Family Time and Firsts

It was a good time with the fam for Thanksgiving. Mom doesn't like her picture taken so it's hard to get her in there. We had lots of food, sweet potato casserole, dressing, pecan pie, coconut cake, mac and cheese, turkey, ham, potato salad, green bean casserole.....I am sure I left out something, but all good stuff. My favorite part though, is a turkey sandwich the next day with the leftovers. Life is an adventure and full of firsts, so this weekend I had a few. My nephew Mark brought over Halo 3 and Guitar Hero 3 and taught me how to play both. I was game, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Halo is definitely for guys, but I spent 2 hours playing and learning how to just use the controls. I did kill Mark a few times, but only because he stood still and let me. Oh well, I can say I have played now. Guitar Hero was fun, Pat Benatar (Hit me with your best shot) will never sound the same again. It reminded me of DDR so I did pretty decent. I am sure it is nothing like the real thing though. Then I got to house sit this weekend for my friends Clay and RyLee and keep their new puppy dog Oskar! Oskar is great! 4 months old and growing fast! He is already 27 pounds! Clay says he is supposed to get to 65 pounds. He walked me around the block a couple of times. He was missing his Mommy and Daddy so nothing could keep him from sleeping with me. He is such a cutie! I will add some pics of him later.

Hope you all had a wonderful, amazing Thanksgiving. Tam

Happy Thanksgiving----Ya'll

I wanted to wish all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving, will all of the familiar foods, wonderful family. Carrying on some great traditions and creating some new ones. Be so very blessed and know that you are loved..........and pass the Pecan Pie! Much, much love...Tammy

Unity & Loving One Another

Ephesians 4:29
Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. NKJV

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. NLT

Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift. The Message

Proverbs 18:24
Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family. The Message

There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother. NLT

I have heard many preach about Unity, Authentic Community, and loving one another. But as a very wise man once taught, until the world see's us walk it out, until they see us walking in Unity and loving one another, then they are not going to change. Until we show the world Jesus, which means walking these two scriptures out, walking in Unity and loving one another, then we have nothing to offer them that is better than what the world offers them. What makes us 'different'? Church people, for the most part, are ready to throw anyone under the bus that has either messed up, reacted differently than "they" thought the person should, or people who dare to think outside the box. What is normal? Who made the "normal" mold? Did God do things "normally"? Did He think like most church people think? Did He react to situations the way "Christians" thought He should? I don't think so! Our Father thinks so far out of the box we can't even comprehend it! And who made the box anyway!? Religion! So, as follower of Christ, some may think I look silly, but Jesus knows, and as His child, I am going to edify and encourage that it may minister grace to the hearers. Not try to tear down. Am I perfect? Not even, but we have to start somewhere. Jesus has filled me with His love and I choose to give it to others, not withold it. Love God, Love People.

John 15:13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Farewell Palace People

Well, this was it, my last night at the Palace with my wonderful Palace Peeps. They dressed up in costume for the most part. I was supposed to be Esther.....OK use your imagination! Most of you know God has said it was time for me to go, step out of the nest, take a leap of faith, get out of my comfort zone, obey Him so He can put me where He needs me next and where I need to be. Today was my last day as part of Sumner Life. I love those kids, and I wouldn't be the person that I am today, if they hadn't been a part of my life. What a blessing they have been. To watch them come to the youth 2 1/2 years ago, just babes, and see them start to grow, and get grounded in the Word with Jeremy as their shepherd. What an amazing job he did, how he sowed into their lives and they grew and flourished under his ministry. Then Dave and Margie came in and began to build on that aweseme foundation Jeremy had laid. Dave and Margie are taking the kids to the next level in the Lord. I have seen them grow so much; stellar young men and women for the Lord. It's been an honor and a priviledge for me to serve you this past 2 1/2 years. We've had some great times together. You are going to do amazing things for God and I can't wait to hear about it. I love you all and will miss you. Not goodbye, but see you later....

You Have What It Takes

The armies of Israel have drawn up against the armies of the Philistines, but not a single shot has been fired from any bow. The reason, of course, is Goliath, a mercenary of tremendous size and strength, renowned for his skill in combat. He’s killed many men bare-handed, and no one wants to be next. David is barely a teen when he goes to the camp and sees what is going on. He offers to fight the giant, at which point he is brought before the king, who in turn attempts to dissuade the lad. Saul says, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth” (1 Sam. 17:33 NIV). Sound advice, the likes of which I wager any of us would offer under the same circumstances. David replies:

Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it, and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine. (verses 34–37 NIV)

Being a shepherd David learned lessons here that would carry him the rest of his life. The life of the shepherd was not a sweet little life with lambs around. It was a hard job, out in the field, months camping out in the wild on your own. And it had its effect. There is a settled confidence in the boy—he knows he has what it takes. But it is not an arrogance—he knows that God has been with him. He will charge Goliath, and take his best shot, trusting God will do the rest. That “knowing” is what we are after and it only comes through experience. And may I also point out that the experiences David speaks of here were physical in nature, they were dangerous, and they required courage. (The Way of The Wild Heart 83, 84)

The Eagles Nest

Have you ever heard the story of the Eagles nest? The eagles build their nests high up in the rocks so predators can't get to it. It's a large nest for her young eagles, made of strong branches, sticks etc. She lines it with everything soft that she can find, leaves, grass, feathers. She feeds them day after day, and they grow day after day, larger and larger until the nest starts to get too small. But at the appointed time, when the eagles are almost ready to fly, the mother eagle starts removing day by day, little by little the feathers, the leaves, the grass. Every day the nest becomes a little more uncomfortable, it becomes harder and harder to find a soft spot without branches and sticks poking, hurting. Then one day, every bit of softness, comfort and warmth is totally removed from the nest. It has become so uncomfortable for the small eagles, that they can't stand it anymore and one by one they go to the edge of the nest, and jump. They fly for the first time and it is a glorious thing.

We all have different times in our life when we are in the eagles nest. It does not mean we are still a baby follower of Christ, it does mean we are growing, learning and being taught, being prepared for that new thing, new area in our life God is taking us, has been preparing for us. See the small eagles had to take a risk, had to get out of the most uncomfortable place in their life, in order to soar to new heights. God is the same way with us. We get comfortable where we are, the box or nest we have created, but a life without risk, as I have said before, is no life at all. It takes courage to step up to the edge of the nest and jump. It is scary indeed, but, sometimes in order to get that breakthrough, in order to soar to the higher places God has for us, we have to do it scared. Going back into that nest, and trying to sit, trying to get comfortable, trying to keep the status quo has become unbearable. I know, because this is where I am. It has become so extremely uncomfortable that I have to move, I have to step to the edge of the nest, take risk, and jump. Only then can I soar into everthing God has planned for me. Only then can I be the most effective for Him and for His glory. To stay where I am is miserable. Yea, I know, this can make you very vulnerable, but when you have given it all up, laid down everything you know at Jesus feet and said "Lord Here I am, whatever you want me to do, wherever you want me to go, I'm totally yours" then He can bring about His plan, His best for you.

This past year God has been preparing me, growing me, showing me things like never before. Giving me glimpses of His plans, molding me, shaping me, making me into a new person. I have been through places I have not been before, had to do things like I have never had to do before, learned things that I had never learned before. It has been at times very hard, very difficult and at the same time glorious, revelational and humbling; but, He has never failed to encourage me, confirm His word and His plan over and over again. So here we are, on the brink, ready to jump, ready to soar.......scared and anxious at the same time. To be continued.......................

By the Lake

This past Sunday afternoon, after all of the craziness of wedding preparations and tear down I just wanted to get away by the lake and relax, journal some, read some and just talk to the Lord. It was a perfect day for that. We had our last major summer blast with temps around 90 degrees. I have often retreated to this place by the lake because it brings such peace. There is something about the water. I know that I want to someday have a home by the lake, with lots of windows facing the lake and a big deck to just sit out there and take it all in, the beauty the awesomeness of God......maybe throw in a hot tub on the deck for good measure :)

"I'm Not Here"

Wow.....this is so true. This is exactly what a friend taught a series on....Strategies of the Enemy. We are only deceiving ourselves if we think the devil does not exist. He is the real enemy, not people. There is a real battle raging, and as the word tells us, we have to put on the whole armour of God, As I put on myspace a while back, pull out our sword and face the enemy. We don't have the luxery of backing down, turning our backs on him, we have to stand....Praise God the battle is His......but.....we do have to show up! The great news is we are stronger together than we are alone. Ecclesiastes 4:12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

"Incredible. What a self-indictment. “Nothing dangerous is happening here.” Those men have already been taken out because they’ve swallowed the Enemy’s first line of attack: “I’m not here—this is all just you.” You can’t fight a battle you don’t think exists. This is right out of The Screwtape Letters, where Lewis has the old devil instruct his apprentice in this very matter:

My dear Wormwood, I wonder you should ask me whether it is essential to keep the patient in ignorance of your own existence. That question, at least for the present phase of the struggle, has been answered for us by the High Command. Our policy, for the moment, is to conceal ourselves.

As for those who want to be dangerous (cutting-edge), take a close look at 1 Peter 5:8–9: “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”

What is the Holy Spirit, through Peter, assuming about your life? That you are under spiritual attack. This is not a passage about nonbelievers; he’s talking about “your brethren.” Peter takes it for granted that every believer is under some sort of unseen assault. And what does he insist you do? Resist the devil. Fight back, take a stand." (Wild At Heart , 159, 160)

Jenni Got Married

Well, she did it! Jenni and Ryan got married yesterday! It was a day of celebration for sure. She has waited a long time for this and we were there to help them both celebrate the day at the cute little chapel in White House. Ryan is from Texas so a lot of his family was in as well as Jenni's family from Kentucky. They really do make a wonderful couple and it is a great story of how God can bring two people together in a way you would not expect. Enjoy the pics from the reception. Love you Jenni!

Find A Few of His Friends

Hopefully you will find a few folks who walk with God to also walk with you through the seasons of your life. But honesty – and Scripture – forces me to admit they are a rare breed. Few there are who find it. All the more reason for you to make the number less scarce, by becoming someone who walks with God and teaches others how.

Look to those who have walked with God down through the ages. Certainly that is why the Bible is given to us. If God had intended it to be a textbook of doctrine, well then, he would have written it like one. But its not; it’s overwhelmingly a book of stories – tales of men and women who walked with God. Approach the Scriptures not so much as a manual of Christian principles but as the testimony of God’s friends on what it means to walk with him through a thousand different episodes. When you are at war, when you are in love, when you have sinned, when you have been given a great gift – this is how you walk with God. Do you see what a different mindset this is? Its really quite exciting.

And there are those who have walked with God since the canon of Scripture closed. Here is an Athanasius, a Bonaventure, a Julian of Norwich, a Brother Lawrence, a Tozer – here is how they walked with God. When it comes to time and place, temperament and situation, they could not be more different. Julian lived in a cloister; Tozer lived in Chicago. Athanasius fled to the desert; Lawrence worked in the kitchen. But there is a flavor, a tang, an authenticity to their writings which underlies whatever it is they are trying at the moment to say. Here is someone who knew God, really knew him. This is what its like to walk with God, and that is what its like as well. (Waking The Dead)

Confronting the Enemy

God has been teaching me some things lately that I wanted to share with you. I hope it blesses you too. As I was listening to a Pastor on Monday, I heard about Joshua and the children of Israel in a way I had never seen. The 40 years in the wilderness....it finally clicked! I finally got it! Here is what he had to say........

All day it has been churning and churning over and over in my spirit about “I have to do this, I have to press through, and I can’t go around this mountain one more time.” The battle is the Lords and not mine, but He expects me to show up for it! The time is now.

The Sword is a symbol for 2007 according to the Hebrew Calendar. God has clashed the swords; He is ready to go to battle on your behalf! Clashing with every enemy in your life. Because you did not give up, because you did walk away, God is saying He is ready to take the battle for you and defeat your enemies. You are being sharpened for the greatest season you have ever seen in your life. He is sharpening you. Because you did not give up (2 Chronicles 20) He is taking up the battle on your behalf and He will defeat your enemies! The enemy has been camping on your inheritance. Joshua 5:13, Joshua was near Jericho, when they stopped wandering because of fear, when they finally came near to confront their enemies, God was waiting there to defeat their enemies! God had already promised him victory. God has been standing at the edge of Jericho for 40 years waiting for Israel to confront their enemies. They kept going around that mountain over and over again because they were afraid to confront their enemies.

God has been waiting on us, to arrive here in our faith so He could go to work on our behalf. Obedience will cause Him to take over the battle on our behalf so the sword could go to work for us. So we can walk into the promise, His promise.

Hebrews 3:16 this prophetic moment, the sword of the Lord is drawn, the sword of the Lord is ready, you have to come and face the enemy. We have all had rough times, identify your problem in the kingdom of God and walk in the face of your problem, and the sword of the Lord will come out and go to war on your behalf! This is your year; this is your moment that God has created! God has been waiting on you with a drawn sword. The place of rest is not running from your enemy or challenge, your promised land is when you confront the enemies of your life. Hebrews 4:1-2, This is YOUR YEAR to confront your enemies, to step out of mediocrity, to challenge that which has been challenging you, to go further than you have ever been before. Confront the generational curses. Deal with the issues. God says face the enemy. 2 Kings 4:5 When I step up and confront my enemy there is going to be a flood gate open and God will step up and overpower the enemy! The rest of the nation wanted to turned back because of the enemies, but Joshua said let’s go in. Joshua had to outlive the generation of unbelievers so he could go into the Promised Land! Even though he was 80 he was as strong as he was when he first saw the land! Ezekiel prophesied to those dry bones! He confronted his enemy! When you declare the word of almighty God, the sword of the Lord is brought out! It is time to confront your enemies! Now is the time! Speak the word! Those enemies that Peter ran from, he went back and began to declare the word of the Lord and 3000 came into the kingdom of God! Peter had to go back and confront those enemies he ran from before. He has put the arrows of victory in your hand. Don’t just strike the ground 3 times. Do it until all enemies are defeated! Confront the enemy of fear, the enemy of unbelief, the enemy of distrust. God is waiting to draw His sword and defeat those enemies for you. The battle truly is His and not ours, but we have to show up! We have to confront the enemy and know that God will do what He has said He will do. You can trust Him, you can take Him at His word. You can believe Him. You don't have to fear anymore. You don't have to go around that mountain one more time.

Let me finish by telling you of a story God reminded me of when I heard this message. When I was in Africa, the missionaries told a story about the lions. How that when the male lion, the head of the pride, gets too old to run and hunt with the pride, they have him go and sit at one end of the plain or field where they want to hunt. And the rest of the pride goes to the opposite end of the plain or field to wait. When the old lion begins to roar, the prey, the animals start running "away" from the roar of the lion. They run right into the hands of the pride and are killed. This is exactly what God is saying in this message.......Run towards the roar of the lion not away. "1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour."

Goodbye to Friends.....for now

Ryan & Andrea Surprise Party

Tonight we had a surprise going away party for Ryan and Andrea Holmes. They are moving to Roanoke, VA and I am going to miss them. They are good friends. The good news is we are already planning a trip to go snow skiing in Jan/Feb timeframe with them so that is a life goal I will get to check off. I have wanted to do that for so many years and now I am going to get to! We had a good turn out. We love you guys and will miss seeing you on a regular basis, but we will be seeing you!

What is Important?

“Don’t be afraid of embracing the disappointment you feel, old or new. Don’t be scared of the unreasonable joy either. They’re the highway markers home.”

We snort with disdain at such quaint sentiments, and our choice made, strike off down the straight highway of discipline and duty. All goes well for a while, sometimes for years, until we begin to realize that we’re really not feeling much anymore. We find ourselves struggling to weep with those who weep or even rejoice with those who rejoice. Mostly we don’t bother looking people in the eye. They may want to engage us and nothing much inside feels very engaged. Our passions begin to show up in inappropriate fantasies and longings interspersed with depression, anxieties, and anger we thought we had left behind. With a start, we realize our heart has stolen away in the baggage. It is taking the journey with us but under protest.

We redouble our efforts at discipline to get it to knuckle under but it refuses. Some of us finally kill it well enough that it no longer speaks as long as we’re occupied. Any quasiredemptive busyness will do. We look as if we’re still believing. Others of us decide the deadness is too high a price to pay and agree to let our heart have a secret life on the side. We even try to be passionate about our faith but the fiery embers that once sustained it have turned to cool gray ash, the evidence that life was indeed once present.

We find ourselves at the same place of heart resignation we left so many years ago before we were Christians. We arrive at the Vanity Fair that John Bunyan describes in The Pilgrim’s Progress. It is a familiar city populated with many of the companions we had hoped to leave behind: deadness of spirit, lack of loving-kindness, lust, pride, anger, and others. Nonetheless, having been out on the Christian journey for a number of years by now, we assume that this is as close to the Celestial City as we’re ever going to get. We set up housekeeping and entertain ourselves as well as possible at the booths in the Fair that sell a variety of soul curiosities, games, and anesthetics.

The curiosities sold at the fair are endless in their diversity, many of them good in and of themselves: Bible study, community service, religious seminars, hobbies we try to convince ourselves are eternally transcendent (e.g., “Wow, I can’t wait to ski deep powder!”), service to our church, going out to dinner. But we find ourselves doing them more and more to quiet the heart voice that tells us we have given up what is most important to us. (The Sacred Romance , 129, 130)

Beauty......

This where I want to live....all the time. Not striving, not distracted, but offering the beauty that God placed in me to others, everyone I meet, every where I go so that they see Jesus, because He is Beauty.

“Beauty overwhelms us, enchants us, fascinates us, and calls us.”
(Fr. Andrew Greeley)

For a woman to unveil her beauty means she is offering her heart.

Not primarily her works or her usefulness (think Martha in the kitchen). Offering her presence. At family gatherings my mother hid in the kitchen. She cooked and baked and prepared and served and cleaned and for the life of us, we couldn’t get her out of there. We wanted her to share her life with us, her thoughts, her ideas, not just her effort. She wouldn’t come. And we were less because of it.

The gift of presence is a rare and beautiful gift. To come unguarded, undistracted, and be fully present and fully engaged with the one whom we are with. Have you noticed in reading the Gospels that people enjoyed being around Jesus? They wanted to be near him – to share a meal, take a walk, have a lingering conversation. It was the gift of his presence. When you were with him, you felt he was offering you his heart. When we offer our unguarded presence, we live like Jesus. And we invite others to do the same. (Captivating, 138)

Friends............

Ryan & Andrea Dinner

Tonight we got together for Ryan and Andrea. They are moving away to Roanoke, VA because of Andrea's new job. Everyone had a great time! Dinner at Dos Margaritas, then to Jason & Maci's for Ice Cream and "Guitar Hero". The kids had a great time too! I think we wore out the dogs though. Check out the pics. Love you guys!

Romancing

I love being outside and I love seeing all of God's beautiful handywork. This summer especially I have seen an unusual amount of large, colorful, beautiful butterflies. I have had many fly around and around me as I just held my breath reaching out to them. So fragile and yet so beautiful. I was reminded that God is romancing me because He loves me so much. Just loving on me and showing out for me. I love Him so much, my heart overflows. This is why the guys love to show out for us girls, they have their Fathers attributes. I am in awe of Him.

Something New and Very Cool

I have had some very unusual and interesting things happen to me especially in the last month. I have written 2 songs and each one of them came to me in about 15 minutes. Prior to this, I had only written 1 song last May. When we were at The Call in July, at one point they asked musicians (that includes those of us who can sing and not play an instrument), song writers etc to stand and they prayed over us for creativity, for an outpouring of ideas and music to be written for the Glory of God and just great creativity. I stood in faith during that prayer and I have been amazed at what the Lord is doing. I have always admired songwriters and I know some very good songwriters. I have always wanted to be able to contribute, collaborate and participate I just didn't know how before. I give God all of the Glory for what has begun to happen in my life. Some songs have been secular, some have been worship, but it has all been God! I am putting these in a folder, not sure what to do with them yet, don't even know how good they are, but they are from the heart. I am looking forward to where God will lead this. To you very talented song writers, anointed of the Lord, you are blessed.

Prepare to be Amazed!

I have been listening to this amazing series by TD Jakes called Divine Strategies. He always ministers to me whatever I seem to be going through. Anyway, there are 3 different messages in this series. The one that has blown me away is the one called "The Conflict of Being Chosen." He talks about Mary and Joseph, and Elizabeth and Zachariah. I began to study about these couples this past December. I watched (and bought) The Nativity which did a wonderful job of showing what both of these couples went through and experienced. TD Jakes taught further about the conflict that Mary and Elizabeth had in what they were chosen to do and bring forth and how that relates to us as well. Mary was going about her business, planning on getting married, and then God "chose" her to have a baby, to bring forth Jesus. She didn't ask for it, it was not in her plans, but God "Chose" her to be a part of His bigger plan. The same way He chooses us to be a part of His bigger plan. We are not our own, we are bought with a price. We didn't choose Him, He chose us. Now think about it, when the angel came to Mary and told her what she had been chosen to do and what was going to happen, who could she go and talk to about it? She couldn't go and hang out with her old girlfriends anymore, how would they believe her? They would talk about her and call her crazy. Even Joseph, her fiance' would not believe her. This was the conflict of being chosen. She had no one to turn to, no one to talk to, no one that would believe her, but God had Elizabeth. Elizabeth too was in a Conflict of her own. She had become pregnant in her old age with a child she had prayed for and believed God for all her life. Her husband was now struck dumb, he could not talk to her, she had not felt the baby move in 6 months. She was afraid, afraid that her dream was dead, afraid that the promise would not come to pass and she had no one to talk to about it. God sent Mary to her. When the two of them came together, and explosion happened! The baby leaped in her womb! She knew, she had the confirmation that her baby was alive, that her dream was not dead and Mary had encouragement that what she had been told about Elizabeth being pregnant was true, so she knew that what God had told her, shown her about her own situation was true and He would bring her through it. When God brings you together with another believer, especially with your "Chosen" spouse, there should be and will be an explosion! God can and will be able to accomplish what He needs accomplished when the two of you come together, because you could not accomplish it alone! As TD was saying, what makes your "baby" or dream or promise that God has shown you "leap" inside of you? Don't hang with those that don't make your "Baby/Dream/Promise" leap! The point of His message is that we have all been chosen and set apart as followers of Christ. We are part of His master plan, not the other way around. That takes the pressure off of us. He already has the best plan, we were invited to be a part of it, to play a role already written for us. That is where the conflict can take place, because sometimes others don't understand or believe the part that He has chosen us to play, to take part in. The role He has for us. Sometimes we can't tell others what God has told us, what He has shown us because people will think we are crazy......but it does not matter what people think. God did send his angel to Joseph, and showed him the same thing that he showed Mary, he confirmed what Mary had said to Joseph and then Joseph knew that it was God's plan, He believed Mary and confirmed to Mary that God had too shown him the same thing, the same plan and his role that he was to play. God got all of the glory because He did it, He brought it to pass, He confirmed it.....not man. I will leave you with the prophecy that TD Jakes spoke at the end of this message and it is for me, it is for you, as followers of Christ:

"I don't know whether you are in your first trimester or your third trimester, we are all in different places in this; but I prophesy to you right now in the Name of Jesus that the thing that is on the inside of you can not be hidden any longer! That thing will come to pass and no weapon formed against you shall prosper. And every tongue that rises against you God will condemn. It doesn't matter what Joseph said, it doesn't matter what Zachariah doesn't say, and what God has for you.....it's for you! Some of you are hurting because of some things people have said about you, others are hurting because they didn't say anything, no support no help no encouragement, but both of you are pregnant with Destiny! And I tell you today that the thing that God has placed in you WILL COME TO PASS! We're better together than we are apart."

Love God, Love People, No Fear

2 John 5-6 5 "And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love." 1 John 4:18 "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."1 John 3:23-24 "And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us."

Loving God first and with all our heart, causes us to love people because we want His best for them. A friend recently reminded me about something that I had thought about many times-the impersonal touch of blogging, IM, texting,etc. Ain't technology great. It's wonderful to be able to "talk" with someone you want to talk with at any moment via any of these methods, and there are many times when these choices are needed. But I would say that those same methods, tools, have also caused all types of relationships to suffer rather than to flourish. Having a relationship in person, that personal touch, "communicating" in conversation, common interest, adventure, that physical touch can not be replaced by any of these tools. The expression of Love or Care or Concern that you see in someone's eyes can't be conveyed in a cold email or IM or Text. You can't hug someone via any of these methods either. The human touch is so important. And yes you can't see or hear the hurt or pain in someone else either and this too is part of life, part of relationship with anyone, real world things that we have to work through. So anyway, people are the most important things in our life next to Jesus. Loving people is the most important thing we can do. Please don't hide behind these tools, but allow people to see you, experience you, the wonderful, strong, passionate, gentle, warrior/warrior princess, hero, and loving person you really are, after God's own heart.

Sunset at the Lake

At the LakeUnder the Moonlight

I spent some time at the park next to the lake yesterday afternoon reading a new book a friend highly recommended. By the way, it is so peaceful and fun around the water. It was a beautiful day and the sunset was amazing. The kind of place you want to share with that special guy. I would love to go out on a boat and try some skiing or tubing, it looks like a blast. But back to the book; I have just started it, but I can honestly say that just as she had promised, it is a life changer. It is called "For Women Only" by Shaunti Feldhahn. There is also "For Men Only" by Jeff & Shaunti Feldhahn. What is so amazing and different about these books, is that they have taken surveys, talked with Men and Women, and found out what He really hears when you communicate, and what She really hears when He communicates. It is a real eye opener and very encouraging. Just when you think you know a little something, you find out that you have so much to learn. But, life is a process and I thank God for teaching me. I want to give these books to every girl and guy that is getting married.