Bridging the Gap: Extending Grace in a Girl's Life

It is a great shame that we do not fully understand just how much grace has been afforded us as Believers. And I do not think we know. If we knew, it would not be so hard for us to extend grace to others. As we celebrate freedom this month, we must reflect on the true freedom we have as Believers: the freedom from sin through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. We must look at the grace we have been afforded from the eternal punishment we really deserve.

I wonder, though, if we realize how much our sin cost our Lord. When others sin against us, do we count their sin as so much that we cannot afford them the grace to forgive, forget and just make a mistake once in awhile?


When the girls were younger, I heard the idea that, instead of doling out a punishment for every offense, we could teach grace by occasionally giving them grace instead of punishment, teaching them that they do deserve punishment, but instead they are receiving grace for their sin. Not always giving them grace, but enough to make an impact in their souls about what grace is.
The girls and I were talking about grace last week. Why are we so quick to desire grace and so slack in giving it? We want to say we are sorry and be forgiven. We want the offended to not bring it up again, but are we slow to wrath at the offense of another?



What a blessing to teach this to our daughters from the very first chance of understanding we get with them. What a blessing they will be and have as wives and moms to afford unmerited grace to their husbands and unsuspecting children who will then be taught in example the loveliness of a gracious spirit! Oh how I wish I was a gracious spirit to my husband and children. How I wish I was kind and sweet-tempered in nature! What heartache could have been spared our family if I were a gracious and graceful mother and wife.
But, it is never too late. God is merciful and full of grace. He does reward us when we ask, even thought we can never deserve His love and kindness to us.


What are some things we can do to teach our children about grace?

The Bible is the best place for moms and daughters to go for truth.
Bottom line, we can suppose and try to understand things all day, but until God speaks it into our hearts, we won't get it.
Reading the Word and getting an understanding of who God is is key.
Study the Word with your daughter.
Take time and create a Bible study just for you and your girl/s.
Make it a special girls' time; a time of laughing and prayer and understanding each others' fears and hopes.
Do a key word study on sin and grace.
Find a good Biblical book on how to be a graceful woman of God.

Always look to forgive.
Always look to extend grace to the offender, whether you feel like it or not.
Make time to discuss and use examples of grace or unforgiveness with your daughter or your mother.
Allow the Holy Spirit to touch your heart deeply in this area.
If you are offended, ask yourself, "Am I being harsh or graceful in this situation?".

Lastly, remember that it is ok to ask God when you don't understand.

Bridging the Gap~

Don't hide

When I was a little girl I got in trouble a lot. My mom was looking for me I was hiding under my crib. I was like Jonah in the Bible; he tried to go somewhere else to hide from God. But he realized that he can’t hide from God because God is everywhere.


Now that I am grown up I realized that nobody can hide from God, not even me. Jonah 1:3 says, “But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.” (KJV)

God tells us there, that Jonah ran and hid from God. I did that same thing and my mom found me. God says that if you hide He will find you because He is omnipresent. Omnipresent means that God is everywhere.

Proverbs 15:3, “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.”(KJV)

There is no reason to even hide from God because He loves you and He will help you through the situation that you are in. Even when I was hiding from my mom she always knew right where I was and she showed me that she loved me. :0)

1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”(KJV)

Moving On and Growing Up

A few weeks ago, we moved into a brand new house. I was very scared about all the changes that were going to be made. I would have to make brand new friends, leave two of my cats behind that I had come to love, along with all the good memories from our old house.

Through all of this I realized that God lets hard things into our lives to help us grow in our faith and grow closer to Him. Romans 8:28 says “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

I have learned that when you feel comfortable and things are easy, like at my old house, I didn’t have to trust God as much because I knew what to expect. Now, I really have to trust Him way more than I did before because there are new people that I have never met and places I have never been to before.

It made me realize that this is not an everlasting place like Heaven will be. It is just temporary. God is preparing me for even more challenging times in my future, but the thing He is really getting me ready for is my real home!

Do you have hard times that you are dealing with in your life right now? Let me remind you that if you have hope in Jesus, He will bring you through.



Dear Jesus, I pray that you will help me and everyone else through all the things that are happening in my life and that you would keep us safe. Thank you for working a good purpose through hard times. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Emotion Commotion: Pride Goeth Before Destruction

Mother said that I was the sweetest baby. She said she would put me in a play crib, and I would just sit and play. I didn't fuss, wasn't selfish and was always the quiet one. Even as a little girl, I was quiet and agreeable. Well, I grew up a little. I tell you, I am not always that sweet anymore.

We moved to the country, and we were given the freedom of going outside and running all of our energy out playing. Eric was about two when we moved here. Jocelyn was only two years older than I was. We were the band who went out nice and clean and came in grass-stained and dirty-faced. Then Jocelyn grew up a little more. She didn't want to come outside with us to play. By that time, Hannah was old enough to come out. We had such a fun time. Ah, but time... it went by too fast, for I also grew.

It not until this past summer that I began to realize I need to mature and try to act like a young lady, not a hooligan. I stayed indoors most times. I took to reading my books by myself and not wanting anyone about while I read. I would go outside by myself and I would be called in when someone wondered what had happened to me. I can you I got in more trouble being outside by myself than the Littles did when they were out without permission. In the winter last year, I probably spent three or four hours a day in my room, either cleaning, reading or writing.

Proverbs 16:18
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

You would not believe, from either reading my blog or meeting me in person, that I am, at times, both bitter and prideful. I have built a wall around my heart, my feelings, and my mind for a long time. I am not sure when I starting building this impenetrable wall that is surrounding my heart. I have many times kept my feelings bottled up inside. It keeps eating away at me because I won't let anyone help me with my problems.

I used to have a tendency to go to my room and read for hours on end, by myself. When I would come down, Mother would ask me what I was doing. She disliked the fact that I was alone. I sometimes dislike the fact that I spend more time by myself doing things, than I do with my family. I don't spend as much time in my room alone now as I did before.

I am telling you this because it has a part to do with why I am bitter and prideful.

But I am sure you would like to know how I became prideful and bitter, right? Well, I am not sure when Jocelyn stopped being a clean freak, cleaning everyday, six hours a day, but after she stopped, I picked up on it. I am not as worried about having a clean house anymore. I do try to make sure it is picked up and swept when Father gets home. What I am trying to say is I became very prideful because I would clean all day, then make dinner by a certain time and then go and do the barn chores. I began to feel prejudice against my sisters because I was doing all the work, and they weren't. That had something to do with my being bitter too.

Psalm 10:1-3

"1Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?
2The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.
3For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth."

I am not saying that I persecuted them, but I had an air of authority over them which I should not have had.

Here are some verses I found about pride and what it can do to you:

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Psalm 10:4&5

"4The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. 5His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them."

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Psalm 36:11&12

"11Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked remove me. 12There are the workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise."

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Psalm 75:6

"6Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.

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Proverbs 11:12

"1A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight. 2When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom."

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Proverbs 13:10

"Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom."

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Proverbs 29:23

"A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit."

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Obadiah 1:3
"The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?"

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1 Timothy 3:6

"Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil."

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Mark 7:21-23

"21For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23All these evil things come from within, and defile the man."

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Psalm 31:20

"Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues."

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Here also are some verses about being bitter:

Proverbs 17:24-26

"24Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth. 25A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him. 26Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity."

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Proverbs 14:9-11

"9Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.
10The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy. 11The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish."

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Acts 8:22&23

"22Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 23For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity."

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Romans 3:13&14

"13Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:"

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Ephesians 4:30-32

"30And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

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Hebrews 12:14&15

This verse tells us to not let any bitterness take root in our hearts.
"14Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 15Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;"

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Please, as a Sister in Christ, I beg of you, if you have any bitterness or pride in you, let it go. Pull out those roots. You need to take a note of what pride can do to you.
It says in Proverbs 16 that "18Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. But you need to know what bittereness can do also if it takes hold as it did to me. I know this next verse is not entirely about what will happen if you are bitter, but it does give a good understanding."

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Ephesians 4:31

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

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You will be angry and evil speaking and a great many other things if you are bitter, I know from first-hand experience. Romans 12:10 tells us to "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;" look a little farther down in verse 18, If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

I hope I have encouraged you to uproot any pride or bitterness you have in your heart. I am surely convicted of my own. Next month's edition will be on Untrue Beauty and True Beauty, which so many girls get confused in. Please join me.

He Will Hear Your Cry

Let me tell you a little story that I found very profound.

One day a man was drowning, and a boat came by and said, “Do you need help?”
And the man replied, “No thank you. God will save me.”
So the man was still drowning when another boat came, and said, “Do you need help?”
And the man replied again, “No thank you. God will save me.”
The man then drowned and went to heaven. When he got there he asked God, “why didn’t you save me?”
And God replied, “I sent you two boats, you dummy!”

Wow, I really wasn’t expecting that answer to the man's question when I first read this. Did you? The reason I find this story so profound is because how often do we find ourselves always looking for some big sign from God? Why do we also look for the finger writing on the wall?

Because we’re looking for this big miraculous thing to happen, we miss what is right under our nose. We miss out on the help He sends to us. Like this drowning man, we’d rather wait for God to show up, live and in person, to save us. We end up drowning, and then we blame Him. We ask, “Why didn’t you save me?”.

The Bible says in Matthew 28:20 “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen”(KJV)

Did you catch that last part? The Lord will always be with us, and He will always be watching out for us. Does this mean that we’ll have no troubles? No, I believe that the Lord has control over everything, but he does allow things to happen to us because of our sin or because we have a lesson to learn. Jesus said that countless times… you will have trouble, but do not despair…

John 16:33
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."(KJV)

Now, this verse isn’t talking about being saved as in from drowning or from a fire or from danger, but it is a good reminder that Jesus is in control of everything. If we give Him our lives and call upon Him in our time of trouble, He will answer.

Psalm 116:4
"Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul." (KJV)

When you’re in trouble just call on the Lord, and He will answer. He has the power over everything. Even the winds and the waves obey His very word…

Matthew 14:26
"And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear."(KJV)

Blessings to you as you Grow in the Grace of our Lord!

Elevator Buttons

Proverbs 27:17, "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." (KJV)


One Sunday at church a friend of mine had placed her bible and purse on the chair in the first row and the other chairs were empty. I was glad because I wanted to sit by her and the seats were open. So I set my belongings there and I sat down. She came into the room and she said that she saved the spots for her friends, and that they 'always' sit by her. She said that somebody should have told me, but nobody told me.

She got mad and she just sat down and kept nagging me. Another girl came in the room and my friend said to her, with an unkind tone of voice, "I guess you will have to sit by Monica." That made me feel unwanted and that she wasn't really my friend. One of the friends sat down next to me, she was very kind to me. She made me feel welcomed and like I was one of her friends.

When I got home from church I contacted good friend Miss Jocelyn, and I asked for her opinion. She said, "It's your friends turn to act nice and loving. Perhaps you might pray for her." I really appreciate Jocelyn being there for me and for giving me these encouraging words. Another friend that gives me encouraging words is my close friend Courtney. She makes me feel so safe when I am around her. Courtney keeps me in the will of God by keeping me out of trouble. Whenever I face temptation she gently reminds me about my decisions to follow God. Courtney is an excellent friend!!

I prayed once I got home and I asked God to help me in this situation. He told me that I need to pray for her to act more Christ like and to be kinder to others. After that prayer I thought about what kind of friend is she, and if she is going to boost me up or take me down. My pastor says that friends are like elevator buttons, some take you up and some take you down. I need to be careful and to know what button I push. I know God wants me to forgive her but, He also shows me that I need to be wiser in selecting my friends.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Please help me to make a wise decision in choosing my friends, help me to see if my friends take me up or if they bring me down. Help me to pray about it and ask for your guidance and help me to have a forgiving heart: in Jesus' name Amen.



Thoughts to ponder:

Am I a good friend to others?

Do I allow Jesus to push the elevator buttons in my life?

Have I ever made somebody else feel unwanted?

Who is wiser than me that I can go to for advice?


Decisions to make:

I will allow others to feel welcome and not left out.

Be a friend to have a friend.

I will treat others like I would want to be treated.

Meditate Upon:

Ephesians 4:32, "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."(KJV)

Proverbs 18:2, "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother."(KJV)

Matthew7:12, "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets." (KJV)

Danger Zone

I had a friend once that got angry very easily. There were times when she was mad at her dad and she would hit me. It doesn't seem fair does it? It isn't fair! It's not right that she hit me just because she was angry with him. Maybe you have found yourself in a position like that where someone gets angry easily. Perhaps it's a friend, a relative, or a neighbor. God loves you and wants to protect you. How do we get ourselves into situations like that?

If we see people who get angry easy, we should not be around them.

Proverbs 22:24-25, "Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul." (KJV)

If you are in a situation and it happens suddenly there is something you can do about it. Simply be calm and talk softly, then walk away politely.

Proverbs 15:1, " A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger." (KJV)

Raising our voices only stirs up anger in the person and in ourselves.

If you are ever in a situation where you are in danger of being hurt, you must seek help immediately. When I was in school as a young girl I was afraid to 'tell' on a person and there were times when I should have. However, I did everything I could to avoid those people in the future. I pray that this truth from God's word will be helpful to you. Do all you can to stay out of the danger zone.

It's Not Always What It Seems

Proverbs 14:12, "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." (KJV)


The other day there was a science fair. It only came around once a year so we decided to join in on the fun since I had made my own display board. While we were looking around they had others along with different experiments for you to do. On the stage all of the boards that kids had made were up on top. One in particular caught my eye. It was called “The Brain Deceives You”. Each part of the board had different illusions. Here are some for you to try…

Try saying the colors of the words, but not what they really say. Try doing it three times fast.

Red, Green, Blue, Yellow,


Pink, Purple, Orange, Grey,


Brown, Black, White



Can you see it moving?




Do you see a bunny or a duck?
Well, you saw a few optical illusions, but did you know that not only the brain deceives you? Yes, satan can deceive you too. Do you remember in the Bible when he told Eve that if she ate the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil that she would be as wise as God? Eve believed him and she ate from the tree. After that she gave a piece of fruit to Adam and told him the same story that the serpent had told her.

When they ate the fruit their eyes where opened to things they had never noticed before. You see, you many think things are right, but they might not be, just like those optical illusions. Sometimes I feel like coveting my friend’s toys when I am at their house or I might feel tempted to do something that my mom told me not to do. No matter what I am about to do wrong I ask God to help me.

Do you ever feel like being tempted or coveting? Remember, it is an optical illusion. Just bring it to God and He will help you.

Sibling Lovelry

Brothers and Sisters Day is celebrated May 2nd. The Bible tells us in Psalm 127:3-4 that

3Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

4As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

This means that all children are a blessing, including your brothers and sisters. Brothers and sisters should be best friends. They should love each other in the Lord and always look out for each other. Of all neighbors you will know as a child, brothers and sisters are the nearest. Galatians 5 tells us:

14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. 16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Throughout the Bible, there are examples of brothers and sisters who are kind and those who are mean and even hateful. Joseph had 11 brothers, and ten of them rose up against him and sold him into slavery. Read about it in Genesis 37.

Can you match the other brothers and sisters in Bible? Hint: There are more than two siblings in some cases. Look for 8 sets of siblings!

Cain ~ Jacob ~ Hophni ~ Seth

Martha ~ James ~ Rachel

Shem ~ Andrew ~ Mary

Esau ~ Peter ~ Phineas

Leah ~ Ham ~ Abel

John ~ Japheth ~ Lazarus

Sometimes brothers and sisters make bad choices in their decisions about the way they treat us. The world will tell you that it is expected that brothers and sisters fight and don't get along. They will say that sibling rivalry is normal. The Bible tells us that we are to "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;" Romans 12:10. That means that when a sister or brother offends, we prefer them above our own feelings of being upset or offended. We are supposed to be friends with our sisters and brothers. We also should not put other friends above our siblings.

We are also to "Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not." Romans 12: 14. This is not always easy to do. Sometimes it is frustrating, but know that God has placed you in your family for a purpose: His purpose, and He will help you to get along and love your brothers and sisters. God places quite an importance on families and expects us to get along and walk in love. If you still don't believe me about getting along with and loving your brother and sister, then listen to what God has to say about that in Romans 12:16-19:

16Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. 17Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

God said that getting back at your brother and sister is for Him to be concerned with. That makes it very clear as to our place in the relationship: We are to live peaceably as much as we can, and let God take care of the rest. He is a just God and will deal justly and mercifully with those who sin against us.

A good resource if you are struggling with having a good attitude with your siblings is Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends by Sarah, Stephen, and Grace Mally.

Answers to the Bible siblings:

1. Cain, Abel, Seth

2. Martha, Mary, Lazarus

3. Peter, Andrew

4. James, John

5. Esau, Jacob

6. Rachel, Leah

7. Ham, Shem, Japheth

8. Hophni, Phineas

Take some time to acquaint yourself with some of these siblings and ask yourself if their relationships were God-honoring or not! While you are at it, evaluate your attitudes of your siblings. Do you have a "sibling rivalry" or a "sibling lovelry"?

The girls at GGM feel the same way about siblings - they LOVE 'em!

My Brothers and Sisters by Miss Hannah
I like to blog like my sisters and write articles. Now I am going to write articles like they do. I have seven brothers and sisters. I love them very much. I like to help my baby sister and my big sisters. I like to help in the kitchen because I love them a lot. I do the barn chores with Rachel, Eric, Jocelyn and Amanda.

I like to go to the store with them too. I am a nice kid to my sisters. It is fun to have big sisters because they help you do things. They help you do the dinner and help do the dishes. They help you get dressed and help you put your shoes on you. Like I said, it is fun to have big sisters to help with. I promise you, if you have a clean room, you can play with your sisters. You will be able to sit and do things with your sisters. Remember, there are others out there just like you. I am a great sister to all my siblings.
Sincerely,

Siblings by Lady Olivia
My brother and I are total opposites in so many ways. You might think we probably don't get along so well. If you were thinking that then you were mistaken. We do have our ups and downs, but as strange as it seems we are the perfect match.

I am the older sister and Zach is my only brother. We mostly enjoy playing outside together with our neighbor's dogs, playing at the creek, or any kind of sport. I try to set a good example for him. When we mess up or something we are always there to help the other one. Sometimes when he wants to give up I encourage him and ask Jesus to help him. Zach is definitely a prayer warrior in our family. When he knows that I am having problems he prays for me. I love my brother very much and I know he feels the same about me.

Our Siblings by Miss Alyssa
What would our lives be like without siblings? Really, think about it. Oftentimes, I think we take our siblings for granted or even worse, we do not think of them as a good thing/a blessing at all. But what would you feel like if you woke up tomorrow and had no siblings? You had grown up with them your whole life, and you knew each other so well. Then, they had disappeared! If, after a few months without them, they came back, would it change the way you thought of them?

I want my younger brothers and me to be close friends, but I need to do my part by being a friend and treating them as friends. Also, my parents have made a good point: When your siblings are Christians, they are also your brother or sister in Christ.

"A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." Proverbs 17:17
For a long time, I thought this meant brothers (and sisters) were born to fight with one another :). However, according to my recent understanding, a brother is born for adversity means a brother is born to help in times of adversity (trouble).

Lady Jess:

Siblings. The world’s philosophy is the lesser the better. I will tell you this is not the case. The Bible says that children are a blessing. Therefore siblings are a blessing. I have so many dear friends who have large families and a large amount of siblings. They always seem so happy. My siblings are a blessing as well.

I love it when my little brother and I play Legos or cars. We have so much fun together. My littlest sister is as much fun also. I love playing make believe with her. She is such the little mommy. I like spending time with my other sister as well. We always play duets on the piano and I love being a part of this magazine with her. I always cherish the times that all of us are gathered together and are enjoying a nice movie.

So many of the people I know think that having siblings is a pain and that it would be so much easier without them. Again, this is not true. I have a few friends that are the only child. They always tell me how lucky I am to have siblings. I always think to myself “I know.”

Living In A Large Family by Miss Jocelyn
I live in a large family... we have eight kids. Whenever I want someone do to something fun with or someone to help me, I always have someone there to ask.

I have two sisters who are in their teen years who I enjoy joy doing "big stuff" with. One of our favourite times is late at night when we all sit down together and watch a movie, usually after Rachel (14) has made popcorn. Sometimes a few of the Littles may stay up with us.

Hannie is my eight-year-old sister can be such the little helper and she does enjoy getting anyone something to drink or holding the baby, LucyLillie. I have a very important task as big sister to help train both Hannie and Lucy, though it can be very difficult at times.

Then I have three brothers... Eric (10), Isaac (4), and Caleb (2) who all boy. That in itself can make it pretty crazy around here. I've always wanted to have an older brother, but for some reason the Lord gave me three little brothers.

Yes, we do have quite a bit of chaos around here, but having all these brothers and sisters is definitely worth it. When we're all grown up we'll always have someone to call friend and that is definitely one of the biggest blessings of being an older sister in such a large family.

By Lady Rachel
I love living in a family with 8 children! Around here, there is always something going on. Everyone helping out. The sibling I do the most stuff with is Eric, my 10-year-old brother. I can get him up in the morning, and he will do chores with me. If I need to take a shower and I ask him to clean out my rabbit's cage or take my doggy out, he will. He is one of the best brothers in the world!

My sisters also are my best friends. I don't have very many close friends besides my siblings. My sisters are very important to me. Jocelyn has the patience to teach me something or help me do something. Amanda is my model. I try to be and act like her. She has a great many desirable qualities that I hope some day I will be able to gain. I hope that I can also be that 'model' for my younger siblings, and have patience to help and teach them. I would not trade any of my siblings for any other in the world!

I also think that you are an example when you have younger siblings. I found this verse about following Christ's example, in John 13:15, "For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you." We have a big job being an older sibling. I want to follow Christ's example. I hope you do too. :)


By Miss Amanda
Being the oldest sister in a family of eight has been a really special experience. There are so many things you can do with them because they are all different ages and are at different stages in their life.
I have so enjoyed watching LucyLillie grow up in the past year. As I get older I remember more things and since I was 17 when she was born, I remember a lot. She has been a constant joy in my life this past year.
I have also so loved watching Caleb go from infant to toddler to little man. He has changed so much in the last year and I have noticed it too. I wish I could just gobble them both up!
I have enjoyed being the oldest sister because it gives me more opportunities to get to know each of my siblings more. I have my driver's license and I always take a sibling with me wherever I go. It is always fun because I have a buddy with me to talk to and I can get to know them more.
I really do love all my brothers and sisters and I am so thankful that God has given them to me to set an example for.
Being an oldest sister is such a joy with a lot of responsibility to love and show the Littles the way they should be!

I love my sister Jess. She held me in her arms when my friend Kelly passed away. She encourages me when I am doing something well! Virginia lets me take pictures of her, and she lets me have her lay in my lap for far distance drives. Timothy snuggles with me when we watch Television, and play together all the time!
I love my siblings all the time. Nobody can ever make me not love them!

I have two older sisters and one little brother. I share a room with my oldest sister and she teaches me how to keep my room clean. My other sister loves me. She fixes my hair for me and helps me make sure my clothes match. If I fall asleep with my glasses on, she takes them off of me and puts them in a safe place for me. When we drive to far away places she lets me lay down in her lap. I love my brother, even if sometimes we don't get along. I like to help him at his Tball practice. I like to cheer for him at his games.

Pressing On

Jeremiah 29:11-13 11For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

A favorite song if mine is Press On by Selah. Pressing on when the valleys are deep and the mountains are steep. Pressing on when life is not what we thought it was going to be or when we wish there was some other way. I do not believe the walk of the Believer is supposed to be easy. I do not believe life is always to be what we expect it to be. And that is ok. God is God, and we are not. Certainly Jesus walked a hard walk; the hardest of all men to ever live. He, the King of Glory, came from heaven and lived the life of mere mortal man. He lived His life righteous and holy before God and man, and when it came down to it, He was rejected. He was murdered unjustly. If we look at His life, his suffering, surely none of us would choose it, yet He steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem and pressed on toward pain and suffering.

Luke 9:51 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem...

Sometimes, we have to do that: press on. Life is not about things being the way we hope or wish or even pray. Sometimes it is God strengthening and growing us, walking through the valleys and shadows and up the mountains with us. Sometimes we must take his hand and just press on. This is life, not Hollywood. We must set our eyes on Jerusalem, where that cross is, and press on. We must know God is there, walking with and even going before us. By pressing on and setting His eyes on God's plan, Jesus provided a way for the salvation of all men. Our task is not so great, but we are called to do what God has for us. In pressing on we will find the greatest joy, the most learning and God's peace. Take heart and know that God is with you in the little things and the great things. Trust Him and go on with Him.

If you don't know the plan God has for you, God has provided a way for us to know Him personally and His plans for you. Jesus has provided a way to God and His Word reveals it all to us.

Do you know God's plan for you? Do you spend time in God's Word daily to get to know Him and His plan for you?

If you would like to see the words to the song Press On by Selah, you can see them at Saturday Psalm & Praise: Press On.

Longing for Him

Psalm 42:1, "As the hart panteth after the water brooks,
so panteth my soul after thee, O God." (KJV)

My brother and I love to go to a creek by our house. It is full of excitement and memories. We love to chunk rocks, climb on limbs, and scale down the side of the creek bank. Usually our mom says, “Now don’t y’all come home all wet!” As much as we try, it is very hard to come home without at least some mud. The other day we found some deer tracks near the water. It made us think, “Maybe we are not the only ones that enjoy coming here.”

In the Bible God says, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O God. You see, a hart is a deer and we have loads of deer on our property that love to come drink water from our stream. They must have water to live and so do we, but what we also need is Jesus. I need Him to help me deal with friends at school, at home with my family, and everywhere I go. As the deer needs water, what are the ways that you need Jesus?

Think about it.

That Roaring Lion

(1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (KJV))

A while back our teen group went on a teen winter safari to the Sacramento Zoo. After the zoo, we went to the Old Spaghetti Museum. The people there were very kind workers. The chandeliers were beautiful, they had crystals hanging from them and they had beautiful decorations too!

At night we went to West Valley Baptist Church. The guest preacher, Bro. Kobernat, preached about, how sin can attack at any moment in our lives. In the San Francisco zoo a tiger escaped and attacked three men. That is a perfect example how sin can do the same thing, attack at any moment of our lives. We should always be ready for anything to happen in our lives.

1.) Destruction- the enemy is seeking to destroy our lives.
My main verse at the top, talks about the roaring lion and how he is seeking whom he may devour, he is the enemy in our lives seeking to destroy it.
2.) Death- is so much closer than you think.
That means, death is so much closer when you do wrong.
3.) Decisions- that you and I make are so much closer than they appear.
That means, if you make a wrong decision the consequences are so much closer than they appear.
4.) Deliverance- is so much closer than it appears.
Just how God delivered Daniel from the lions den, he can deliver us from our every day sin.

I used my definitions over and over again, if you were wondering that at all. It doesn’t matter if they are the same; it is because I am trying to get the word out to you.

My Prayer for today:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Please help me make wise decisions and have me to stay away from the 'lion'. Help me to obey your word, and have me to listen to whatever you have for me in my life.

Ponder It:

Are you living your life the way God wants to be lived?

Can you ask God to help you in your every day sin?

Are you going to let the lion, (sin) to get you?


Fulfill It:

Stay in God’s will for your life.

Have God guard you from the lion, (sin).

Ask God to help you in any situation.


Memory Verses:

(James 4:14, “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”(KJV))

(James4:7, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”(KJV))

(Daniel 6:22, “My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.”(KJV))

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In His Garden

As we are coming into this wonderful season the flowers are blooming, the bees are buzzing, and everything is taking place in what we call spring. Usually when people think of spring they think of flowers. Personally, my favorite flower is the daffodil. It has a very bright yellow color and always makes me feel cheerful.

Here in the world people spend hundreds of dollars on flowers to plant around their house or in their garden, but in the Bible God says that the world will not last forever although He does say that the place He is getting ready for us will last for eternity. So next time you are about to buy some flowers think about this, the grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the word of our God shall stand forever.

Isaiah 40:7a, "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth:" (KJV)

Competitions

In this fast paced society in which we live it can become easy to fall into that momentum that propels you into a direction of 'being cumbered about with much serving' as Martha was in Luke 10:40. Martha certainly had a servant's heart, but she became so enamored with the work that she forgot the reason why she was serving. I think that many of us tend to become busier than God intended us to be.

I feel that part of the reason we get so caught up in that cycle is that there is so much competition in our world. However, we should be cautious to NOT allow that to occur within our hearts. I have not found that kind of competition to be a part of God's design for the young woman in His Word. When Martha came to Jesus to petition Him to make Mary help her in the kitchen, He responded with a clear voice that 'Mary hath chosen the good part, and it would not be taken away from her'.

Let's take a look at Martha for a moment. I wonder what her motive was. We can only imagine and assume since scripture is not clear on what her intent was in coming to Jesus. As a wife and mother I think I can get an idea of what she was wanting. I imagine Martha feeling stressed out and overwhelmed. I wonder if Martha had time in prayer before she began preparing the meal. There are times when we have many people over to our home, and in my small kitchen it can be easy to get overwhelmed in cooking for so many people. I have also been stressed out and come out of the kitchen looking for someone to help me.

As a hostess in a Christian home, we serve meals to guests in an attempt to be hospitable and encourage new friends in their walk with Christ. Just a couple of months ago we had a group of ladies over to our home and I was able to lead one of them women to the Lord in my very own kitchen. I can confidently let you know that had I been 'cumbered about with much work', I may not have been able to be a sweet hostess, and I may have turned away this lady's desire to want to know Christ. We never not influence.

I believe that our Lord was trying to convey to Martha that we are here to serve as an avenue of ministering to others for Christ and not to be known as the 'hostess with the mostess'. Our goal is not to strive for the applaud of others, but rather work together in unity for the cause of Christ. Let's be careful not to be so consumed with the competition this world tries to plague us with. Let's take our eyes off of everyone else's accomplishments and look to what Jesus accomplished and aim for His goals in our lives.

Luke 10:41-42, "And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

How can you be a better servant to your family?
What can you do to serve your Savior?
Have you spent intimate time alone with the Lord today?

Picture Perfect

Just the other day we were able to go on a trip to another city and see the historical town of Coloma-Lotus Valley. It was beautiful! The day seemed to be 'Picture Perfect'! I was reminded about the photo contest we're having here at GGM, while I saw many beautiful scenes along the countryside.We toured through this old gold mining town and learned a lot about our local heritage. The weather was 'Picture Perfect', I just can't describe to you how perfect it was! The sun was warm but not too hot; the breeze was cool, but not too cold. It was the kind of weather I would think might be in heaven. Days like this don't come along very often, yet when it does I soak it all in!

The one thing I can tell you, without a doubt, is that while it seemed 'Picture Perfect', I still got a bug bite on my arm. Did it ruin my day? Oh no, absolutely not! One imperfection wasn't going to ruin my beautiful day.

How many times do we have an imperfection in our day and we think the whole day is ruined? God doesn't expect our days to be perfect, as He already knows none of us are perfect, yet He still loves us.

Romans 3:10, "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:"(KJV)

God doesn't expect us to be perfect, yet we can sometimes expect that our day will be perfect and when we see an imperfection we struggle with graciously letting that imperfection go. We focus right in on that imperfection and blow it up so big that it tends to blur our vision.

Let's try to be thankful for the beauty that God does give us each and every day and not worry so much about the little bug bites along the way.