunk" and "Just say no to drugs" campaigns. I can't think of any other issue right now that has the ability to impact our childrens futures in the way that the internet does.

Social Media aside, even the most innocent of web searches by our children doing homework can result in the viewing of pornography. If we have taken the time to teach our children about what it is, why it is not "REAL" and the harmful effects of it, maybe we can change the whirlwind that is currently responsible for ruining marriages, families and lives of millions.

It's a subject noone wants to talk about and the longer it's kept a secret, the larger the problem gets.

As parents, we have the responsiblity of educating our children on whatever it is they might encounter in this world that could be harmful. It is my belief that the Adult Industry is the most harmful issue facing our children and families today.

I challenge you to think about the following statistics, just a handful compiled from The National Coalition for Children & Families:

The largest group viewing online pornography is ages 12 to 17

More than 11 million teens regularly view porn online

Worldwide pornography revenue in 2006 was $97.06 Billion. Of that, approximately $13 Billion was in the United States.

There are 4.2 million pornographic websites, 420 million pornographic web pages, and 68 million daily search engine requests

65 percent of high school students admit to unsafe, inappropriate, or illegal activities online

The most common ways people have accidentally reached pornographic content on the Web are pop-up windows (55%), misrepresented links (52%), misspelled URLs (48%) and auto links within emails (23%)

According to Datamonitor, over half of all spending on the Internet is related to sexual activity. Each day 30 million people log on to pornographic Web sites

70% of 18 to 24 year old men visit pornographic sites in a typical month. 66% of men in their 20s and 30s also report being regular users of pornography

The times we live in are rapidly changing. Just watch TV and you can see that over the years it has become "socially acceptable" to see those late night 1-800 call me for fun ads. Or the movie scenes in strip clubs that glamourize that as a job to young girls & women as well as encouraging young boys and men to visit for guys night, bachelor parties or just to "get away".

I believe that knowledge is power. We must equip our children to deal with the issues they will face in life, no matter how uncomfortable the subject makes us.

Have you discussed the "P" word with your own children or will you be part of the silent majority, allowing it to be like a mold...continuing to multiply and grow in the darkness ?

"For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all." ~ Luke 8:7 (NLV)

HOW TO REALLY HAVE PEACE IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE - SUNDAY SENTIMENTS 07/25

I absolutely LOVE this song and watching Ginny Owens play the piano and sing this one is such an inspiration! The very words of this song being so beautifully spoken, as she uses her God given talent as a Blind Woman is enough to really make us think about our own complaints and how we handle the "valleys" that we walk through in this life.

Very simply, the lyrics state " I will walk through the valleys, if you want me to". Those few words have a profound effect on me! If we just stop and think...what is it that we are going through in our life that God cannot use for our good? The bible tells us that ALL things work for the good of those that Love Him. No matter what circumstance or situation you are going through, it Is a part of His plan. Why worry and stress ourselves with emotional torment? If we can just grasp that we are exactly where He planned for us to be at this very moment. God will use even wrongdoings done against us for His glory! (Remember that Joseph was thrown into the well by his own brothers!)

I hope you'll listen to the words of this song and think about those lyrics! I serve an awesome God who has pulled me from the pits of this life and blessed me beyond measure in many ways. Is there any circumstance or situation that I will NOT walk through..if He asks me to? No, I know in my heart that each and every person/place and/or thing in my life has a purpose and just as I didn't know it way back when, I may not know it now. So I humble myself...YES, I will walk through the valleys...if He wants me to.

SUNDAY SENTIMENTS - IS YOUR FLOCK SCATTERED?

“For the shepherds have become stupid and have not sought the LORD; therefore they have not prospered, and all their flock is scattered.” Jeremiah 10:21(NASB)

This verse really hits me, because I have had times of being guilty like those shepherds – times where I got too caught up in doing my own thing to seek God or pay attention to the little things.

It’s interesting to me that not only does it say they didn’t prosper, but their flock was scattered, as well. I would equate that in todays terms to having chaos at our jobs, in our finances, and/or in other areas of our lives.

Today's Sunday Sentiments Post is a reminder to take the time to Glorify God with your life, your mouth, your actions, your finances and you can do no wrong!

For instance, I'm really big on being organized. This includes being accountable for every dollar I spend and basically I feel responsible to God for every possession big or small...after all, if you cannot take care of the little things, how can you be trusted with bigger things? ("Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things" Matthew 25:23)

If we have goals and plans to achieve bigger things, have bigger and/or greater things, I fully believe we must be held accountable for how we handle the smaller things. This is most definately one of my core values.

Think about it...say your house is full of clutter you haven't had time to organize lately and it's in constant state of disarray...you might justify this by saying that you need a bigger house! (With 7 in mine, extremely squeezed into a townehome, I understand!) But logically, if you can't keep the smaller one in order, how on earth will you manage to keep a bigger home with bigger messes in order? This scripture just makes sense to me! It's really common sense!

My husband and I were just out riding the other day and so saddened by the houses that have apparently been abandoned and are literally rotting to the ground. I'm sure there can be many reasons for that, but for someone that has been saving and planning to buy a home for a while, you just wonder how anyone could own something and let it go to such waste!

Then we passed by a home that looked abandoned but actually wasn't! My son thought they were having a yard sale! LOL They weren't...that was just the "junk" in their yard! All I could say is that they must have wanted that to be their last house in this life. Because if you can't take care of what you've got, it's unlikely you'll get blessed with something greater!

Below are a few of my favorite scriptures, especially when I am "still" awaiting progress toward a goal (like buying a house!) I hope that you will be blessed by them, as well!

"But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." Romans 8:25 (NIV)

“Keep the charge of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn” 1 Kings 2:3 (NASB)

"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. Heb. 10:23

"For by You I can run against a troop, By my God I can leap over a wall." (salm 18:29

WHY I HATE RELIGION w/ MARK DRISCOLL VIDEO & TABOO CHURCH TOPICS OF DISCUSSION

For the past several weeks in my Sunday Sentiments Posts, I've shared my thoughts HERE and HERE about how we judge others, even when we don't realize, etc. Today's Sentiments for Sunday go right along with those posts. One of the major underlying issues is "Religion", which I totally DO NOT Believe in, and feel strongly that a large majority of "Church Goers" have either been fooled or have fooled themselves into buying into. I think this is an issue that needs to be addressed...it is partly to blame for many hurting people in this world...

I hope you'll watch and listen to Mark Driscoll on this subject, in it's entirety...as there is nothing I could write to say it any better!

Do you jump to your own defense if ever accused of even the tiniest act that would contradict that you are a "Christian" or do you study it, search your heart and ask forgiveness for any wrong doing? In my own words, are you humble and constantly seeking a deeper relationship with Christ or are you self-righteous and just want to make sure everyone knows that you are a Christian...you teach Sunday School...you are in church every time the doors are open, etc. etc.

Religion divides people into two categories:

Good People vs. Bad People - it's all about following the "Religious Rules" set by man - what you do & don't do

Relationship & Redemption is also made up of 2 kinds of people:
Sinners who repent and Sinners who don't repent - it's not about what you do or don't do - it's about what jesus has already done!


Religious people will boldly defend their "godliness" when accused of even the tiniest act of "sin"

Sinners know they are in sin, are undeserving and need help

Take a person who is religious and ask them about some mistake in their past and they will sugar coat it and blow it off.

Take a sinner Redeemed by Christ, ask them about their past and they will share their mistakes, the hurt and the lessons that portion of their life served, along with their gratefulness that God reached down and loved them when they were unlovable and showed them how to Live a New Life.

The world we live in today is so full of hurting people in every corner, lives are spinning so out of control that it's going to take much more than the false hopes of "Religion" to make a change in people.

The ministries that are meeting people exactly where they are at - in their sin and in the gutters of this life - are the ones that are making a difference. The Bible clutching, "You're going to hell" preaching churches are doing nothing more than wasting their breath and creating even more "religious" families that are hiding their sin and shame in private...there is no real healing there and there is certainly no JOY in that kind of life.

I want to share a few of my favorite REAL ministries...no false hope, bible clutching preachers here. Just as Jesus did when he walked this earth, these are ministries that are stepping out of this worlds and even "The Church's" comfort zone, in order to bring the Real Truth and Love of Christ to people in need - exactly where they are.

Ask yourself if you would vocally support these ministries? Or would you worry about any "implication" by your support of them...because they are not your average "Church"? By far this is definately what is needed in this world today!

If we are wise, especially as parents, we will begin to focus on the "real" issues of the world we live in today and prepare our children to deal with them, instead of just quoting the "religious" rules and thinking our children could never be effected by such issues.
HEART SUPPORT

XXX CHURCH

TEENS AGAINST PORN

TO WRITE LOVE ON HER ARMS

PARTNERS FOR PURITY
I plan to focus on more of these issues in upcoming Sunday Sentiment posts, because I believe that speaking about such "taboo" issues should be a thing of the past...discussions about the most relevant issues destroying lives today need to be as commonplace in speaking to our children and teens, to our wives and husbands, as the "Say No To Drugs" campaign of years past. The nature of "sin" has progressed over the years, as should our own awareness, knowledge and equipping ourselves, our children and families to deal with it.

MY MESSAGE TO FATHERS AND THE HOPE FOR DAUGHTERS EVERYWHERE - SUNDAY SENTIMENTS

On this day of honoring Fathers, I thought I was experiencing "writers block" or something...I had no idea what I was going to write and did not want to do the standard "Happy Father's Day" post. As always, when I write my Sunday Sentiments posts, the inspiration for this one came to me straight from God and from deep within my own heart. I hope you will watch and listen to the video above and continue to read below.

In the world we live in today, "Fatherless" daughters are becoming all too common and almost accepted as a norm. I can jump on board and agree that Moms CAN do it all by themselves and advocate for single mothers just as good or better (having been one) as the next. But, there is what I will call an "epidemic" growing among these Fatherless daughters that the greatest mother in the world cannot cure.

Daughters (& most women) need the love of a male father figure in their life. When that is not there, subconsciously we will seek out any and everything as a replacement for that attention, adoration and feeling of "love". I believe in my heart that this is the reason the number of teenage moms is whirlwinding and become commonplace. This is the reason many find themselves in situations that are unspeakable, by trying to fill that "hole", and not even understanding why they are doing it.

For Fathers everywhere, you have no idea the impact your relationship with your daughter will have on her for the entirety of her life. Everything she does will be efffected by it, including the type of boy/man she chooses to be with and how she allows herself to be treated by them. Her entire self worth hangs on that first male relationship - with her Father.

For all the women out there, for myself and for my own daughter, there is still hope. We have a someone that has been waiting on us with open arms, ready to adore us and pour out his unconditional love to us...we just need to open our eyes! No man on this earth will EVER be perfect, will EVER treat us the way we deserve to be treated nor will any man on this earth ever understand and love us the way that this one does! Our Father in heaven has been waiting on us...He was there watching as we sought out to fill that hole in so many other ways...He cried when we cried and has been waiting on us all along. I pray that for myself and for whomever reads this, that your heart be filled with the revelation of your Ultimate Father & The Lover of your Soul!

Does Anybody Hear Her ? - Sunday Sentiments -

This is one of my all time favorite songs & videos and I wonder how many of us Really get the message from it.

How many times do we make judgements about others based on their lifestyle, their social "status" or the like? How often do we want to choose our childrens friends for them and say "no" to certain friends coming over or discourage that friendship based on our opinion of their parents, the way they dress, etc.?

It's time we all wake up and see each other through Gods eyes! We are ALL his children and sometimes the only glimpse of Christ that others will get is through our actions.

It's very easy for me, because at various points in my own life, I've been the lowest of the low. I'm grateful for that! Many times, I'd rather hang around the gutter dwelling people than the hypocritical Bible Clenching, Church Goers. There was a phrase floating around Facebook this past week that really does sum it up.

Going to church doesn't make you a christian
any more than standing in a garage makes you a car

It's what's in our heart, and how we treat others that is the greatest testimony of our walk with God. Do we see others as Christ does? Do we realize that where people are at in their life right at that moment can change in an instant...maybe all they need is someone to show them that type of unconditional love? The kind of unconditional love that Christ showed us...

Sin is Sin...there is no such thing as little sin or big sin. Do we overlook the husband that cheated on his wife, but cast out the neighbor with bleach blonde hair that we just know is inviting any and every man into her bedroom? Do we shrug off the co-worker that we know is turning in personal receipts for company reimbursement and in the same instant turn our noses up at the rude and cursing customer with the eyebrow piercings, tattoos and all black clothing? Every single one of these people is in need of something greater than this world can give...and we just might be the one to show it to them.

What will your actions say to them?

My favorite verses From the Casting Crowns Song:

Judgment looms under every steeple
with lofty glances from lofty people
Can't see past her Scarlet Letter
And we've Never even Met Her...

The Greatest Freebie I've Ever Gotten - Sunday Sentiments 06/13

Today's Sunday Sentiments has absolutely nothing to do with saving money, clipping coupons or the like. Well, actually, you could consider it a FREEBIE, because I have a Word given to me straight from God and I have no idea if it will help anyone else, but at this very moment, I needed it...so I want to share something with you about the greatest FREEBIE I've ever received in my life. It's called FORGIVENESS.

I hope you will watch this video in it's entirety. The introduction of Yolanda Adams is lengthy (much deserved!) and if you watch long enought to hear Yolanda speak, I know it is a Word in due season. It definately is for me and she spoke directly to my heart at the exact moment in time when I needed to hear it.

I believe that we live in a world that is so unforgiving. People are so very quick judge you and condemn you, even if it is for something you did 10 years ago. With all the publicity and talk shows and knowledge of how childhood experiences and life in general can effect people their entire lives, we are still so quick to condemn and judge. We may look and see someone we once knew and say "Oh, she's on drugs now" or "She's running around on her husband" or whatever the case may be. We don't stop and think of what circumstances were so horrible in someones life that led them down that road of bad decisions. We're just so quick to judge, without knowing any of the mitigating factors. When did we all become so perfect that we can be this insensitive?

The video above is an exerpt from the Sisters In Spirit Conference in 2007. I listened to another exerpt and the words really burdened my heart for those who would judge me and for any "judgements" that I've ever also been so quick to make about anyone. I pray that I will never be on the "giving" end of it again, as I know the pain of being on the "receiving" end, all too well.

NEVER let people condemn you for who you USED to be or what you USED to do. The Operative Phrase here is : USED TO !!

Because yes, they might be right. Maybe we did do that or maybe we were that person. But let me just tell you what GOD did...you see, He loves us unconditionally. Absolutely without a doubt, He Loves us exactly as we are. Because HE KNOWS who He created us to be. HE KNOWS that the gutter we fell in or maybe even through ourselves into way back then, was for a purpose, greater than we can even grasp. He allowed it to happen for a reason. And He loved us enough to pull us out, brush us off and set us back on the right path. He chose to forgive us for whatever horrible mistake, sin, or unspeakable things that we had done, just like He forgives the one that is now speaking those horrible things and making those accusations against us.

And as Yolanda Adams spoke best, He knew that we were tough enough to go through it, tough enough to let those judgements roll right off our back and yet tender enough to pray for the ones that make them. Tender enough to forgive them, because they must not know what a great God we serve and how once He gets in your heart, there is no turning back. There is no looking back. There IS NO Regret. There IS NO Shame. It was all for a purpose and PRAISE GOD for choosing us to be the one that just might have stooped low enough in our life to be able to squat back down to that level and help someone else stand back up.

As the saying goes...there is no shame in my game. I have no regrets in my life. Anything and everything I've ever done - good, bad or indifferent was for a purpose and my God had a plan.

Like Yolanda said..."Watch how you treat people".. Because it's more about YOU than it is about them...and that's a lesson I hope I NEVER have to learn again!

SUNDAY SENTIMENTS - PURSUING THE AMERICAN DREAM CAN BE DEADLY

Don't you love the title of this post? I really do believe that statement, as I myself, have pursued that promotion, "title", "fame", and other worldly gratification at different times in my life. It is very easy to get caught up in pursuing a passion, career, or just about anything in our life and forget your roots-even when your roots are what made it possible!

As a Christian, we can think we KNOW this, but sometimes we REALLY need to hear exactly what The Word says from someone else, to really "Get It" again in our hearts.

I love to dream. I have big plans and dreams. I've pursued many in my life-some successfully and some crashed and burned. It doesn't matter if you have the means for something, the support from someone or whatever the situation is, the ONLY thing we need to be successful in anything,is Christ himself, as our partner! Whatever is going on in your life that you just can't seem to be able to "see" how it will come to pass or how some "change" will ever happen, most of what seems so impossible to us, is ONLY possible through God, and that's the point! All for His Glory, and not ours! If we can accomplish it all in our own power, we're treading on very unsafe waters and will eventually fall.

I read a quote this week that really sums that up to me:

"Dont fall for the temptation of being impressive & performing for people. You dont have to campaign for your ministry or for your own successes. God says, "Serve ME & I'll make your name great." Anything done in your own strength, you will also have to keep up in your own strength! God is not responsible to sustain it..."

So, if we allow God to be the one that brings us into whatever situation, position, success, then we can relax ! But when we run around in circles trying to accomplish it all on our own accord, fix something or make something happen by our own works and efforts and for our own glory, we will eventually grow tired and weary and unable to keep it up. That is a lesson I've had to learn many times in my life in various situations. Whatever skill or blessing you have been given, allow God to use it and be glorified through you, instead of running with it and proclaiming your own name as wonderful. That skill, talent, gift or blessing can easily become a like a dreaded curse otherwise!

I still believe that humility is one of the hardest traits to TRULY posess, but one of the most important. I pray every day that whatever successes I have in my life whether that be my childrens achievements, knowledge that is shared with others, (yea, we can get the BIG HEAD from being told how we are so helpful and knowledgable), the growth of this tiny little spot on the web or the "Fans" impacted by it, (yes, I've seen bloggers with the "Big Head",even those quoting scripture and it's a great reminder to me!)just whatever the case might be, I pray that I always remember the purpose I started with and the simplicity of it. Anything that we accomplish in our own strength can vanish very quickly and it is no fun to realize that it all disappeared because we strayed from the original purpose and allowed ourselves to get caught up and pulled off the tracks!

Sunday Sentiments - I AM NOT ALONE

This performance by Natalie Grant of "I Am Not Alone" is one of my favorites. I hope you'll be as moved by it as I am every time I watch or listen to it!

Sometimes we get so caught up in the day to day activities in our life and it's so easy to forget that each and every step we take, is a part of His plan for us! We can start to question decisions "we" have made and wonder if we are doing the right things or even dwell on the "what if's" of our decisions. This song is an awesome reminder to me that God is in total control of the outcome of our decisions! He is always right with us and has already planned it all out! "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11 Now, this is not to say that we can make horrible choices and just leave it to God to work it out! But, if we truly seek Him in our daily life, He will take even that which was meant to harm us, and use it for Good, for His glory ! "Genesis 50:20"

Our minds are a dangerous thing! They can wander and dwell on things, cause us to question ourselves and our decisions. I've begun to cast out all those stray thoughts and remind myself of these scriptures and that He is ultimately in control! If I do my part, follow Him and my heart is in the right place, I have no reason to worry or dwell on it! You know that saying, which is one of my favorites, "If you're gonna pray about it, don't worry but if you're gonna worry about it, don't pray!" That is simply the absolute truth!

I hope everyone had a peace filled weekend and that today is a day of rest, relaxation and restoration for another busy week ahead!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE FRUGAL & FABULOUS MOMS !

I hope each of us has a very peace filled and blessed day as we are celebrated by those that love us most!

Sunday Sentiments - Joyce Meyer Eat The Cookie, Buy The Shoes Part 1

If you've ever been on an airplane, notice how you are told that if there is a problem, you are to put your own oxygen mask on before you put one on your child. That is such a great example of the principles of taking care of yourself before you can take care of others. You can't be a "wounded healer". As a mom, to me, this means that I HAVE to take care of myself before I can fully take care of my family. I function so much better when I have taken the time to meet my own personal needs first. As a mom, guilt can keep us from doing this, but if we can grasp that principle and realize that, then we will have so much more peace in our life so that we can function to do the million and one things we need to do for our families.

Joyce Meyers new book "Eat The Cookie, Buy The Shoes" is probably the only book of hers that I don't have yet! This video is just a preview of what she talks about in that book. I'm loving it already and can't wait to get the book! I hope that you enjoy it and it causes you to think and make some changes as it has for me!

Don't forget to signup for Joyce Meyer Ministries FREE Monthly Magazine "Enjoying Everyday Life". It is a wonderful blessing in your mailbox every month! If you can donate, this is one ministry that is annointed and far-reaching, time tested and definately a fertile place to sow your seed!

Sunday Sentiments with Beth Moore - When Life Has You Paralyzed

Belated post for todays Sunday Sentiments! I'm so off my schedule with my oral surgery this past Thursday. It had a delayed reaction and the pain and swelling didn't kick in for a day or two, but I'm feeling it now for sure! So, I'm behind in my usually postings, but a message from Beth Moore can never be dependent on time! I so love this woman, and when she talks about being "real", well, that is exactly why I listen to her and support her ministry!

She also maintains a personal blog where she interacts with readers and shares details about her life, which is all the more reason why I support her. I hope you'll watch the full video and that her words will have an impact on your life, as they do on mine!

Sunday Sentiments with Joyce Meyer - Establishing Boundaries In Relationships

Do you need to put up some fences in your life? Do you feel like someone is or has taken advantage of you or walked all over you? Can you really hold that resentment or is it time to put up those boundaries and stop being mad at others for what we ourselves have allowed to happen?

WOW...if we can grasp this and apply it to our lives, we can avoid so much turmoil and frustration!

Yet another of my favorite messages by Joyce Meyer, speaks directly to my heart!

Sunday Sentiments - CLICK HERE To Listen to THE VOICE OF TRUTH!

My choice to say it all and share the sentiments for this Sunday & The Easter Holiday. "Out of all the voices calling out to me, I will choose to LISTEN and BELIEVE the Voice of Truth?" Boy, that is sooo true in my life! Fitting for today, Will you watch and listen ?



The Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns

Oh, what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I'm in
Onto the crashing waves

To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is
And He's holding out His hand

But the waves are calling out my name
And they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again. "Boy, you'll never win!"
"You'll never win!"

Chorus:
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, "Do not be afraid!"
The voice of truth says, "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

Oh, what I would do to have
The kind of strength it takes to stand before a giant
With just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors
Shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand

But the giant's calling out my name
And he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
Time and time again. "Boy you'll never win!"
"You'll never win!"

But the stone was just the right size
To put the giant on the ground
And the waves they don't seem so high
From on top of them lookin' down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
When I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
Singing over me

I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

Sunday Sentiments - I'm home!

Wow, what an awesome 3 days me and my hubby spent in Winston Salem, NC at the Joyce Meyer Conference! So, I thought it was only fitting that I share this video with you all. Each of the 3 days was opened with Worship by the band Delirious. Very powerful! I hope you'll enjoy the video. Stage is full - don't let the beginning fool you! Watch the full video and I hope you'll be amazed by the awesome drummers, percussionists, a full choir and the entire Delirious expierience. It was an awsesome place to be for the last 3 days!

Sunday Sentiments - Featured Joyce Meyer Video ! Loving Life & Loving Yourself....

I'll be on my way to the Joyce Meyer Conference this week! WOOHOO!! I can't wait! 3 Full days of Joyce Meyer ! I'm so excited, can you tell?

Only fitting to get me even more prepped for the week, is another one of my favorite Joyce Meyer teachings. This one has had me written all over it, at different times in my life! She always speaks directly to me:)

I hope you watch and enjoy and that it gives you something to think about!



Part 2 is HERE
Part 3 is HERE

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