Monday, December 21, 2009

Christmas Prophecy

Each Christmas I like to read the Gospel stories of the birth of Jesus. After all, Jesus' birthday is the reason we celebrate. It's great to read the story from the Bible....how the angels appeared...how the wise men journeyed to see the new King. I cherish these scriptures.

Last week I was sitting in my living room and decided to read from The Nativity Story book. This book was published after the movie with the same name came out. It has pictures from the move in the book. I've had the book for a while, but haven't really read it. After I picked it up and started to read, I realized that the verses I was reading was not from the Gospels. Actually, they weren't even from the New Testament. The verses talking about the birth and life of Jesus were from the Old Testament, and written hundreds of years before His birth. Now, I've known about these prophecies, but I just never thought about reading them during Christmas. But since I started reading them, I can't think of anything else. I'm amazed at what God had people write hundreds of years ago. Here's a few examples:

  • Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
  • Jeremiah 23:5-6 "For the time is coming", says the Lord, "when I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David's line. He will be a King who rules with wisdom. He will do what is just and right throughout the land. And this will be his name: The Lord is Our Righteousness. In that day Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety."
  • Numbers 24: 17,19 I see him, but not here and now. I perceive him, but far in the distant future. A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel...A ruler will rise in Jacob.
  • Isaiah 49:6-7 I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth...Kings will stand at attention when you pass by. Princes will also bow low because of the Lord, the faithful one, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.
  • Isaiah 11:1-2 Out of the stump of David's family will grow a shoot- yes, a new branch bearing fruity from the old root. And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him- the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
  • Isaiah 11:10 In that day the heir to David's throne will be a banner of salvation to all the world. The nations will rally to Him, and the land where He lives will be a glorious place.
  • Isaiah 16:5 God will establish one of David's descendants as king. He will rule with mercy and truth. He will always do what is just and be eager to do what is right.
  • Micah 5:2-3 You, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village amount all the people of Judah. Yet, a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origin is from a distant past.
  • Isaiah 9:6-7 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on His shoulders. And He will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity.

These verses are amazing to me. I read one time that the likelihood of one person fulfilling all the prophecies of the Old Testament regarding the Savior was about like taking a blindfolded person, putting them in the state of Texas covered with quarters on the ground, and asking that person to find the one quarter on the ground with a red mark on it. It would be impossible....yet...and yet....JESUS fulfilled all the prophecies of the Old Testament.

I hope you read Matthew's account, and maybe Luke's account, of the birth of Jesus this Christmas. And if you get a chance, check out The Nativity Story on DVD. I know that will bless your socks off. But if you want to really, really be blessed, check out the prophecies of the Old Testament. I plan on being like Mary when it says in Luke 2:19, "Mary kept all these things in her heart."

Blessings to you all on Christmas, and in the coming New Year. May His love reign in your hearts and in your lives, and may others see Him in you!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Reasons to Praise God TODAY!

I've got so many reasons to Praise God today. Here's a few of them:

  • Praise God for medicine that heals!
  • Praise God for my healthy family!
  • Praise God for answering prayers to heal my friend's son that fell out of a 2nd story window last week!
  • Praise God for sending Jesus to die on the cross for me. Without Him, I would be headed to hell for sure!
  • Praise God for Thanksgiving and my mom's cooking! Can't wait for that!
  • Praise God for a home and shelter from the cold.
  • Praise God for a husband that works hard and provides for his family!
  • Praise God for a school to send my kids to where they can pray and learn about the Bible.
  • Praise God for my church and our church leaders.
  • Praise God for the country I live in. I don't have to worry about praising God in public!
  • Praise God I have eyes to see and ears to hear!
  • Praise God for the laundry!

Ok, I'm stopping with the laundry. I'm not sure I could list all my house chores in one list of praises! (-:

Blessings to all those reading this. Please let me know what you are praising God for today! stephieb@swbell.net

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Praise the Lord!!!

PRAISE THE LORD! What an easy thing to say. With all the things we are blessed with in this world, particularly within the US, you would think we would hear that phrase more often. I don't know about you, but I don't hear it enough. I hear people honking their horns a lot in traffic. I see people getting frustrated in stores. I even see people becoming impatient in the carpool line at my kid's private school!! I see and hear a lot of negativity, but not as much praising the Lord for all the good things we have. I read in the Bible we should praise God in ALL circumstances. So why is it we don't hear more praising?

I'm guilty of this. It seems easier to complain than to praise. And to praise God in ALL circumstances, now...that's a hard one. I don't really feel like praising God when my kids are sick and I've been up all night. I sure don't feel like praising God when the laundry is piled up. Now I love Jesus with all my heart, but some things just don't make me think of praising Him. That guy that honked his horn at me earlier today didn't make me think of praising my Father for sure.

But what if instead of getting mad or frustrated, I started praising Jesus. What if I said "Lord, thank you for having a car to drive and for protecting me in traffic" when that guy honked his horn at me today instead of what I was thinking. And what if I started praising Him when I was doing the stuff I really couldn't care less about...like the laundry. I wonder what would happen.

I want to live a life that is pleasing to God. I know I will never be perfect and I'll mess up from time to time, but I want to try my best. The Bible says that God inhabits the praises of His people. That means when I start praising God, He is right there with me. That gives me a Partner with the laundry and in traffic. And not just any partner, but yet the One that can guide me, encourage me, protect me, and love me unconditionally. I think that's a great reason to praise Him.

So, how do we praise Him? Here's my list:
  • by singing
  • verbally
  • by our lifestyles
  • by lifting our hands
  • by giving to others
  • by serving others
  • special celebrations
  • witnessing to others

Really, anything we do and give God the glory is giving praises to Him.

What are ways that you praise the Lord? Email me and let me know.
Stephieb@swbell.net.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

How Should We Pray?

How interesting it is to talk about prayer with your friends. I did that yesterday at Bible study and I feel like I learned so much through my wonderful Bible study friends. We talked about the affects of praying and here's some of the things we discussed:
  1. Through prayer, you get a sense of peace.
  2. Through prayer, you may receive signs from the Lord.
  3. Through prayer, you can expect to see miracles.
  4. Through prayer, sometimes you get a delayed response from the Lord, but His timing is always perfect!
  5. Through prayer, sometimes the Lord will send others to encourage you.
  6. Through prayer, sometimes you get an unexpected solution or answer.
  7. Through prayer, sometimes you get a direct answer.

We also talked about how we should pray. One of the things I think I failed to mention but should is that the best way to learn to pray is by praying! An example of this is my relationship with my parents. The older I get, the better I am at communicating with them. That is because I know them better and better the more I communicate with them. It's the same with God. The more we pray and communicate with Him, the better we get at it.

Communicating with God doesn't have to be a recited prayer every time. As a matter of fact, it's good just talk to God and share your thoughts with Him. Now, it's not bad to recite prayers such as the Lord's Prayer found in Matthew 6. I'm sure the Lord delights in us praying that prayer! However, I feel He wants more from us, not just the same recited prayer over and over. And speaking of The Lord's Prayer, it's a great guideline for things we need to remember in prayer...

  • Give honor to God
  • Ask for blessings on our world and others
  • Ask for our needs
  • Ask for forgiveness
  • Ask for deliverance

And how do we remember to pray? One thing I've started doing is making myself a reminder for prayer. I heard someone say one time that they decided to pray at every red light they were sitting at in traffic. I thought that was a grand idea. I'm sure we could all come up with some reminders for prayer.....maybe prayer praying for a specific friend with cancer every time you see the color pink....maybe when you cross a bridge you pray for a friend that is at a crossroads in life...maybe when you see an ambulance or emergency vehicle you pray for the health care workers. If we put our minds to it, we can always come up with some reminders for prayer.

We need to get our minds in the right position for prayer. A good way to do this is to start with Praise. I feel all our prayers should begin with saying thanks to God. Thanks for our world. Thanks for our family and friends. Thanks for dieing on the cross for us. Thanks for the food we eat and the homes we have. This humbles us and focuses our minds on God at the beginning of our prayers. And honestly, we should be singing praises of thanksgiving all day long to our Savior and our King!

If you have some thoughts on prayer, please post them on this blog or email them to me and I'll post them for you. stephieb@swbell.net

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Why Should We Pray?

What is prayer anyway? If we looked up prayer in the dictionary we'd find something lilke the following:
  • a devout petition to God or an object of worship
  • a spiritual communion with God or an object of worship, as in supplication, thanksgiving, adoration, or confession
  • the act or practice of praying to God
  • a formula or sequence of words used in or appointed for praying (The Lord's Prayer)
  • a petition
I think those are all correct, but really to me praying is talking to God. God created us because He wanted a relationship with us. He wants us to seek Him. He wants to be our Father. He wants to hear about our good days and our bad days. Do you have a relationship with God, or do you just know about God? You know, we could read all the books we wanted to on the President of the US. We would get to know him well by doing that. However, we couldn't just walk up to the White House and walk in because we don't have a relationship with the President. It's the same with God. He wants a relationship with us. He wants to be Lord of our lives.

So what are the reasons we pray? Well the main reason we should pray is because Jesus prayed. If He is our example for living, then we have no excuse not to pray. Luke 6:12 tells about Jesus spending the entire night praying. Luke 18:1 said he told a parable to show us we should always pray. The Bible is clear that Jesus thought it was important to pray.

We also pray to deepen our relationship with God. Psalms 145:18 says that God is near to all that call on Him. I sure want God near to me! When I met my husband I didn't immediately love him. I liked him a lot, but didn't grow to love him and trust him until I got to know him better. The more I get to know Jesus through prayer and through reading His Word, the more I trust Him and the more I love Him!

It's hard to think of November without thinking about Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is another reason to pray. We have so much to be thankful for! And if you're looking for a good prayer for Thanksgiving, check out some of the things David wrote in the Psalms!

What about for healing? I bet a lot of people reading this have prayed for either their own healing or the healing of a close friend or family member. God is indeed in the healing business! Jesus said in Mark 9:28-29 that some demons couldn't be driven out except by prayer. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says God will "heal their land" of those that seek him and pray. He is the Great Physician!

Want a good road map of what direction to go in times of trouble? Why not try praying? James 5:13-16 Says if you are in trouble, you should pray!

Need more peace and less worrying in your life? Pray. Philippians 4:6 says to pray about everything and you will receive God's peace.

Last on my list of why we should pray, but certainly not least, is we should pray because others need us to pray for them! 1 Timothy 2:14 says we should be intercessors for others and this pleases God! I want to be a God pleaser for sure! And, how can we not pray for those around us. I know as a mom I'm always praying for my family, and the families of those I love!

So what reasons do you pray? What evidence do you have that God does indeed hear prayers? Please post your comments to the blog or email them to me and I'll post them. stephieb@swbell.net

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Prayer

If there is one thing different denominations and different religions can agree on, it's the need for prayer. If I were to ask all my friends if prayer were important, I can't imagine any of them would say "no". We know prayer is important. It doesn't take much of reading the bible to figure out that prayer is important.

2 Chronicles 7:14 says "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Luke 6:12 says "One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God."

Mark 9: 28-29 says "After Jesus had gone indoors, His disciples asked Him privately, 'Why couldn't we drive it out?' He replied, 'This kind can come out only by prayer.' "

Old Testament and New Testment are both in agreement. Prayer is important. So why don't more Christian pray more often? Why isn't prayer the first thing we think of when we have a problem, or even when we have something to celebrate? For me, prayer is good but I struggle with getting enough of it. And actually, how much is enough of it?

In the next few weeks I'm going to take a journey through the Bible looking up different prayers. I'm going to focus on increasing my prayer life. I'm going to set a goal to pray more for others. I'm going to learn what the Bible says about prayer. And in the process, I'm going to committ to reading the book 31 Days of Prayer by Ruth Myers. Maybe you can read along with me and chat with me on this blog. Maybe we can both increase our prayer life and better our relationship with our Heavenly Father.

Are you in? Or do you need to pray about it? (-:

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Moving On and Sin Is Deadly

Ladies, what a pleasure it has been to do this bible study with you. I have so enjoyed hearing Priscilla, Beth, and Kay speak. I'm learning stuff and hope you are too. If you missed last week's session, here are the notes:
1. We've got to move past our devastation with God. David was angry and afraid but he had to get past that.
2. We've got to return to whole-hearted obedience. Joy is coming.
3. Let's have the courage to see the fulfillment of God's promises to us.
4. Your God has good things for you - not painless things for you, good things for you!

Kay lead the discussion this week. I like her style a lot. She's down to earth and really loves her Savior. So cool! Here are the notes from this week...

Scriptures tell us that the following is sin:
1-Sin is to knowing the right thing and not doing it.
2-Sin is lawlessness. It means that you are not going to keep the law of God.
3-All unrighteousness is sin. To not do what is right in the eyes of God is sin.
4-Whatever is not of faith is sin.

Five Things About Sin:
1-Sin will take you farther than you ever intended to go. She referenced 2 Samuel 11 & 12, and also 1 Chronicles 11:41 (the story of David and Bathsheba)
2-When you sin, you are despising God.
3-Sin is evil.
4-The temptation to sin is not more than you can bear.
5-Sin costs you more than you expected to pay.

This is all good information. I needed to hear it.

I hope to see you all on Tuesday if not before then!

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Moving Past Our Devastation

I have to admit I was a little sad that Priscilla was not teaching this week's video session because I enjoyed hearing her so much. However, good ole Beth Moore sure preached a good session this week. Don't you just love to see how God anoints women to preach the Word to other women. I do. Our God is so good and I love Him so. Here are the notes from this week's session:

1. We can have a good idea that's not a God idea. See 2 Samuel 7 and Luke 2:4. David was overwhelmed by the goodness God had given him and his family. And when God referred to the house He would build for David, He was referring to the lineage of David and Jesus!
2. This far moments with God. Satan didn't get what he wanted out of us because we're in bible study searching for more of God. Also, God's calling on your life will always be beyond you so you can allow God to work through you. Do not obey fear.
3. There's a big difference between relief and release.
4. God has come to absolutely mark our lives with His glory. He's come to take us this far....so far it has to be God!
5. God is not just interested in adjusting our lives. He wants us transformed.
6. I don't want a tweak. I want a transformation.....A full fledged so far transformation. Deliverance! We need to let go and let God change us. We could affect 1000 generations for the Glory of God. Let's not be sissies, but yet let's claim our family lines for Christ. PRAY scripture over your family!
7. What will it take to get there? Give your heart to God. Move past the devastation.
8. We've got to move past our devastation with God. 2 Samuel 6:1-10 talks about a hard time for David. He was angry (vs8) and he was afraid (v9). But he got past it. What if he wouldn't have gotten past the devastation? What if we don't get past our devastations? Move on with God!

I love this. Walking with the Lord is the only way to go for me. I need Him so much. I want to get past all the devatations in my life and get on with bringing God the glory.

Love ya'll. Hope you do your homework!

Stephanie

Sunday, September 20, 2009

The Anointing: Directed and Guaranteed

What a wonderful, anointed women of the Lord Priscilla Shirer is. I have so enjoyed the first two session of our study of David. I hope you are enjoying this study as well as I am. Here are the notes from session 2 for those that missed the video session:

1. God is not looking for perfect women. He is looking for passionate women.
She referenced 1 Chronicles 13
2. We have a father whose heart for us is love.
3. Having a God awareness is going to cost you something and cause you to make decisions that you would not normally make.
4. The enemy has a three part plan to kill, steal, and destroy. (John 10:10)
5. The anointing not only guarantees you opposition, but it also guarantees you access to God. PRAYER is the most wonderful weapon we have! PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!
6. David's example shows us that the most important thing that we can have is a fresh, ongoing, intimate relationship with God. (1 Chron 15)
7. The anointing not only guarantees you opposition and access to God, but it also guarantees you specific, divine, direction from God. God speaks to us!
8. The more you know God, the more clearly you will be able to hear him!!
9. The anointed are not only guaranteed opposition, access to God, with specific, Divine direction from God, but also we are guaranteed supernatural results when we obey God.

This week God really emphasized to me the importance of prayer. I need to pray more and increase my time alone with God. There is power in prayer and I intend on unleashing God's power through my prayer life. I hope you will too.

Looking forward to seeing my sisters on Tuesday,
Stephanie

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

The Anointing: Established and Empowered

Today begins the weekly blog that I'll be doing along with the study on David called "Anointed, Transformed, and Redeemed" by Priscilla Shirer, Beth Moore, and Kay Arthur. For those of you in San Antonio, our bible study group meets on Tuesdays at Community Bible Church. Let me know if you're interested. For those of you outside of San Antonio, I pray the information posted will make you want to do this complete study or at least bless you in some way.

Priscilla Shirer began the study yesterday with a session on being anointed. Wow! She's a powerful speaker. Here are the notes I took from her session with a little person interjection:

1. First Chronicles 14:2 tells us that David knew two things: He knew WHOSE he was and he knew WHO he was. The Lord had made him king. God is the source of everything in our lives! We all need to remember that as Christians, we've got a grand Daddy in heaven. Not just any Daddy, but the one that created the heavens and the earth. Priscilla did a great job of giving a description of our heavenly father, but you can click on the following link to get another description: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzqTFNfeDnE (You really should watch this!) So, when you're having a bad day and it seems that this world is out to get you, go to the mirror and ask yourself, "who's your daddy?". Then remember, He is Lord of Lord and King of Kings.

2. The word "established" is the same word used in Psalm 119:90 to talk about how the Lord established the earth or founded the earth. That's means God establishes you with His mighty power.

3. The Philistines heard that David had been anointed.

4. The Anointing is "a divine empowerment or a divine enablement to accomplish God's purpose for your life".

5. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, the anointing of God rests on your life. What an awesome thing! As His child, I am anointed!!! See 2 Peter 1:3 and 1 John 2:27

6. The anointing guarantees opposition. In 1 Chronicles 14:8 it says that ALL came up against David when they found out he was appointed. It's the same with us. Satan doesn't want us to succeed for Christ and we will have opposition. But, we've got a big Daddy to call on!

7. David's first mission as king was to bring back the ark of God, which represented the presence of God. Exodus 25 states that God would be where the ark was. David wanted God at the center of everything! We need God at the center of everything!

8. Personally bringing back the ark of God means setting up the presence of God as the central focal point of every day decisions you make. Wow! Think about this! What if we were to include God on every decision we make. What if we were to unleash His Mighty Power on our lives in this way by following Him in every decision?!?!?

Post your thoughts on these comments or email me and I'll post them for you. (stephieb@swbell.net)

Because He died for me,
Stephanie

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Get You Some Christian Friends! : Romans 15 & 16

Dean and I had just joined Community Bible Church when we were married in 1998. We met several other couples our age playing on a co-ed softball team with the church. One of the couples invited us to their bible study. We didn't know when we started that bible study how important that group would be to us. We didn't have any family in San Antonio, and our bible study group quickly became our family. In late 1999 and early 2000, we lost two babies as a result of first term miscarriages. We were devastated to say the least, but our bible study group was there to pick us up. Some of them brought us meals. Some prayed with us. Some just came by and hung out with us. They encouraged us and reminded us the Lord had great plans in mind for us. We would have never made it through those days without our Christian friends. We praise God for them!



In Romans 15 and 16 Paul is closing his letter. He's saying greetings to all those brothers and sisters in Christ and telling them of his travel plans. When I read these chapters, I was immediately reminded how important it is to have Christian friends and how we should be treating our Christian friends. In Romans 15:14- 15 Paul says "I am fully convinced, dear brothers and sisters, that you are full of goodness. You know these things so well that you are able to teach others all about them. Even so, I have been bold enough to emphasize some of these points, knowing that all you need is this reminder from me." We all should be doing this. We all should be reminding our Christian brothers and sisters of God's great plans. Later on in chapter 15 Paul talks about being "eager to visit you" and that he is to "take a gift to the Christians there" in Jerusalem. He was encouraging his brothers and sisters in Christ. Isn't that what we should be doing? I love Paul's example here. It's simple brotherly love. And then in 15:30 Paul writes, "join me in my struggle by praying to God for me". For sure, we should be praying for each other. To me that is the basic support system for our sisters and brothers!



On May 2, 2001 our little Leanna Grace was born. It was and still is the best day of our lives. We had cried so many tears and prayed so many prayers asking for a child. And then we got Leanna. It was a wonderful, wonderful day. And guess who came to visit us in the hospital that day? Almost every one of our bible study friends! They had come to celebrate with us after having prayed with us for so long for this child. I'll never forget their kindness to us...their support...their encouragement...their prayers. They were Jesus to us, and they made us want to be Jesus to others.



Today is the last post for this Romans study. I've enjoyed going back through the book of Romans and I hope you have too. Please post your comments on the blog, or email them to me to stephieb@swbell.net. I'd love to hear from you.



If you are in the San Antonio area and looking for a women's bible study group, I'll be meeting at Community Bible Church each Tuesday from 11:30 to 1:00pm starting September 8th. I'd love to have you join our group. We're going to do a study this fall called "Anointed, Transformed, and Redeemed: A study of David" by Beth Moore, Priscilla Shiver, and Kay Arthur. It will be fun and I'm sure the Lord will teach us something new.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Knowing When to Say Something: Romans 13 & 14

I grew up in a Southern Baptist church in South Mississippi. I love that church. It was instrumental in me coming to know Jesus as my Savior. As a matter of fact, I visit that church each time I'm back in my hometown of Petal. (I should now give a shout out to all my Petal Harvey Baptist friends! Praise God for you!) Each week I knew what to expect at church. There would be announcements of upcoming events. Then there would be a couple of hymns with the organ played in the background, and there would be one special music piece, usually a solo. And finally, the Pastor would deliver his message for the week. I enjoyed church and felt like it honored the Lord so much.

One time I went to South Louisiana with my grandmother to visit my aunt for the weekend. While we were there, we went to church at my aunt's church. It wasn't a Baptist church, and honestly I can't remember what denomination it was. I just remember getting there and seeing tambourines in the pews and an electric guitar on stage where I expected the preacher to be. I was freaked out to say the least. Surely these people weren't going to play that guitar in church and surely they didn't expect me to use that tambourine!!! If so, I was certain we would all be struck with lightening!!! Church wasn't supposed to be like that! Well, they did play that guitar and some people did pick up those tambourines during the music. And you know what, we didn't get struck with lightening!!!!

As I've grown in my relationship with the Lord I've realized that Christians all over the United States and all over the world worship differently. Some have very structured services and some have very free services. I've also come to believe that God likes them all as long as they are worshiping Him! In Romans 14 it talks about accepting differences between Christians. I love this chapter. To me God is saying, "Quit judging your Christian brothers and sisters. Be kind to them and do not offend them. Don't expect them to dress, eat, worship, or anything like you do. What I tell you to do and not to do might be different from what I tell them to do and not to do." Now, there's a time to step out in faith and tell a Christian brother or sister when they are living outside the law. But that's not what these verses are talking about. These verses are talking about the "grey" areas. For example, I have some dear friends that were raised Catholic. Each year prior to Easter they give up something for Lent. Now, the Lord hasn't told me I need to do that. However, I honor my friends for their commitment to continue doing that in worship of the Lord. And, they don't look down on me for not giving up something for Lent. You see, it's a personal decision based on what the Holy Spirit is telling you. So, when in doubt on how you should live..... ask God!

Now, Romans 13 is a little different. One thing we are all commanded to do is submit ourselves to the governing authorities as it says in 13:1. It goes on to say all leaders have been put in place by God. So, with that in mind should we be silent when they are doing something we don't agree with? I don't think so. I think this is a time to speak up. And when we speak up, we need to do it with love so that they will see Jesus in us, but we need to speak up. We can be praying for those leaders and supporting them while also voicing our opinions. As a matter of fact, when I see a leader that is not doing what I feel is correct I pray for him more!

So, there are times as Christians when we need to honor others that are different and not offend them or cause them to stumble, and there are times as Christians that we need to stand up and voice our opinions. It's up to us individually to seek the Holy Spirit's direction and then follow Him and not man.

By the way, that precious Petal Harvey Baptist church I was telling you about earlier....well, the last time I was there visiting they had a guitar being played alongside the organ. And they didn't get struck by lightening. :-)

What is Romans 13 and 14 saying to you?

Post your comments or email them to me at stephieb@swbell.net and I'll post them for you!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

You Don't Have To Buy A Farm: Romans 11 & 12

I am so glad that I don't have to do sacrifices like in the Old Testament to cover my sins. Whew! They had to go through a lot to get forgiveness from their sins. First of all, I'd have to get a farm because I'd need a lot of animals. Of course I try to live without sin but my mouth, or even my thoughts, get me into trouble sometimes. So, I'd need to have lots of animals on my farm. Then of course those animals would want to eat each day. I grew up having to feed horses and cows, and let's just say that's not a mid day chore. I'd have to get up early to feed those animals. And then there's land. You can't just live in a planned neighborhood or an apartment if you have all those animals. I'd have to have a big piece of property and that would cost some money. And then there's the actual sacrificing issue. I know I'd have a hard time with that one! I mean, here's my cute little lamb that I raised and now we have to what? Oh, I wouldn't like that!

I'm so thankful to Jesus for being the ultimate sacrifice. I'm so thankful for grace and mercy through faith. When we compare the Old Testament way of getting forgiveness of sin with the New Testament way of getting forgiveness of sin, we see how easy the new way is. In Romans 12 Paul says we have to be "living sacrifices". That's sounds tough, but you know, He's not asking a lot of us. He want us to be nice to others, and ourselves. He wants us to hate what is evil. He wants us to remain faithful to Him. Romans 11 and 12 reminded me of what Jesus said when asked what was the most important commandment. Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

So now when someone is ugly to me, I'll try to smile and show forgiveness quickly. I'll try to love on them so they will see Jesus in me. But you can be sure in my mind I'm thinking, "I'm so glad I don't have to buy a farm to get some forgiveness. Showing love to others as a living sacrifice will do just fine for me!"

  • What do you think about Romans 11 and 12?
  • What ways can you offer yourself as a living sacrifice to Jesus?

Please post your comments or email them to me to stephieb@swbell.net and I'll post them for you.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Watch Out!! Romans 9 & 10

Let's say you and I were sitting on a bus bench waiting for the next bus to take us some place. While we were sitting there talking we realized a lady had stepped into the street unknowingly in front of the bus that is just about to run over her. I would have to imagine that both of us would jump out of our seats yelling, "WATCH OUT!!!". We'd probably even try to push her out of the way. Even if we didn't know her, I'm certain this is what we'd do. I can't think of anyone that would just sit back and watch this lady get run over without doing something to help her. I mean, once you see the big bus coming you are confident something bad is going to happen unless you react.

Each day we see people headed to disaster...and not just any disaster but eternal disaster. Whether at Wal-Mart, the grocery store, at work or even in our neighborhoods, we are surrounded by people headed for disaster. They don't know Jesus. But for whatever reason, not all of us do anything about it. Maybe we're busy. Maybe we're concerned about what they will say to us or about us. Maybe we just don't care enough. Or maybe, we're just not confident in what we believe.

In Chapters 9 and 10 of Romans, Paul's love for others shows through. Romans 9: 1 - 3 says, "I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel." And then in Romans 10:1 he says, "Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved." Paul is so confident in his beliefs and is so concerned about the future of those he is speaking that he's willing to be cut off from Christ if it means all the others would be saved. And when we look back at Chapters 1 - 8 we see him screaming "WATCH OUT" so to speak.

Now all of us can't be like Paul. Obviously we have people that are called to full time ministry, and I totally get that not everyone is called to full time ministry. But with my reading this week in Romans 9 and 10, and hearing my Pastor say this past weekend, "What have you done for Christ today?", it really got me motivated. Each day we should think about what we can do for our Lord. It's good to plan to take a mission trip once a year or every so often, but what if we planned to take a mission trip each day. What if we started the day with, "Lord, show me one way today that I can serve you." Maybe those people headed for eternal disaster won't get there. Maybe we'll plant a seed for Jesus and He'll grow that seed right into eternity. And what a blessing we'll have when we get to heaven and see others there because we figuratively said, "WATCH OUT" to them

Romans 10:12 - 15 "For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

  • What holds you back from telling other about Jesus?
  • What ways can you serve Jesus today?
  • What does Chapters 9 & 10 of Romans say to you?

Please post your thoughts or email them to me to stephieb@swbell.net

Monday, July 6, 2009

Put Your Crown On! Romans 7 & 8

Even if you haven't read Romans 7 and 8 in the last week, I bet there are several verses that if I started them, you could finish them. Verses like Romans 8:1 which says, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus," and verses like Romans 8:28 which says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose." These chapters are filled with information for Christian living. There is so much we could discuss. But this week, two verses kept my attention. Romans 8:16-17 says "The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."

Heirs? Heirs of God? Heirs as in Royalty? I have a hard time thinking I'm royalty, but over and over in the bible it says that as followers of Christ we are heirs.

Matthew 25:34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world."

Colossians 1:12-14 "giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption,the forgiveness of sins."

Daniel 7:18 "But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever—yes, for ever and ever."

Ephesians 1:13-14 "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory."

When I think of royalty I immediately think of the Queen of England. I am like a lot of people that find her so interesting. She has such a privileged life. She lives in a beautiful home, well, actually several beautiful homes. She has servants and housekeepers. She has advisors. She gets to meet other royalty all the time. And in all of that she is very loved by her subjects because of her love for them. Oh, the life of a queen! But wait, I'm a queen too!! My daddy is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I have a privileged life too. I can have peace that surpasses all understanding no matter what my circumstances. I can ask my Dad for help on any matter at any time. I have the most beautiful home waiting for me in eternity. I have angels that watch over me. I have the Holy Spirit as my Advisor. I have the love of Jesus in my heart which hopefully spills out on others most days. And, I get to hang out with lots of other royal people that are brothers and sisters in Christ.

So as I start my day today, and every day, I need to think about my royal position....my obligation to live by the Spirit...to love others. I am putting my imaginary crown on! Oh, I hope others see it glowing and know that the glow is from my Heavenly Father!

What about you? Do you feel like royalty? What does Romans 7 & 8 say to you? Please post your comments to the blog or email me: stephieb@swbell.net

Monday, June 29, 2009

Slavery That Sets You Free: Romans 5 & 6

This week on the news I saw where a high school football coach was honored after his passing. Apparently, he had made a huge impact on his community and the players he coached. Each person interviewed talked about how he set the example of a Christian man. Some talked about how his coaching had made them a better person as well as a better player. Some remembered when their town was hit by a bad tornado and he came to assist many of the people as if they were his family. This one man impacted the lives of many.

Romans 5 discusses how sin entered the world through one man. One bad decision and no more Garden of Eden. One bad decision and death becomes a reality. It’s hard to think of Adam and not think of original sin. And as much as I’d like to tell Adam and Eve a thing or two for taking away Eden, I can’t say that the outcome would have been different if I was the person in the garden. I’ve made a lot of bad choices, some which affected many people. Some of those bad decisions I made as a Christian.

We all influence others. We all have the ability to impact the lives of others with our choices in life. We moms have a huge opportunity to impact our children. I’ve been told that the tone of the house is set by the mom. I’m sure you’ve heard, “if Mama ain’t happy, ain’t no one happy”. Well, I’ve got to say that can be true at times. At least it is in my house! It’s a scary thought that my actions and my choices might have a negative impact on my children, but it’s a thought I don’t want to forget because it challenges me to think, pray, and seek God’s help.

Romans 6 says we should become a “slave” to righteousness. A slave is defined as a person that is the property of and wholly subject to another. The word “slave” makes me think of this being a chore....putting someone else’s desires ahead of my own desires..something that takes work. Sometimes being a slave to righteousness is a chore. Sometimes I’d rather scream at the person that has offended me rather than be nice to them and love them. Sometimes I’d rather hit someone over the head with a bible rather than be patience with them. Sometimes I’d rather skip out on my responsibilities and my commitments. It goes back to our choices, and the impact of those choices. I like the question asked in Romans 6:21. “What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of?” I feel much better when I make the right choice through my slavery to righteousness!!

But don’t you just love how chapter 6 ends…22But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in
Christ Jesus our Lord.

Thank you Jesus for grace and mercy, and thank you most of all for your gift of eternal life through Jesus!!

What does Romans 5 and 6 say to you? Please post your comments or email them to me and I'll post them for you.
( stephieb@swbell.net )


Sunday, June 21, 2009

Abraham, Paul & Aunt Wayne: Romans 3 & 4

Romans 4:3 ……… "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."

My husband once told me to, “Start with the end in mind”. I was thinking about that today, and thinking what I want people to say about me when I pass from this earth into my eternal life in Glory. I couldn’t help but laugh at some things I’m sure people would say about me. I’m certain they will say I’m a Southern gal and that I like to talk. Others will say how I love to tell jokes and have fun. There’s actually a lot others could say about me, some of which I don’t care to write here!! However, if there’s one thing that I want others to say about me, it’s that they see Jesus in me, and that maybe they would even consider me a righteous women.

Paul brings up Abraham in chapter 4 of Romans and talks about his faith. I can’t imagine being told at the ripe old age of 100 that I would have a child. That is exactly what happened to Abraham. God said He would make Abraham the father of many nations and Abraham believed. My response to being told that I would have a child at 100 years old would have been more like “Why me Lord?!?!! Are you mad at me Lord? Are you sure Lord? Can I change your mind Lord?” Some righteousness I have!!!

Paul goes to great lengths to talk about our FAITH making us righteous in these chapters, not our works! Paul had studied the Old Testament and God’s law many years before becoming a follower of Christ. He had been taught we should follow the law, but trying to following the law apparently made him conscious of his sin. (Romans 3:20) He realized at some point living perfectly was impossible. As he said in Romans 3:23 and really drove home in Romans 4: 4-18, we are ALL sinners. Christianity is the only religion that believes one is entered into heaved by faith alone. All other religions believe this is accomplished through works. I always like to ask people of other faiths, “How’s that working for ya? Are you living by the law and without sin?” If they say yes, they are lying, and well, that’s a sin!

Now, we should certainly try to keep God’s law and do good works. We are saved by faith FOR works, and not by works. But faith alone is how we can be accredited with righteousness in God’s eyes.

If I look back at the struggles in my life, I don’t think I went to Jesus right from the beginning of the struggle. I don’t remember saying, “OK Lord, whatever you have for me is just fine.” When I moved to San Antonio and didn’t know anyone. I certainly struggled with loneliness, but I was here months before I looked to Jesus for help. When I lost two babies due to miscarriage I certainly looked to Jesus, but not until I talked to my doctors and tried to figure out what was going on and how we could fix the problem. And when God told me I should quit my full time job, well, let’s just say it was silly how I tried to remind Him what my bank account looked like. Where was my faith!?!?!

And then I think about my Aunt Wayne. (Yes, it’s AUNT WAYNE. It’s a Mississippi name. Her full name is Hilda Wayne and we just call her Aunt Wayne for short.) In the last several years she’s lost one child, one grandchild, and her husband. If anyone has had an excuse to be angry with God or to question His ways, it’s my Aunt Wayne. I asked her one day how she does it, “How in the world do you keep that joy in your heart during the mist of such difficult times?” Her answer….. FAITH. She said she has complete faith in God and whatever He has for her was just what she wants because she is confident His plans for her are good. Amazing faith. Faith like that of Abraham.

So how do we get this faith like Abraham, or like Paul, or even like my Aunt Wayne? I think Martha touched on it in her comment from last week. It’s a process. It’s a faith to faith process. After we first believe and begin to trust, our faith grows. But our faith grows when only we make strides to make it grow. I have faith in my husband, that he will take care of me and he will love me until the day he dies. However, I didn’t just get that after I figured out I loved him. It took spending time with him, getting to know him, sharing my thoughts with him, and being his friend before I would trust him with being my husband. I think it’s the same with God. We believe a little, and then as we read the bible and go to church, our faith grows. And then we go through hard times, and our faith grows a little more. Some faith builders are fun, some… well… some not so much.

I know my faith is growing each day. I’ve certainly learned to go to God first when there’s a problem and to trust Him. I’ve not perfected that, but I’ve gotten better at it. But as I was finishing my reading last night, I read back through Romans 3 and 4 and saw this verse:
Romans 3:3-4 What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness? Not at all! Praise God!!! God is faithful even when we’re not!
  • What are Romans 3 and 4 saying to you?
  • Is your faith increasing? If so, how?
  • Have you taken a risk for faith lately?

Post your comments by clicking below or email them to me at: stephieb@swbell.net

Sunday, June 14, 2009

A Changed Life and Encouraging Each Other - Romans 1 & 2

It's hard to think about the book of Romans without thinking about Paul, the author. What an amazing testimony he had! Acts 9 tells us he was on his way to Damascus to kill followers of Christ when a bright light appeared and he heard a voice saying, "Why do you persecute me?". It was Jesus speaking to him. That moment changed Paul's life and purpose forever.

Paul's original mission was based on his life's education, what he'd learned from his father, a Pharisee of the tribe of Benjamin, and from a Jewish rabbi he studied under. He wasn't just an average, uneducated man. He was a Roman citizen, and a very educated Jew. He was confident in what he had been taught by man. He was taught to follow God's law. But then, he meets Jesus. Not just Jesus, but the resurrected Jesus. Three years later we find Paul headed back to Damascus, but this time to preach the Gospel as a follower of Christ!

What a change!! From killing Christians to preaching the gospel! Most of us, well, hopefully everyone reading this, are not Christian killers. But I hope all of us have had a change in our lives after meeting Jesus. And not just a change, but a redirection. Is your life different with Jesus?

As we begin reading Romans, we see Paul has given us so much information. There are so many things we could address, but I think for me God is saying, "Let's do a heart check." I read Romans 1:17, and wondered - am I really living by faith? I read Romans 2:8 and thought about my heart. Are my actions self seeking or truth seeking? And then there's Romans 2:28-29. Do I try to follow God's law because that's what you're suppose to do, or because my heart is being circumcised(changed) by the Holy Spirit?

What about you? What do you think the Lord is saying to you in Romans 1 & 2? Please click on the comment box below and sign in to post your comment, or email me your comment (
stephieb@swbell.net) and I'll post it for you. I want to hear from you. Romans 1:12 "I'm eager to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. In this way, each of us will be a blessing to the other."



Thursday, June 4, 2009

Romans Beauty Treatment To Begin Soon!

Ahhh...Summer. A little more relaxed. A little more time with the ones I love. There's a lot to enjoy during the summer...swimming, the beach, vacations. One thing I don't enjoy during the summer is getting away from my typical Bible study routine. Each summer, I always make a commitment to study the Bible, but it never works out like I plan. It's easy for us moms to get caught up in entertaining and caring for our families, so much so that we forget about caring for ourselves! OK, so now you're probably saying, "How does bible study relate to caring for myself?!??!!" Well, Bible study is the best way we can care for ourselves. It can put more glow on your face than any Avon, Mary Kay, or Cover Girl product. I'm convinced that it is even better than exercise. (1 Timothy 4:8 “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.”) I look better when I have a good dose of the Bible. AND, I act better when I've had a good dose of the Bible. (I can hear my husband saying, "Amen to that!" HA!)

So what about you? What are your summer Bible study plans? Why don't we hold each other accountable for staying in God's Word this summer?

I'm making a commitment today. I'm going to read and study the book of Romans this summer. I've read this book before, but I want to go back through it again... a little deeper...think about it a little more. Starting Monday, June 15th, I will post my thoughts and findings on 2 chapters of Romans a week. I would love it if you would let me know your thoughts and findings too. Comment back or shoot me an email. (stephieb@swbell.net) Just think how beautiful we will be by the end of the summer if we do this!!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

The Wal-mart Commercial

Last night and this morning I saw a Wal-mart commercial that reminded me that the kids are getting out of school soon and summer time is here. It said in the commercial "It's summer. Our kids are ours again." I'm so excited about that. I love that I can sleep past 5:30 am during the summer. I love that I don't have to hear my kids saying "do we have to get up" each day. I love taking them to the library and to the movies. I love the time I get to spend with them during the summer. It's a lot more work for me, but the pay is good. I get all the hugs and kisses I can ask for!

The bible says that children are a gift from the Lord. Since I lost two babies before I had Leanna eight years ago, I can tell you that is so true. What a precious gift my kids are to me! But in all this excitement about summer, I also realized that I have a lot of responsibility this summer. After all, my kids will learn from me all summer. Eating habits, exercise habits, bible study habits, dealing with relationships...all these things my kids are learning from me. YIKES! If that doesn't freak a parent out I don't know what will!! HA! I'm so imperfect. I have so many faults. Boy, do I need Jesus' help. I don't want to mess up the gifts He gave me!

I'm sure in August I'll be saying, "WHEN DOES SCHOOL START!", but until then I'm going to enjoy my kids, and the work that goes along with them. I'm going to pray each day for Jesus to help me teach my kids the right way to live. I'm going to eat broccoli in front of them and tell them it's good. I'm going to go bike riding with them and tell them how important it is that we get outside and get moving. And I'm certainly going to study the bible with them and in front of them so they will see how important the bible is to their mom.

Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Jesus, help me to teach my kids Your ways and NOT mine!

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Fear Not!

Fear is running rampart across the United States. The economy is a mess. I hear "I'm scared I will lose my job", or, "I think my retirement money is going down the drain". And then there's this swine flu. "What should we do?!?!?" people are saying. What a mess. Everywhere I look there is fear. Honestly, I think fear is what we need to address right now, especially for Christians.

What does our bible tell us? Isaiah 41:10 commands "do not be afraid", and reminds us that God is with us. Psalm 91 says if the Lord is the Lord of our life, He will send His angels to watch over us. Proverbs 1:33 says "whoever listens to me will live in safety". Well, PRAISE GOD! This is some good medicine for the fear epidemic.

Now, this is not to say we should ignore what is going on in our world today. The bible also says we should plan well. We should do the right thing to save for retirement. We should also do the right things to make sure we stay away from the swine flu. We should do what we can, and then pray about the rest. Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us to pray about everything and don't worry. If we do this, we will have peace...godly peace.

Jesus said He did not give us a spirit of fear.

Satan uses fear to rob us from joy, to steal our happiness.

What will we do when we are afraid? What will we do if all our savings are depleted and this flu shows up in our home? We'll I'm certain I'm going to keep trusting Jesus. I'm going to see investment specialist or doctors, whatever is needed. And I'm going to pray!

Jesus, help me to keep my eyes focused on YOU and Your Word and not what the world is telling me!

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Believing God

I am so encouraged. I love reading stories about atheist that start trying to disprove Christ and Christianity, and then in the process become Christians. While doing my Bible study this week, I read about John Clayton who is a scientist and former second-generation atheists. He came to believe in God while attemptiong to disprove the Bible. I love hearing these stories of people searching to discredit Christianity but then realizing the only rational thing to do after studying history is to believe in Christ. So cool. This is the same thing that happened to former atheist, Lee Strobel. Lee has actually the author of 2 of my most favorite books, The Case for Christ and The Case for Faith. These are must read books for people that are Christians, and for those that are not. It's really neat information.

One thing I picked up from John Clayton's story was that he was taught by his parents that Christians weren't rational and church was silly. I couldn't help but wonder that what if Christian parents taught not only the Bible to their kids, but also taught their kids about the history that backs the bible. What if Christian kids going into college and leaving their homes for the first time knew that Jesus was Lord, not just because they were born again (which is very important!!), but also because it was simply historically accurate. How much stronger would their faith be when they were tested in the world? How many would turn from their faith? How many would tell others about their faith?

Monday, April 6, 2009

He is risen!

Matthew 28:5The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.

1 Cor. 15:55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?

This is an excellent week for me to be celebrating Easter. It seems as though I'm surrounded by the thoughts of death. As I type these words, 2 of my uncles lay on what appears to be at this time their death beds. My heart breaks for my aunts and my cousins.

And there's been illness in my family. My mother in law is having more problems with her liver. Bless her. She's never experienced serious health issues and this has us all wondering what the Lord has for us next.

And then there's Oakley. Oakley is our 13 year old lab. I became his mom when I married Dean over 10 years ago. He has liver cancer and is not doing well. He's such a wonderful pet. He's smart and loves us all so much. It tough to watch him go through this.

It would be so easy for me to be down this week. But God keeps reminding me what this week is all about. CHRIST ROSE FROM THE DEAD! He did. He really, really did. He paid for our sins. For my sins. For my uncle's sins. For everyone's sins. All we have to do is accept His GIFT to us and follow Him. Isn't that amazing?!?!?! And he doesn't care when you accept the gift....as a child or on your death bed...it doesn't matter. You just have to accept it. Amazing. Amazing love. Amazing grace.

Death, where is your sting? Oh, I believe my Savior took it away!!!!

Praise you Father!

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

It's Tough Being A Woman!

Last week I finished a Beth Moore bible study on the book of Esther. It's subtitle was "It's Tough Being A Woman". It was a great study and I would suggest it to any of my girlfriends looking for a good book to study. God used Beth to relay messages from the book of Esther on many subjects we women need to talk about and think about. Each week I learned something new! Today I will meet my bible study group for our traditional "we've finished another study luncheon". It's a good time to reflect on what we've learned and fellowship together.

As I prepare to meet my bible study girlfriends, I can't help but think about all their prayer requests during the last few weeks. Requests for salvation for family members. Requests for financial stress relief during this economy. Requests for healing of estranged relationships. Requests for physical healing. Many, many, many requests. And all these issues added to the typical roles we women play each day. Cook, nurse, driver, umpire, business woman, mentor, friend, wife, mom. Wow! I'm amazed at the women in my group and all that women go through.

I was also thinking about how great it is being a women. I love being a mom. I love being a wife. I love being in control of the menu in my house! I love hanging with the girlfriends. I love women's jewelry. I love the emotions God has given women. I love the passion God has given women. There are so many benefits to being a woman.

It is tough being a woman, but praise God I get the experience!

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Romans 1

Wow! Have you ever read Romans in the bible? I'm inbetween bible studies right now, and thought I would read something before my next group study starts. God kept putting Romans on my mind, so today I started reading it. There is SO much information just in Chapter 1.

First of all, let me say that I love that the first verse talks about being "set apart" as a Christian. I don't mean this in a prideful way, I mean it in a blessed way. I like being set apart. I like being called a Christian. I like being associated with my Father. Honestly, I don't think most women in today's world that love Jesus understand they are set apart. If there's one thing I want to teach my daughter, it's that she is set apart. She is a daughter of the King. She is royalty. Now, don't get me wrong. She is in no way to take that as an ok to look down on others or be stuck up. It means she is to be a servant to others, but to carry herself as a princess. When we are watching Disney princess movies, I always try to emphasize how the princess is kind and loves others. That a princess always wants to help, and is never judgemental. That's what being set apart is all about.

And then there's the talk of sin in Romans 1:24-27. Boy I was quick to think about the sins of others when I read those verses. It's easy to point our fingers at others. But then, I read Romans 1:28-32. OUCH! Did he list "gossip and slandering"?!??! What about pride? Faithless? Wow. I was quickly reminded that sin is sin. No sin is worse than the other. And then God put right in my mind my daughter's memory verse for this week. Romans 3:23 "For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". There you have it, Stephanie. YOU are a sinner. Be careful not to forget that when you are thinking about other people's sins!!!! You talk about perspective!

I love God's Word. It is molding me and changing the way I think. I'm not the person that I should be, but I'm certainly not the person I used to be. I've come a long way baby!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Absense makes the heart grow fonder.

It's an old saying. "Absense makes the heart grow fonder." Silly old saying. I'm learning this week that it's true. Dean has been in India on a business trip since last Thursday. Today he began his 2 day trip back to our home. He will be here tomorrow, but it seems light years away. I miss him so bad. I hope he had a great time visiting Singapore and India, but I want him home. Why is it that I feel like a piece of me is gone?

God helped me answer that this week through my Beth Moore bible study this week. Beth brought up Genesis 3: 16 in her recorded session. "To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." Interesting. Very interesting. Now, this is an opinion, but it was a little glimpse of why I might be so sad when Dean is not here. Besides the fact that God joined us together as one through our marriage, God's word says a woman's desire will be for her husband. It also explains why his opinion means so much to me.

While I am thankful for that desire for my husband, I am also mindful not to take it to far. I don't want my identity to be in my husband. My identity should be in Christ Jesus alone. He should be my all and all.

This has been in my thoughts all this week. God has been working on me with remembering that He is my first love and that He will never leave me. AND, He loves my dear husband, Dean, and He will never leave Him either. It's comforting to know that although Dean is so far away, that we are both with our Lord and Savior at the same time. Sounds crazy.....maybe. But God's Word confirms it.

I love Jesus, and I thank Him for giving me the desire for my husband. I can't wait to see Dean tomorrow!!

Monday, February 23, 2009

Am I really a blogger?

Ok, so it's been a few months since I've updated my blog. Let me say for the record that life has been busy. Well, you know how the holiday season goes. We are 2 months into 2009 and I realized I haven't even said HAPPY NEW YEAR on my blog. Wow! Maybe I'm not a true blogger. I will try to be better. I'm going to have to get my blogger mentor (Jennifer) to help me make my page pretty like her site!