A Saved Patriot

A gentleman in our church sings a beautiful song in honor of our country and our Savior every year which I love! I can't share the lyrics due to copyright constraints, but it tells the story of Old Glory from a Christian perspective. Many churches have a Christian flag and the colors are the same; red, white, and blue.

The main meaning behind these colors, in a Christian's life, are these;

Red is for the blood of Jesus, who willingly offered to pay our sin debt.
Romans 5:8, " But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

Just as our soldiers willingly offer themselves to go into battle for our freedom, Christ went to battle for our freedom from sin.

White is for our forgiveness, as he washed away our sins.
Isaiah 1:18, " Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

Ephesians 1:7, " In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;"

Romans 5:8, " But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. "

Our soldiers go into battle, already knowing that not everyone in America is thankful for our freedom. People still commit crimes and are sent to prison everyday, but our soldiers stills fight for our freedom. Christ already knew we were sinners, and he still offered to pay our sin debt.

Blue is for royalty as we can become a child of God, born into his family.

John 1:12, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:"

The people of our nation, although from different nationalities, still come together under one flag and are proud to be an American. The people of this land are Americans, and we are truly a family in this nation. When a person confesses that they are lost without Jesus and choose him to be their Savior they become a part of the family of God. We are all under one banner, his banner over us is love!

Remember that old Sunday School song?

He brought me to His banqueting table,
His banner over me is love
He brought me to His banqueting table,
His banner over me is love
He brought me to His banqueting table,
His banner over me is love.
His banner over me is love.

He lifted me up into heavenly places,
His banner over me is love
He lifted me up into heavenly places,
His banner over me is love
He lifted me up into heavenly places,
His banner over me is love.
His banner over me is love.

Jesus is the Rock of my salvation,
His banner over me is love
Jesus is the Rock of my salvation,
His banner over me is love
Jesus is the Rock of my salvation,
His banner over me is love.
His banner over me is love.

If you have never prayed and trusted in Jesus to be your Savior, you may do so today.

1. Confess that you're not perfect. The Bible calls that sin.
Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."

2. Realize that your sin has a payment.
Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ is Lord."

3. Understand that Jesus willingly died for you , even though He already knew you are a sinner.
Romans 5:8, "But God commendeth is love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

4. Here's the best part! Just call upon him!
Romans 10:13, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Simply express that to the Lord as you pray,
"Dear God, I know that I'm not perfect and you call that sin. I understand that sin must be paid for with death, but I don't want to pay for my own sin. I willingly receive Jesus' death on the cross as the payment for my sin. Please forgive me and thank you Jesus for dieing for me. In Jesus' Name, Amen."

If you just now received Jesus as your Savior, please let us know by replying below. Just as we raise our flag this Fourth of July and are proud that we have our banner of freedom, we can also know that His banner over us is love!

It's a Matter of Integrity

With America celebrating her 232nd birthday I can't help but to sit and think of our founding fathers. What would they say if they were here today? They were men of integrity and prayed for God to guide them as they prepared our Declaration of Independence and The Constitution. As we look to our future for our next generation, what are we passing down to them?

From what I can see, this generation is passing down a 'free thinkers' philosophy that excludes God from being a part of our thoughts and intentions. The next generation is being fed with the idea that they should do what 'feels' good, and following the stars, as they seek to dress and act like today's celebrities. When we hear about Brittany Spears losing custody of her children and having struggles with drugs and alcohol, is this really the direction we want the next generation to go? Each time a young celebrity becomes the next teen celebrity, I cringe at the thought of what will become of them.

It seems to me that the world no longer wants integrity.

By Definition:
Integrity- adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.

Moral- of, pertaining to, or concerned with the principles or rules of right conduct or the distinction between right and wrong; ethical:

Ethical- pertaining to or dealing with morals or the principles of morality; pertaining to right and wrong in conduct.

Right- 1. in accordance with what is good, proper, or just: right conduct.

2.	in conformity with fact, reason, truth, or some standard or principle; correct: the right solution; the right answer.

3.	correct in judgment, opinion, or action.

Do our country's leaders and possible future leaders portray these principles of integrity? So just where does integrity come from originally?

Job 31:6," Let me be weighed in an even balance that God may know mine integrity."

Psalm 25:21, "Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee."

Proverbs 19:1, "Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool."

We know that our country's leaders aren't perfect, because God has said in Romans 3:10, "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:" Yet, we should expect them to live with integrity. A person with integrity that makes a mistake will offer an humble apology and seek forgiveness. As a young lady, it is very important that you learn from your parents how to vote. Keep updated on what's going on in the political realm and seek wisdom from your parents in matters of government. The people who are the mayors and governors of today, could very well be the next president and congressmen of the future. If the Lord tarries His coming, you may be the next generation of voters and it's important that we know who, in our government, is walking in integrity.

Who will be the next mayor of your city? Do you know who plans to run for the next election where you live? Is there a man your family knows that truly walks in integrity that is interested in the city politics? Can he be convinced to run for mayor?

I've never been one to be at the political debates and city meetings, but with the direction our country is going, I feel that we should be teaching young people how to make wise decision in regards to their future leaders. The parents of generations past should have been passing this important part of our education down to us.

You can become involved in your city's future even if you're not approaching voting age. Here are a few things you can do now:

1- Pray. Begin to pray now for the future leaders of our country. Pray that God raises up the men that He wants us to have, and not what our country deserves to have.
2- Write a letter to your local newspaper's editor about how you feel about the integrity of our leaders. Include what you expect in the city's leadership, what disappoints you, and what you hope to see in the future.
3- Avoid tabloid stories about politicians. Be sure that what you know is fact.
4- Seek your parents wisdom in regards to these tips and ask for guidance when writing letters and calling politicians.
5- Write to your mayor and governor and let them know how you feel. Many politicians have their e-mail addresses listed right on their websites.

Our leaders are to uphold the law and to listen to the people of their cities, states, and country. How else will they know how we feel if we don't contact them and let them know? I'm not suggesting that you join picket lines, chain yourself to a tree, or pin up a 10 foot banner in front of your home, but you can do your part by letting your voice be heard, then leave the rest to God.

As children we were taught to pledge allegiance to the flag, pray for our leaders, support our troops, and love this country as the land of the free and the home of the brave. We learned patriotic songs, to wear the country's colors proudly, and to celebrate our nation's birthday every 4th of July. As we pass on our patriotism to the next generation, let's hand them something to be proud of. Let's be sure that integrity doesn't get lost in the sea of free thinkers. Young ladies, you will be raising the next generation. Please continue to pass the torch of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It's a matter of integrity!

Underarm Tips

Summer has hit and the temperatures are soaring in some parts of this world! One thing young ladies detest is underarm moisture and odor! We did some research and found a few products that are all natural and claim to be safe for their customers. Finding a good natural product isn't always easy so we wanted to share our findings with you.

In May we attended a Science fair and one of the projects was about those popular deodorants that claim to leave no mark or residue on your black dress. The student experimented with four different brands and found that not one of them actually performed as their advertisers claimed they would.

When you choose an underarm product, be sure to have your parents help you to research and be sure it's the best for your skin. There are a few things you'll want to keep in mind when caring for that sensitive skin.

1. When you shave be sure to use a safe product to help reduce the risk of cutting yourself. Aveeno has a sensitive skin formula in their shaving cream line.

2. When you shave, the blade will exfoliate the skin for you so there is no need to scrub that delicate area with an abrasive sponge.

3. Replace your razor regularly and be sure to clean the blade thoroughly with hot water after each use.

4. When you're done showering, pat underarm slightly dry. You want to have the skin slightly moist when you apply the deodorant to help activate your product.

5. Deodorant/Antiperspirant applied to the inside of the thigh will help reduce irritation from walking in skirts.

Here are a few sites to check out with your parents for safer underarm care.

Toms of Maine

Mother Nature

Jason Natural

Do you know of another product that you'd like to share with us? Be sure to reply below!

A Servant That God Has Chosen

In the last 12 years I have been involved in the deaf ministry in our church, I have come to realize what an important role I have as an interpretor. I have been so blessed by seeing the facial expressions on the faces of our deaf friends after I have interpreted a hymn, or the tears in their eyes during prayer. I am thankful that God has allowed me to serve as His messenger as I bring the words of the preacher and our special singers into a language they can understand. I wonder if Anne Sullivan realized the importance of her role in Helen Keller's life?

In 1888, Anne accompanied Helen to the Perkins Institution where they attended together, then New York City's Wright-Humasen School, then the Cambridge School for Young Ladies, and finally to Radcliffe College. Keller graduated from Radcliffe in 1904. What an amazing friend Anne was to Helen. Not only did she teacher her how to communicate, but she also served as her interpretor in college. There weren't many schools that a deaf child, or a blind child could go to, let alone a deaf-blind child. Not many people knew how to effectively communicate with them.

Anne got permission from Keller's father to keep the girl away from the rest of the family in a little house in their garden. Anne loved Helen dearly and loved her like she was her child. Her first task was to instill discipline in Helen. Keller's big breakthrough in communication came one day when she realized that the motions her teacher was making on her palm, while running cool water over her hand, symbolized the idea of "water". She then nearly exhausted Sullivan demanding the names of all the other familiar objects in her world (including her prized doll). *from Wikipedia

What a tremendous breakthrough for Helen! She finally understood what her friend Anne was telling her. Do you ever have a time when you finally understand a concept and then your hunger for more knowledge becomes so overwhelming that you just can't get enough information? This must have been such an exciting moment for Helen AND Anne! Anne was Helen's mediator with the world. Anne showed such determination and compassion to spend so much time by Helen's side through all those years. A true friend and an outstanding teacher.

There are many schools for the deaf and blind now where they can learn sign language and braille. I know I couldn't part with my children in order to send them to a deaf school, and that decision would be easy since I already know sign language. However, I do not know how to teach a child braille. Anne and Helen had something in common, they had to overcome a great challenge in their lives. We each have different challenges and sometimes they seem overwhelming. There are others who face challenges as well. Some people come to America in search of freedom, but they don't know how to speak English. Most schools now offer free ESL(English as a Second Language) classes during the summer for those individuals.

Most of us do quite well with English, have you ever considered volunteering in a class to help teach children how to speak English? You can speak to your Pastor and see if ESL can be offered to help reach those children and adults in your community. Does your church have a deaf ministry that you could be a part of? Maybe your school or homeschool co-op has someone that could teach sign language. Find out how you can be a helper to someone else in need. You could be that one person who makes a difference in another person's life.

Exodus 4:11, " And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? "(KJV) Leviticus 19:14, " Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD."(KJV) Isaiah 43:7-9, "Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth."(KJV)

God has made the deaf, the blind, and the mute. We are to NOT put a stumblingblock in front of them and we are COMMANDED to bring them unto the Lord so they may be taught the message of salvation. Verse 10 says, "Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen:" If the Lord has placed it on your heart to learn sign language, then I invite you to visit me at The HomeSpun Life for articles and resources for the deaf ministry.


Topics of Interest: deaf, ministry, friendship, discipleship, Anne Sullivan, Helen Keller

It's The Journey That Matters

The other day I saw a bride hug her daddy for the last time as she prepared to leave for her honeymoon. What a sweet moment that was! My daughter, Moni, looked at me and said, "Mom, are you crying?" As a matter of fact I was crying. You see I can remember the last hug I ever gave my daddy before he passed away. I recall that moment like it was yesterday. He walked into my room and out of no where just hugged me and didn't let go. He held me in his arms and told me how much he loved me. I remember thinking, "Wow this is nice, but I wonder what this is all about." You see, it wasn't like my dad to do that with me. I can remember that hug as if it just happened five minutes ago. I was standing in the doorway of my room, facing the hallway, when he came in.

About a year later, my dad and I parted ways. It was not a good parting. I was a bitter, immature teen and closed the door of my heart on my dad. The last time I saw him was from a distance as I drove away after refusing to speak to him. A few months later he passed away. I cannot explain to you how much of a burden that was on me for many years later. God dealt mightily with my heart and it took much prayer to come to the place where I could forgive him for his mistakes and confess my own.

Here we are sixteen years later and each time I see a tender moment between a daughter and her daddy, I cry. Father's day is always painful for me. I arrive at church with a smile on my face, wishing all the other dads a happy Father's Day, yet I bite my tongue and hold back the tears. By the time our Pastor stands to give his Father's Day greetings to the congregation I have to excuse myself and take a walk outside. For many years I spend that hour in my car waiting for my family to get out of church.

In my arrogance and immaturity I failed to enjoy the journey. The journey that I took with my dad in the years we did have together. I have a half sister from his second marriage, named Heidi. I didn't get to grow up with my sister, as a matter of fact I barely know her. I had a few days where I got to finally reunite with her before our daddy passed away. I lost touch with her after my departure from town, but she called me a few years after he left this world. You see, she didn't get to know him very well while she was growing up. Heidi wanted to know if everything her mother told her about our daddy was true or not.

I responded with this, "Heidi, our daddy wasn't perfect by any means. He made mistakes just like we do. I can tell you about his mistakes or I can tell you about the wonderful memories I had with him and about the good things." I was so happy to hear her tell me that she chose to know the good things. I was able to share with her all the good times I had with him and about all his interests and hobbies. I bragged about what a good husband he was to our stepmother, Alisha.

My children have never met their Grandpa Philip. Yet, I do all I can to use my mistake as an example to them when it comes to their relationship with their own daddy, my husband. Each day you have an opportunity to spend time with your dad should be seen as a journey. Here is a short list of Do's and Don'ts to consider in honor of Father's Day.

Do tell your daddy that he's your favorite guy in the whole world.
Do tell your daddy how much you love him.
Do kiss him good night every night!
Call him at work and tell him that he's your hero.
Speak kindly and reverently to him.
Greet him at the door when he gets home and offer to carry something for him.
Serve him first at meal time.
Speak softy when he gets upset with you and apologize right away. Even if you think he's wrong.

Don't go to sleep angry with him.
Don't raise your voice at him.
Don't talk back. (Titus 2:9, " Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again" KJV)
Don't talk negative about him to others.
Don't walk away when he's talking to you.
Don't refuse to speak to him. (Giving him the silent treatment is not good for your relationship.)

Some girls hope for the day their dad buys them a red Ford Mustang, takes them to Hawaii, or buys them their first cell phone, but don't make that your focus in your relationship with your daddy. It's not what he gives you that makes the relationship good, it's the journey that matters. Cherish every hug you get!





Topics of Interest: children, fathers, relationships, hugs, dads, parenting, daughters, love, father's day, forgiveness,

A Date to Remember

I'm honored to bring you this month's story to The Faith Factor. This story occurred when Miss Monica June was just a baby, so she asked me to write about this date to remember.

There was a time when Miss Moni's dad didn't walk with the Lord. He had previously been introduced to the Lord in 1990, but his relationship with the Saviour didn't have a stable foundation. After many years of trying to live life his own way, like so many of us do, he was faced with needing to make a change.

There was a time when he wasn't in our lives at all. He had chosen to walk his own journey without the family and we didn't know if he was dead or alive. We prayed every day that God would send a Christian into his life. We knew that even though we didn't know where he was, God did know. There was a night when I had tucked Lady Jess into bed, prayed with her, and kissed her goodnight. She was about five years old at the time and I could hear talking coming from the room. Of course, being the mother that I am I thought she was still up playing when she should have been sleeping. I approached the door when I realized she wasn't playing. I cracked the door just slightly and quietly. As I peeked inside the room I saw her down on her knees next to the bed praying with tears in her eyes and barely a breath as she said, "Daddy, please bring my daddy home!" She was crying so hard she could barely speak.

She was using force to bring her prayers to her lips and she prayed again, "Oh God PLEASE save my daddy, I miss him so much. Please bring my daddy home."

As a mother I wanted to rush to her side and hold her in my arms, but I sensed the Holy Spirit telling me, " Let me be the one who holds her." I closed the door and I walked away. I knew this was a moment that she needed to have with the Lord. I didn't ask her about that moment until she was a bit older. It wasn't long after that when I received a letter from my husband. He explained that he was in another state and that he started attending church. The pastor there counseled him to, "go home and make right with your wife and children. Be the husband and father God wants you to be." Within a few weeks he had moved back to our area and lived with his dad. We continued to pray for him and he sought work in our community.

A dear gentleman of our church named Mr. Kempton, who is now with our Lord, faithfully visited the girls' daddy. He would pick him up for church and help disciple him. One Saturday morning as we arrived at the church for our outreach ministry, we saw Mr. Kempton walk in with her daddy. (The church also had men's Bible study that morning.) She looked up at Mr. Kempton and with gleeful delight and sincerity said, "Oh Mr. Kempton, thank you so much for bringing my daddy to men's Bible study." This dear saint of God began to cry. He was so touched by Jessica's sweet countenance.

About a week later, on a Saturday night, I began to pray with ferverance and detail. I begged God for the soul of my husband. I knew that he had a previous relationship with the Lord, but his life lacked evidence of salvation. I recalled a verse that promised me that I could come boldly to the throne of God.

Hebrews 4:16, "Let us therefore come unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."(KJV)

I sought the Lord for my husband to not only come to church the next morning, that he would come forward during the invitation to be saved. I prayed for a man named Mr. Colombo to be the one that would met him for prayer and that he would be baptized. This was a very tall order after seeing my husband walk away from God for such a long time. I was asking for what others called, 'The Impossible'. I ended my prayer with thanksgiving and went to bed.

The next morning was Sunday. We went to church as we did every week and when we arrived my husband was there for Sunday School. Jessica and Moni were in their classes and I taught a class during that time as well. The second hour was the church service and I sang in the choir while the kids remained in their children's church. After the preaching was over and the invitation had begun a woman asked me to prayer with her. I went to pray with this sweet lady and then when I returned to my seat, all my friends were staring at me with smiles on their faces. One friend motioned to me to come pray with her. As I knelt down she began to cry out these words, "Your husband just got saved Lisa!" I was astonished! "Where is he? Who prayed with him?" She replied, "Mr. Colombo prayed with him! I saw his lips moving, I could see that he was praying top be saved!" I began to sob uncontrollably. I asked her to pray that he would be baptized and she said, "He is, look" As she pointed I saw Mr. Colombo leading him to the back room to be baptized.

She prayed and praised God for this tremendous victory and then I went to get my children from their classes. As I knocked on the door and the teacher opened she saw the tears in my eyes and was concerned, "What's wrong Lisa?" With a release of emotions I answered back, "My husband got saved today!" She began to cry herself and she turned to shout to Jessica, "Jessi, your daddy got saved come quick!!!" All the children rejoiced as Jess ran to the door with giddy laughter. We ran back to the auditorium and the lights were dim. We went to the very front row where Jess hopped on the lap of the friend who had just prayed with me. Suddenly, my five year old Jess began to sob.

Our friend asked her why she was crying and she was crying so hard that she had to once again force the words out, "I'm just so happy my daddy finally got saved!"

As my husband entered the water, I shouted like a cheerleader at a football game, "THAT'S MY HUSBAND!!" I was so happy that I couldn't hold back the excitement. A soul had been saved! The entire church cheered as well. It was a date to remember. Each time I tell this story I cry and as I sit here now typing this for you, I have piles of tissue at my side. We thanked God for the victory that we saw that wonderful Sunday morning and our family was restored. But not just our family, it was the family of God that had been healed. Our church family had prayed for so long! It has been many years now, but whenever I tell this story the emotions flood back as if it was yesterday.

Is there someone you have been praying for? Does it seem like God isn't hearing your prayers? Have you lost hope and given up on ever getting the answer you desire? There was a time when I had given up as well, but a woman once wrote in my Bible, "Don't Give Up Praying! Mrs. Delashmit" She was the wife of an evangelist who had at one time been a Hell's Angel. God gloriously saved him and his testimony is one that my husband never got to hear before Dr. Delashmit went to be with our Saviour. However, he has listened to his testimony on tape many times and has given the tape to many others to listen to.

My husband now works at a Recovery Mission aiding and counseling men with broken lives and helping them to restore their own families. It is clearly evident that he walks with the Lord now and we have been so blessed by the new man God gave to our family.

Mark 9:29, "And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting."(KJV)

You can order tapes and CD's of Dr. Jim Delashmit's songs at Valley Baptist Church.
To hear the story 'From Dope to Hope', of how God delivered Dr. Delashmit from the life of a Hell's Angel, you can contact me. I had been saved during a night that he preached in our church. I'll be sharing my salvation story in an upcoming issue. If you would like your salvation story to be featured in GGM, send your story to us.

In Good Faith & Mother's Memo

(Mother's Memo Below)

It's "In Good Faith Day" where you can look over these 10 items and prayerfully consider if you have pleased the Lord to the best of your ability during the previous week and we pray it will also help encourage you for the upcoming weeks ahead. If you would like to share how the Lord used you this week to be a blessing to others we sure would love to hear about it!

1. I had personal devotions this week: 3 days 5 days 7 days other

2. I memorized a God's word this week: 2 verses 4 verses 6 verses other

3. I helped mom or dad this week in an area that wasn't already a previous responsibility.

4. I attended our spiritual service this week:

5. I shared my faith with someone this week by speaking of our Lord with someone new.

6. I am avoiding bitterness in my heart towards someone right now. True or false

7. I am avoiding wrong influences such as ungodly T.V, music, or friends, etc.

8. In a clear conscience I know my heart is right with my parents.

9. I showed an act of kindness/service to my siblings this week.

10. I offered help to the needy this week. Ex: an elderly person, a sick person, the homeless, etc.

We'd love to hear about some of the ways you pleased your Saviour this week. Please do leave a reply for us. :O)

Memory Verses To Consider:

Isaiah 40:31, "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (KJV)

1 Samuel, 16:7, "But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." (KJV)

Colossians 2:8-9, "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." (KJV)

*A special thank you to Mrs. Dixon and Miss Charlene for sharing these verses with us on their blogs this week.

I pray your week has been a wonderful one! Today I'd like to share a couple of sites with you that many mother's find especially helpful. One is our Mother Ministry, 'Apples of Gold Ministries'. We have recently taken on two new writers and experienced a site makeover! Please invite the mother's you know to come join us for women's devotions and a Christian perspective on news in today's culture.

AGMinistries is prayerfully accepting submissions from guest contributors. If you feel the Lord would have you to contribute, please look over our submission guidelines and contact us.

Another site that has been inspiring as a mother, striving to train up godly young daughters, is 'Training Daughters, Teaching Wives' written by Mrs. Dixon and her daughters. Please stop by and enjoy the inspiration these ladies brings to their readers.

Next, may I introduce to you a dear friend Kristine, most often known as 'MamaArcher'. MamaArcher never ceases to inspire me as a mother, as she is a mother of many and one more on the way. She helps to bring a different perspective on today's motherhood.

I pray you'll find encouragement this week as you seek to please the Lord in your mothering and in serving your husbands.

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.

In Good Faith

Well, I hope this last week was a good one for you. We posted some memory verses last week and I hope you took the time to try and memorize them. Let us know if you did!

This is our third week of "In Good Faith Day" where you can look over these 10 items and prayerfully consider if you have pleased the Lord to the best of your ability during the previous week and we pray it will also help encourage you for the upcoming weeks ahead. If you would like to share how the Lord used you this week to be a blessing to others we sure would love to hear about it!

1. I had personal devotions this week: 3 days 5 days 7 days other

2. I memorized a God's word this week: 2 verses 4 verses 6 verses other

3. I helped mom or dad this week in an area that wasn't already a previous responsibility.

4. I attended our spiritual service this week:

5. I shared my faith with someone this week by speaking of our Lord with someone new.

6. I am avoiding bitterness in my heart towards someone right now. True or false

7. I am avoiding wrong influences such as ungodly T.V, music, or friends, etc.

8. In a clear conscience I know my heart is right with my parents.

9. I showed an act of kindness/service to my siblings this week.

10. I offered help to the needy this week. Ex: an elderly person, a sick person, the homeless, etc.

Memory Verses To Consider:

Proverbs 1:8-9, "My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: ⁹For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck"

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

Proverbs 16:7, " When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him."

A Hardened Heart

There are twenty-four places in the Bible that talk about a hardened heart. The most famous passages would be when Pharaoh hardened his heart against God and would not let the children of Israel leave the land of Egypt and slavery.

We know that Pharaoh did not believe in God, he believed in his own gods and in himself. Pharaoh did not worship and love the Creator. He loved his own gods. We have seen many times throughout the Bible where people turned their hearts away from the Lord and towards other things that caught the attention of their heart.

Samson left what he knew was a right life to be with a woman who caused his fall. Solomon walked away from the Lord and had many wives. David left his first love and sought out Bathsheba. The people in the days of Noah had hearts that were only evil continually, and they missed the boat! Then we have Peter who denied the Lord three times.

We can clearly see what trouble it causes when people give their hearts away to the wrong thing/people. This is where young ladies need to be very careful with their hearts. I grew up in the world, living the way the world teaches we should. Having many 'boy' friends and crushes while in my younger, unsaved years. Each time I gave my heart over to a boy, not only would my heart be crushed, but it turned further and further away from my own daddy. My focus was on whoever the 'cute' guy was and not on making my daddy proud of me.

Within a very short amount of time I had developed a deep abiding desire to be wherever the boy was. I wanted to sit at the lunch table that had the clear view of him, without being noticed of course. I sat near where he would play soccer at the lunch time field. I would play handball just to keep an eye on him. My crushes became obsessions! Somewhere in the depths of my heart, I also began to believe that NO ONE else was 'allowed' to like him, because *I* liked him first! The very first time I noticed another girl keeping her eye on him too, there would be a wildfire burning within my soul!

This was a vicious cycle in my life and among my friendships. It would soon come out that the boy would realize that I had eyes for him and he would make it very clear that he was not interested in me, calling me names, ignoring me, gossiping about me, etc. The next thing I know he likes the other girl! Life, as I knew it, was ruined! Until a new guy would catch my eye that is. That green eyed monster would soon be unleashed again. Jealousy would keep me bound in chains of misery time and time again. After a while my heart became hardened. I no longer trusted a boy. By the time I met the man who did become my husband, I had a very difficult time allowing him to have my heart. Where does this crazy merry-go-round end? Get off before you get dizzy and pass out.

Deutoronomy 6:5, "And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." (KJV)

Sigh* What a relief! All I need to do is love the Lord my God, with all my heart, soul, and might!

Sing this song with me: 'Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus'

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s a light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

Chorus:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Chorus

Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
Over us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conquerors we are!

Chorus

His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

Just turn your eyes upon Jesus and keep HIM in your sights! Keep your eyes on Jesus and make your focal point in life to be of Him. Jesus loves you and you will never feel the devastating break of the heart from Him. He tells you that He loves you and will never speak ill of you. He will never fail you and will always be there for you.

Don't allow the things of earth to strangle you and cause you to have a hardened heart. God has a plan for your life and He wants to have your heart until the day He opens the door for you to give it to the man you will marry. Until then keep your heart and eyes on Jesus and allow your daddy to protect you from the pain this world tries to snare you with.

It's Your Mother That Matters!

There were times while I was growing up that I wanted to spend the night at a friend's house and, while there, would be extra special and kind to my friend's mother. I wanted to be on my best behaviour. Have there been times when you've been at a friend's house and you were extra good? I wonder if we work as hard to be as kind to our own mothers?

Ephesians 6:2,"Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;" (KJV)


My mother taught me that any time I am a guest in someone's home that I should put forth extra effort to make my stay enjoyable to them. I would help clean up after myself and clear the table after dinner, I would help my friends with any chores they had, etc. My daughter, Lady Jess, really knows her way around a kitchen and every time she's with her friend she goes out of her way to help cook dinner and clean up afterwards. Her friend's mother tells her how much she appreciates her help. My daughter adores their family and always goes out of her way to take extra special care of her friend and her mother while in their home.

While all of this is very good and appreciated by any mother, what matters most is YOUR mother. I am pleased to know that Lady Jess does this for her friend and her mother, I am glad that she also does these things for me. Do you go the extra mile for your mother? We'd love to hear what you do for your mom. Please do leave a reply and share your ideas on how you make your mom feel that she matters most.

Family Matters

It's been just one full year since I saw my family spread so thin that we rarely had any time together as a family. My husband works, and each of my children at the time were all involved in various other activities that kept us all in different locations for extended periods of time. Now there is nothing sinful about going to a activity with good people and having godly fellowship, but when our schedule became so busy that there was no longer family time, then we had to make an adjustment in our lives. It was time to pull the family back in together.

Some may say that they wouldn't want to spend so much time with their parents, or siblings, and yet why is that? Why would a teen girl desire to be with her friends over choosing to be with her parents? Why is spending the night with a friend more important than being with your sister? Why is it that some parents want their child to get 'out of their hair' for a night? I can understand a mom and dad wanting to get our for a nice dinner together, it's important for the marriage to have time alone away from the children, but what I'm talking about is a parent who strongly desires to be away from their children just to be away from them.

The other day my girls were at a group meeting at church and my girls decided to sit together. A few of my older daughters friends asked why she had her little sister sitting with her. They questioned her as if this was an unpleasant thing. She spoke right up, without hesitation, and said she likes having her sister sit with her. This is not the normal response from most teens today.

I have found that since having my children home with me, it has brought our family closer together. If you wanted to learn how to be a great seamstress you would spend more time practicing your sewing skills. If you desired to be a better baker you would spend more time reading, studying, and practicing baking more. Let's say you wanted to learn graphic design, well then you would spend hours and hours perfecting your talent. Maybe you want to play the piano, do you spend just one or two hours a week practicing? As a stay at home mom with my children at home I have had so much more hands on practice being a mom and have seen such blessings come from this.

My family isn't perfect by any means. We have areas we each need to work on to become better people, yet we have seen such incredible improvements in our family relationships. Last night, as I was settling into bed, I noticed a light through the crack of the door jam. I was tired and not wanting to get up again, yet I didn't want to shout through a closed door and wake the rest of the family, so I got up to see who was still awake at such a late hour. As I quietly tip toed through the living room I could hear whispering coming from one of the rooms. As I leaned in to see what my older two girls were doing, I was so pleased to see that they were praying together. What a difference from the girls I knew just a year ago that wanted nothing to do with each other. Yes, bringing them home full time was indeed the best decision we made for our family.

Where are you in your family relationships? Where is your strongest desire in your relationships? Is your family the most important relationship you have aside of Christ? Are you placing more importance on your friends than your family? Do you forsake your sister to fit in with the girls you know?

Spending time with family is such a valuable asset to our lives. Now maybe your family isn't very connected this way. Maybe you trust your friends more than your family. I know that while I was growing up, I became closer to my friends than my family and had my parents tried to keep me away from my friends, I would have rebelled. I grew up in the public school, spending large portions of time with my friends and once I became a young teen, I chose spending the night with friends over going to see family members in another city.

Both my parents worked long hours and my mom taught me to cook the family's dinner over the phone. By the time we came to sit at the table for dinner, we had just about fifteen minutes to chat over dinner then it was time for me to clean the kitchen. After that it was time to prepare for bed and then onto another day with a similar schedule. I used to look forward to the weekends when my parents had time off, until I was a teen. Once I was about fifteen years old I could take the bus or ride my bike to a friend's house. Once I was sixteen and had my driver's license, I was ready to go from school to work each night. My family time became less and less until I didn't want to go back.

I became eighteen years old during the school year and moved out before I even graduated high school. I still graduated and worked hard to provide for myself, but my family relationships became so weak. I rarely if ever called home to speak to my family. I recall my mom calling me to tell me that my sister missed me. She was just nine years old and I didn't want anything to do with a little sister. I was too busy and had my own life. Mom pleaded with me to spend time with my sister. I made arrangements to spend an afternoon with her, but only out of obligation to my mom. I loved my sister, but I didn't really know her. I hadn't spent much time with her at all.

Once I graduated from high school I moved to another state. I was such an independent girl, had a job, a car, and an apartment by the time I was nineteen years old. In the world today that would be seen as successful, yet my family was falling apart. My first birthday away from home I didn't hear from anyone! When I called my grandma to talk to her about my frustration she replied with such a sweet honest answer. "Lisa, you missed your Mother's birthday." Her words struck me with such a blow that I was speechless. I had become such a selfish person! I had to begin to mend my family relationships on my own. The ball was now in my court. Now maybe you'd say that the fault lies with my busy parents, and maybe so, yet I made my choices on my own. It was a long road back to becoming a family again and it took many years to mend our family connection and yet even now, seventeen years later, our family still struggles to maintain a solid relationship in unity. This is certainly not what I want to see happen within my own family now.

If you have a family that has a difficult time connecting, it's not too late to mend those relationships. Life isn't about friends, fun, and money. Life isn't about working a job, buying a car, or spending the night with a friend. It's the family that matters. Come by and review the tips that Mrs. D. shared last month in her article under Bridging the Gap, Mother and Daughter Time. Begin Bridging that Gap, and bring life back to your family today!

Ephesians 6:1-2, "Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. Honor thy father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise." (KJV)

O Glorious Day!

It's Easter Sunday and the day we remember what Jesus did for us so many years ago on that old rugged cross. I will never forget the first time I saw a replica of what the crown of thorns may have looked like. I was about 21 years old and in my young mind, as a new Christian, I had imagined the small thorns on a rose bush I had in my yard. I thought that thorns were sharp and I have been pricked by them before while cutting them on my own, but it certainly was nothing compared to what Jesus endured for me.

Matthew 27:28-31, "²⁸And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.

²⁹And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!

³⁰And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.

³¹And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him."(KJV)

The next thing that came to my mind as a new found believer was the nails. These were not the same small nails I use to hang a picture on a wall. These nails had to be big enough and thick enough to hold the weight of a full grown man. This man, Jesus, was a carpenter. Carpenters are very strong men. They carry heavy wood, sand it, and cut the wood. I imagine that Jesus had muscles and stamina to build wood projects and walk all over the country side as He did during His ministry here on earth. I was told that the nails were not actually placed in the center of His hand, as I previously imagined. The bones in the hand aren't strong enough to hold up a man's weight in this manner. I had to learn that the large nails were thrust into the bones within the wrist to be able to hold Him up.

I have worked with my dad in the work shop before, building small projects, and have missed the nail and hit my thumb. THAT was painful! I can't even begin to imagine a nail going through my wrists and then my feet. As the soldiers cross the feet of Jesus, one over the other, and hammered the nail in, it must have been excruciating! I know from the days when I was in school, that my arms get tired if I have to keep my hand raised for too long when the teacher doesn't see me. Now imagine hanging on that rugged tree from your wrists, as your arms are outstretched. It has been recorded in history that during crucifixions they would lift themselves up on their feet in order to catch their breath. When a body is hunched over their lungs from hanging by their hands, it would cause an obstruction to the airways.

With each and every push on His feet, He was able to catch a breath, until the soldiers came and broke his legs. I have never broken a leg before, or even an arm for that matter. I have fractured two toes and that was painful enough as it is, let alone to have both legs broken. Now He hung from his wrists alone, with no way to catch a breath! Then a soldier came to pierce his side. Our Lord lifted up His eyes and spoke his last words, "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46 KJV)

After having three girls, I was so excited to find out I was having a boy. I love my son so very much! Now, Mary was watching her own little boy, as a grown young man, enduring this crucifixion before her very eyes! My heart can't fathom the pain she must have felt that day. Her son had died, but not just any death. Jesus died a physical death and a spiritual death. Not only had He left this world and all his friends and family, but He also was out of the presence of the Father for three days!

For three days His friends and family mourned His departure from this world. They saw Him suffer as He died. When my dad passed away I grieved, I cried, I was in shock, and at times I couldn't think straight at all. The pain was so much for me to bear. I miss my dad so much and often day dream about him being alive. After three days, Jesus' friends was still in shock that He had died, yet three women went to the tomb and were stunned to see the stone rolled away!

As the angels told them that He is risen, could you just imagine how they felt? Would you believe it? Who rolled the stone away? How could he be alive? Yet did they not remember when Jesus himself raised Lazarus from the grave after he had been dead for many days?

What a blessing for these ladies! They were the first ones there on the morning Jesus rose from the grave! Our Savior lives! Not just then, but even today! You may have seen an image of Jesus on a cross, maybe on a necklace or in an old church, but let me tell you that He is not on the cross anymore! He's not even in the grave anymore! He is risen!

Mark 16:6, " And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. "(KJV)

Jesus willingly sacrificed His own life for ours! It would be as if there is a drive by shooting and someone jumps in the way to save your life. He gave His life and rose from the grave for you and for me. His resurrection gave us the victory over sin and over death!The day I realized that Jesus loves me so much that He died like this for me, was January 24, 1995. It was that night, a Tuesday, that I spoke to a woman at my church about salvation. I just wasn't sure about going to heaven. I had been in church for several months and heard this story so many times, but on this one night it became very real to me. The Holy Spirit of God had touched my heart and gently brought me to the feet of the Savior as I bowed my head to trust Christ as my personal Savior. I had the head knowledge, but did not have the relationship in my heart. Ever since then I can tell you that I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He walks with me. I know that I have victory in Jesus!


1 John 5:13, " These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. "(KJV)

Romans 10:13, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."(KJV)

How are you remembering the Savior this day?
Do you remember the day you trusted Christ as your Savior?