Monday, December 20, 2010
Back to Blogging!
Wow! What a journey I have been on! Well, I am actually still on it.....baby still in the belly :) But I am definitely out of the hole I dug for myself these past 9 months. I am looking forward to sharing this journey, hoping that it will resonate with someone and be used by Him. So, now I am going to update the site and see what's new in the blogging world, and get back to writing soon!
WEEK 38!!!!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Fruit of the womb....a reward?
Well, this is the 3rd reward that the Lord has given us and I can honestly say that if I could skip the first 13 weeks - I would! My absence from blogging and usual internet surfing has come to a complete stop due to baby Cook 3 :) Some of you may not know this but I get VERY VERY sick while pregnant! BUT before I complain too much - it is VERY VERY worth it.
However a very good doctor visit with a look at this precious thing in my belly through sonogram has given me a little bounce in my step. Not to mention VBS at Crossgates :)
However a very good doctor visit with a look at this precious thing in my belly through sonogram has given me a little bounce in my step. Not to mention VBS at Crossgates :)
Friday, May 7, 2010
There and Back Again
Time. It is so very valuable. And since I had to take a 2 week break from my computer, I realized the "time" I spent on it!! Not at all on bad things, just things that take time. In some ways that is ok. I feel like the Lord is using blogs (especially by Believers) to reach people. So, this is not a post on why NOT to use a computer :) It has just been hard for me to get back in to blogging since the break.
But, after hearing a testimony about how some blogs are really ministering to this person, I felt that was the Lord leading me to return - consistantly :)
I will still write on "Social Salt & Light" some, but I am now going to jump in to whatever the Lord is leading me.
In Judges 8, Gideon has been a mighty man of valor, as the Lord had told him he was. He had defeated armies and gave the Lord all the credit. But there was one little thing he allowed in to his camp - an Ephod. Now, the ephod was supposed to stay with the High Priest, where the temple was (which was not where Gideon was). But for some reason, Gideon allowed that little piece of "the world" to come in and take the place of the Almighty.
Now, I am not a scholar in Hebrew or Greek or Aramic, and if you are reading this and you are you can probably tell me the exact context of this story. But from what I read and what the ESV footnotes guided me in, I came to this thought (this is straight from my journal so forgive the randomness:) :
Gideon made an ephod for himself - the people chased after it and worshiped it, instead of God. That one piece of the world kept Gideon's heir from living in God's blessings. That one piece of the world caused generations to reap what he had sown.
Now, the question to the believer is this: What is that "one piece" of the world that you are hanging on to or allowing in your life and home that is causing you & others around you to chase after things other than God Almighty?
Lord, I ask You to reveal to me every area in my life and home that does not bring You glory! Open my eyes to the things that You see. Close my eyes to things of the world. Oneness with You is what I desire. Amen
But, after hearing a testimony about how some blogs are really ministering to this person, I felt that was the Lord leading me to return - consistantly :)
I will still write on "Social Salt & Light" some, but I am now going to jump in to whatever the Lord is leading me.
In Judges 8, Gideon has been a mighty man of valor, as the Lord had told him he was. He had defeated armies and gave the Lord all the credit. But there was one little thing he allowed in to his camp - an Ephod. Now, the ephod was supposed to stay with the High Priest, where the temple was (which was not where Gideon was). But for some reason, Gideon allowed that little piece of "the world" to come in and take the place of the Almighty.
Now, I am not a scholar in Hebrew or Greek or Aramic, and if you are reading this and you are you can probably tell me the exact context of this story. But from what I read and what the ESV footnotes guided me in, I came to this thought (this is straight from my journal so forgive the randomness:) :
Gideon made an ephod for himself - the people chased after it and worshiped it, instead of God. That one piece of the world kept Gideon's heir from living in God's blessings. That one piece of the world caused generations to reap what he had sown.
Now, the question to the believer is this: What is that "one piece" of the world that you are hanging on to or allowing in your life and home that is causing you & others around you to chase after things other than God Almighty?
Lord, I ask You to reveal to me every area in my life and home that does not bring You glory! Open my eyes to the things that You see. Close my eyes to things of the world. Oneness with You is what I desire. Amen
Friday, April 23, 2010
My Generation
Today's One Year Bible plan talks about the next generation after Joshua did not know the Lord, nor the work He had done for Israel. Judges 2:10
Two things:
1) Oh God, please do not let it be said of my generation.
2) Oh God, please never let me cease to tell my children and their children of your love and faithfulness.
Two things:
1) Oh God, please do not let it be said of my generation.
2) Oh God, please never let me cease to tell my children and their children of your love and faithfulness.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Social Salt & Light (finally:))
To put it real simple. Go on a media fast and you will definitely feel the weight lifted! I am glad to have my comuter back, but it really was nice little break :)
I had a conversation with someone the other day about marriage and intimacy (sex) and the fact that as an engaged couple your expectations are so high regarding that area. This due clearly to the fact that TV and Entertainment media (magazines, etc.) portays an unrealistic expectation of what that area of marriage is created for. I regret, more than anything in this world that I was not a virgin when I got married. But even physical virgins can loose their "emotional" virginity by allowing the world to set their standard and not God's word.
Galatians 5:16-24 says:
16-17 "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do."
- I will stop there and say that this VERY CLEAR about desires of the flesh. The world feeds the desires of the flesh, the Word feeds the desires of the Spirit. If you are spending more time each day on worldly media than on reading and meditating on God's word, it is impossible to flee the desires of the flesh.
19-21 "Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these."
- Now think about what worldly media puts out there. If we are to stay away from these things physically, why in the world do we think we can watch and read about these things and not be affected? God's word is very clear. I don't know the exact statistics but the percentage of teenagers that have sex before marriage is significantly higher when they are exposed to sex (not just intercourse but PDA also) on television. And you can find that on the Disney channel!!!!
Friends, this is not how the God of the universe who created us for his pleasure and worship meant for it to be. He desires for our minds to stay on Him! There is so much freedom and peace when we do. The love of God is a beautiful thing - but it is pure and holy. Christ wants His bride to be pure and holy. We must begin in our homes, spending time with Him first, then cleaning out those areas where the world has invaded.
22-24 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong the Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires."
The more I fall in love with Jesus, the more I spend time with Him, the more I realize the depth of His love for me, the more I want to keep my heart and mind pure. That is when the fruits of the Spirit are so evident in me! The fruit of the world with distort, tear down and destroy - but the fruit of the Spirit with produce life and peace and freedom!
I had a conversation with someone the other day about marriage and intimacy (sex) and the fact that as an engaged couple your expectations are so high regarding that area. This due clearly to the fact that TV and Entertainment media (magazines, etc.) portays an unrealistic expectation of what that area of marriage is created for. I regret, more than anything in this world that I was not a virgin when I got married. But even physical virgins can loose their "emotional" virginity by allowing the world to set their standard and not God's word.
Galatians 5:16-24 says:
16-17 "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do."
- I will stop there and say that this VERY CLEAR about desires of the flesh. The world feeds the desires of the flesh, the Word feeds the desires of the Spirit. If you are spending more time each day on worldly media than on reading and meditating on God's word, it is impossible to flee the desires of the flesh.
19-21 "Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these."
- Now think about what worldly media puts out there. If we are to stay away from these things physically, why in the world do we think we can watch and read about these things and not be affected? God's word is very clear. I don't know the exact statistics but the percentage of teenagers that have sex before marriage is significantly higher when they are exposed to sex (not just intercourse but PDA also) on television. And you can find that on the Disney channel!!!!
Friends, this is not how the God of the universe who created us for his pleasure and worship meant for it to be. He desires for our minds to stay on Him! There is so much freedom and peace when we do. The love of God is a beautiful thing - but it is pure and holy. Christ wants His bride to be pure and holy. We must begin in our homes, spending time with Him first, then cleaning out those areas where the world has invaded.
22-24 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong the Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires."
The more I fall in love with Jesus, the more I spend time with Him, the more I realize the depth of His love for me, the more I want to keep my heart and mind pure. That is when the fruits of the Spirit are so evident in me! The fruit of the world with distort, tear down and destroy - but the fruit of the Spirit with produce life and peace and freedom!
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Social Salt & Light, Part 2
I will start this post with listing the method and resources that Jason and I use when picking out movies, TV shows, books, etc. There is really no excuse now days for a Christian to mistakingly end up in front of a movie screen and be surprised. With technology the way it is, and how big the culture war has gotten, there are always reviews and articles to read before putting yourself in that position.
First we ask ourselves these 3 questions (the ones from the earlier post):
1- Is is God-centered or man-centered? Psalm 19:8-10; Psalm 119:20; Psalm 119:97; Psalm 119:103; Psalm 119:167
This meaning is the central theme and focus of what you are watching, reading, listening to, draw you to God or the things of God. (You can really use this question in every area of your life)
2- How is it digested? Colossians 3
What are you going to get out of this content? How is it going to be used in your life? Is is going to "upset your stomach", is your "heart" going to recognize it as something productive or will it be rejected and unused?
3- What fruit is produced? Colossians 3
What is the content producing in your heart, mind and soul? Likewise what is it producing on the outside? Is it being used to draw others to Christ coming from you?
Colossians 3:1-17
Rules for Holy Living
1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[b] 7You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
12Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
This is just one passage out of MANY! We also use Plugged In Online & AFA Report (which we get in the mail).
More to come...........
First we ask ourselves these 3 questions (the ones from the earlier post):
1- Is is God-centered or man-centered? Psalm 19:8-10; Psalm 119:20; Psalm 119:97; Psalm 119:103; Psalm 119:167
This meaning is the central theme and focus of what you are watching, reading, listening to, draw you to God or the things of God. (You can really use this question in every area of your life)
2- How is it digested? Colossians 3
What are you going to get out of this content? How is it going to be used in your life? Is is going to "upset your stomach", is your "heart" going to recognize it as something productive or will it be rejected and unused?
3- What fruit is produced? Colossians 3
What is the content producing in your heart, mind and soul? Likewise what is it producing on the outside? Is it being used to draw others to Christ coming from you?
Colossians 3:1-17
Rules for Holy Living
1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[b] 7You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
12Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
This is just one passage out of MANY! We also use Plugged In Online & AFA Report (which we get in the mail).
More to come...........
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
"Social" Salt & Light
Three areas/categories I am tackling that this issue directly affects:
(meaning: This is what the Lord took me through years ago when I first got saved. I am sure there are MANY other areas that these social issues affect. These are just the 3 that the Lord brought to my mind as I was studying)
1- Is it God centered or man centered?
2- How is it digested?
3- What fruit is produced?
First I am going to pray that all who read this will allow the Holy Spirit to reveal to YOU what YOU read and study from God's word. Don't take my word for it! Read the Bible for yourself and ask, seek and knock! He will answer :)
As disciples of Jesus Christ and parents of 2 small girls, my husband and I are extremely careful about what we allow to come in to our home through television and radio. I will tell you that we do not have cable, satellite, dish network, etc. We have a TV, DVD player, and a VCR - yes we do and we still use it :). We do have local channels, but have an intenna and can only get channels 12, 16 & 29 - if the weather is good! I am not saying all this to boast, but that when you don't have the "options" it is MUCH easier to aviod all the "questionables".
A little testimony as to how we as a family came to be a "no cable" family:
When Katie, our youngest was a newborn, and we were really still newlyweds (married for only a 1 1/2 years), we beagn to kinda "grow apart". Most of you know the stress of a newborn, especially your first, and we were building a house, selling our house, and still trying to get to know one another!!! Well, to shorten the story, we started really praying for help, and direction. What is this parenting/marriage stuff all about? What did the Lord desire from us? Through that we felt strongly that He was asking us to purify. Which led us straight to our TV (other areas followed, but that was the first). I can say that even though we weren't watching those things considered "terrible", we were spending our time soaking in things that 1- were not lifting up the name of Jesus 2- not drawing us closer as a family 3- keeping us from being together. And so that is what we were doing - growing apart from each other and the Lord. So, we called the cable company and had them turn it off. I will not lie and say that it was easy. And for several weeks I really felt like we were missing out. But as time went by, we started spending our time together, and found a Bible teaching church, and really seeking the Lord as to what He desired for our life, we knew we had done the right thing.
Fast forward almost 4 years, we have been cable TV free and only use the local channels for news, really only during football season :), weather and I allow the girls to watch a FEW shows on PBS. If you know us and our children, we are not socially deprived or lacking in any way!!! My kids love life and have not missed out on a thing!! And not to mention we save $$$$$ too!!
Matthew 6:24 says, "Noone can serve 2 masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon (spirit of materialism)."
Well, the children are waking, so I will have to continue later......
(meaning: This is what the Lord took me through years ago when I first got saved. I am sure there are MANY other areas that these social issues affect. These are just the 3 that the Lord brought to my mind as I was studying)
1- Is it God centered or man centered?
2- How is it digested?
3- What fruit is produced?
First I am going to pray that all who read this will allow the Holy Spirit to reveal to YOU what YOU read and study from God's word. Don't take my word for it! Read the Bible for yourself and ask, seek and knock! He will answer :)
As disciples of Jesus Christ and parents of 2 small girls, my husband and I are extremely careful about what we allow to come in to our home through television and radio. I will tell you that we do not have cable, satellite, dish network, etc. We have a TV, DVD player, and a VCR - yes we do and we still use it :). We do have local channels, but have an intenna and can only get channels 12, 16 & 29 - if the weather is good! I am not saying all this to boast, but that when you don't have the "options" it is MUCH easier to aviod all the "questionables".
A little testimony as to how we as a family came to be a "no cable" family:
When Katie, our youngest was a newborn, and we were really still newlyweds (married for only a 1 1/2 years), we beagn to kinda "grow apart". Most of you know the stress of a newborn, especially your first, and we were building a house, selling our house, and still trying to get to know one another!!! Well, to shorten the story, we started really praying for help, and direction. What is this parenting/marriage stuff all about? What did the Lord desire from us? Through that we felt strongly that He was asking us to purify. Which led us straight to our TV (other areas followed, but that was the first). I can say that even though we weren't watching those things considered "terrible", we were spending our time soaking in things that 1- were not lifting up the name of Jesus 2- not drawing us closer as a family 3- keeping us from being together. And so that is what we were doing - growing apart from each other and the Lord. So, we called the cable company and had them turn it off. I will not lie and say that it was easy. And for several weeks I really felt like we were missing out. But as time went by, we started spending our time together, and found a Bible teaching church, and really seeking the Lord as to what He desired for our life, we knew we had done the right thing.
Fast forward almost 4 years, we have been cable TV free and only use the local channels for news, really only during football season :), weather and I allow the girls to watch a FEW shows on PBS. If you know us and our children, we are not socially deprived or lacking in any way!!! My kids love life and have not missed out on a thing!! And not to mention we save $$$$$ too!!
Matthew 6:24 says, "Noone can serve 2 masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon (spirit of materialism)."
Well, the children are waking, so I will have to continue later......
Sunday, March 21, 2010
The newest journey
TV & MUSIC
I have always struggled with why these two social issues cause so much contraversy and division in the church. Of course I have my own beliefs and thoughts about these issues, but I want to more than just "think" I am doing the right thing. I don't usually "publically" announce my views on social issues, but if I am asked, I am always ready to give an answer - we should all be according to 1 Peter 3:15.
So, I have decided to do some research on the spiritual differences between secular & christian TV/Music. Stay tuned and walk this journey with me. Pray and ask the Lord to reveal His plans and desires for your life. I trust He will show us....
I have always struggled with why these two social issues cause so much contraversy and division in the church. Of course I have my own beliefs and thoughts about these issues, but I want to more than just "think" I am doing the right thing. I don't usually "publically" announce my views on social issues, but if I am asked, I am always ready to give an answer - we should all be according to 1 Peter 3:15.
So, I have decided to do some research on the spiritual differences between secular & christian TV/Music. Stay tuned and walk this journey with me. Pray and ask the Lord to reveal His plans and desires for your life. I trust He will show us....
Saturday, March 13, 2010
A skeptics view
I just heard a quote by Frank Turick (not sure I spelled his name right) on a radio show. He said "Do you know why skeptics are talked out of the truth? Because they have never been talked in to it!"
I stopped what I was doing and thought. You know, he's right. We who call ourselves believers, do not know the Word of God, We do not know how to give a testimony to the hope that we have. We are in love with the things of God, but not God, His Son and Holy Spirit.
Then I thought, "Why is that?".
I stopped what I was doing and thought. You know, he's right. We who call ourselves believers, do not know the Word of God, We do not know how to give a testimony to the hope that we have. We are in love with the things of God, but not God, His Son and Holy Spirit.
Then I thought, "Why is that?".
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
COME AS CLOSE AS YOU WANT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM1nTGleTW0
Be patient while I am still learning how to post things.....I want to put this video up. Send me some direction if you know what I am trying to do :)
Be patient while I am still learning how to post things.....I want to put this video up. Send me some direction if you know what I am trying to do :)
Monday, March 8, 2010
"What does love look like? Is the question I have been pondering...."
This was taken from a song by Misty Edwards. Arms Wide Open tells of God's love for us in His Son Jesus. My words really do not do the job in describing this song and what it means. It has made me really think about how I view Jesus and the cross. Do we REALLY know how much He longs to be with us? I think if we did, we would be desperate to spend time with Him. "We were made for abandonment, wholeheartedness" - and nothing else! We were not made to function outside of a love relationship with Jesus Christ.
I sometimes wish I could have been the woman who simply touched the hem of His garment. Think about it - she loved Him and knew His love for her so much that she believed and when she slightly felt His clothes He felt it! What love!
I truly believe that if our generation would grasp this and do it - our world would look a lot different!
Check out the song.....let me know your thoughts :)
I sometimes wish I could have been the woman who simply touched the hem of His garment. Think about it - she loved Him and knew His love for her so much that she believed and when she slightly felt His clothes He felt it! What love!
I truly believe that if our generation would grasp this and do it - our world would look a lot different!
Check out the song.....let me know your thoughts :)
Friday, March 5, 2010
In the beginning....... Part 2
Psalm 143:8
"Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love.
Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul."
I pray this post is used by Lord to show His people how much He loves them. We were not created to live outside of a true love relationship with Jesus. And then and only then will we be able to walk in the fullness of the Holy Spirit and become the "fruits of His Spirit".
So, out of my conversation with the Lord, I realized that where I was, not where He desired me to be. But what I did not really understand was that ALL He wanted from me was, just me - TIME with me. Well, I began getting up a little earlier and before I did ANYTHING, except potty and pour myself a cup of coffee :) , I sat on my couch opened up the Bible and began loving my Savior! In all honesty, I took some time to get used to this. It was a discipline. I had to discipline myself to get up and not "do" all the things that needed to be "done". But I will testify that after a couple of weeks of just simply sitting in the quiet, in the morning, and just reading the Bible, my life began. I must add that the Lord redeems the time that I spend with Him in the mornings - I am not as tired in the evenings, I think more clearly through out the day, I am more patient, my relationship with my husband has grown and is sweeter now than ever! And now, a year later, I am up at least and hour or two before the kids, and look forward to the time I have alone with my Savior! So sweet!
To be continued.......
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
In the beginning...
Thanks to a special friend and all my friends who blog, I have finally joined the "blogging band wagon". I pray this is the beginning of a sweet time for me to share what Jesus is doing in me and for me. I know I will probably, sometimes, occasionally add a pic or two of my little girls, but my heart is to love you through my love for the Lord. Thanks for visiting or following - still learning the jargon - I hope you are blessed!
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