Spiritual Sundays

I have shared my L♥VE of this Blogging Community and ALL the blessings myself and my family have received from soo many of you! Last May when my Dad was first diagnosed with lung cancer, my friend Edie, made him a prayer button and this was just the beginning of my heart bonding with so many of you as well as it speaking the depths of my Dads heart. The thing was ~ I never even asked Edie to do this! She just did it ~ because well, she's loving that way and shares her gift with so many and glorifies the Lord by doing this.

Galatians 6:2 tells us:

Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.

I experienced this Scripture through so many of you all! Walking along side of me, praying for Dad, sending notes of encouragement to him along with your prayers! We all rejoiced when Daddy shared of his acceptance of Jesus and we all knew he would be in Eternity face to face with his Savior if the day came ~ it did. Thank you all, you shared in mine and my Dads burdens! You obeyed the law of Christ!!

Well, now I am going to introduce you all to someone else and share their prayer button with you. I shared a little bit of Johns story in a previous post. John Buck is a Husband, Father, Son and dear friend to many, just to name a few! He was diagnosed in December with Stage 3 Head/neck cancer. He began treatment at MD Anderson and finished his final round of treatment on Friday February 12. When treatment is completed at MD Anderson you get to "ring a bell" Well, John's wife Jenny made a video of this final treatment and just before John rang the bell, they passed out a picture to others and he also held it up to the camera. This picture is of MY DAD! I shared in the post mentioned above that my brother asked my Dad in the days just before he died to be with John, to help him through this cancer battle. John and Jenny have clearly seen the evidence that Dad is fulfilling that request! My brother is in the process of doing a fund raiser for the Buck Family. To say this video touched me is an UNDERSTATEMENT.....This video is a gift.....a precious gift.



**NOTE: I am sorry I had initially set this to private but it is changed now and everyone should be able to view it....my apologies! Sunday @ 1:40 p.m.

I chose to share this post on Spiritual Sunday because I know so many come and visit, because this is a blog in which we are able to share the burdens of others! Thank you all sooo much for adding John and his family to your prayer list. Thank you for praying for a complete healing for John! Here is Johns prayer button and code if you all would like to add it to your blogs





Next Sunday is the Fund Raiser for his family! I simply CANNOT WAIT to see what God has in store!

Please go here for other Spiritual Sunday posts

TGIF

It's Friday ~ Praise. The. Lord.
Everyone needs to laugh and this guy does it oh so well! Enjoy and please go visit my dear friend Kim and share more laughs





Love and Blessings!

Pursuing L♥ve

Love is patient, Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not Boast, it is not proud. 1cor 13:4

This week in Pursuing Love we are sharing as Marsha put it "The unloving twins" ~ boasting (bragging) and arrogance or trying to make others jealous of what we have. I appreciate how she shared this as well.
"While jealousy puts people down, bragging and arrogance puts ourselves up much higher than we desire." That statement right there immediately makes me think of small children and hearing them say "Well, I am better than you or I did better than that!"

We do think more highly of ourselves at times than we ought! Pride and Arrogance are so ugly! Not only are they ugly but they lead to false emotions/satisfaction. This can lead us to needing/wanting more and more of that feeling. How many have gone down the path starting out in love, honestly serving and end up experiencing praise and appreciation and how quickly it turns into just puting in the time and before you know it ~ we feel we deserve to receive the glory because afterall, we have done sooo much for the situation. In Proverbs 8:13 The Word tells us that the Lord HATES Pride and Arrogance!


I learned a few years ago to always always ask myself this question when doing something ~" Loren....what is your motive? and who is this about ....YOU or The person in which you are doing something for?" When we are honest with ourselves and ask ourself these questions, we will know if we are wanting the glory or if we are willing to do something even if we never get any glory whatsoever! This is sooo important in ministry! If someone is in a ministry and they are wanting to do it for the attention or for their name it will prove to be disastrous but if you are in the ministry to serve and to bring glory to the Lord then it will be blessed and well, so will you!

None of us are above being Prideful and Arrogant and for me I know it is something to always keep in check seeking the Holy Spirit and making sure my motives are in line with what God wants not what I want, or what I desire. Everyone loves a good pat on the back but when we receive one in a humble manner ~ Oye! It means sooo much more to us and more importantly to HIM!


Thank you Marsha ~ please go here and join her in Pursuing Love!

My brother Tony and His Beautiful Heart

I shared with each of you all the wonderful things my Talented brother did while we were sharing our final days with our Dad and then all that Tony did afterwards....Dads eulogy, His last note on Facebook, the Video etc. Yep ~ my brother got all the talent for sure! Here I could inject that while He got all the talent I got all the heart and well, that just wouldn't be true. My brother has been on quite a journey over the last few years. He has been through a very heart wrenching divorce but came out stronger and a wonderful Father through it all. He has grown leaps and bounds and continues to do so with each new day. My Brother is a Captain of the Tulsa Fire Department, he owns his own business Tinting cars and what a successful business it is. But it is none of these reasons that I am sharing about Tony today. I am so very proud of my Brother and all he has become but it is when we see his heart and love for others that just brings me to tears. You see, just hours before we lost our Dad Tony received a call from a friend notifying him that one of his Firefighter brothers (and trust me Firemen are a group of Brothers like no other) just found out he had cancer. Tony took it very hard! While we sat beside our Daddy in those final hours Tony would read things to my Dad ~ comments from Facebook, emails, etc. Some were so hard to even get out and I wasn't the one sharing them but would just cry with my brother while he spoke them to Daddy. Anyway, Tony sat there and told Dad about his friend John. He asked my Dad to help John, to be with Him and we both knew He would because that is the kind of man our Dad is/was.

When Tony came home from Florida his friend John had begun treatments at MD Anderson and Tony was in constant contact. Tony is a man of many resources and a HUGE HEART. He came up with the Idea of having a Fundraiser for their family. I need to inject here that my brother and I have had lengthy conversations about God, the Lord, My Saviour and Tony just listens and says "thats for you" but I know that God has Tony right in the palm of HIS hand and HIS favor is on Tony. If I could share everything that is happening this would literally be a book but suffice to say ~ many amazing things are coming into play for this Fundraiser, for this family John and Jenny Buck. I am believing for healing for John. He is a young Father, a Loving Husband, A precious Son, and a Fellow Brother in the Firefighter world. God is with all of you and is blessing this ONE DAY AT A TIME! I simply cannot wait to see how it all plays out.

I am sooo proud of you my sweet brother Anthony William. I love you with all of my heart!






Tony's artwork for the Fundraiser.....

What is your name?

I hope everyone had a blessed weekend....don't they just go wayyyy tooo fast???!!! It seems Friday comes and then before we know it we blink and it's Monday already...

I wanted to share this video with you all....We are the body of Christ....If We claim to be Christians then we bear the name of JESUS....

If any of you watch the Biggest Loser, (we do and LOVE it!!!) you may remember Sean from last season. He left early on but it was his reason for leaving that most affected me. He and his partner Antoine, knew they couldn't stay in place of the largest woman who had ever come to the Biggest Loser Ranch. He sacrificed himself for Shae, because she needed to remain on the ranch and receive healing and the help to change her life and the choices she had made to get her there. You see, Sean is a youth pastor and he happens to be from Oklahoma. He came to church and shared his testimony a few weeks ago. We were learning about our influence on others. Sean shared with us that when he was asked by the shows producers "You are a Youth Pastor? Sean said "Yes, I am." They asked Sean "Are you sure that is what you want to be?" Confused Sean said "Yes, why are you offering me a job?" (I have to share here that Sean is quite the funny young man and was only kidding in this question but here is the point of their question) "We want you to understand that if you are claiming to be a Youth Pastor you are the face and example of all Christians and we will put ALL you do in front of millions of people~ Are you sure this is what you want to do?" Wow talk about influence! Sean told them "YES, I am certain this is what I want." Sean knew the God had led him there and prayed that he would bring glory and honor to the Lord for allowing this opportunity! I have to say as a fan of this show I was so struck by him and can say without a doubt he completely brought glory to the Lord and for believers as well.


Everyday we have an opportunity and although it may not be in front of millions of people we must know that an audience of one can be just as important!



I have posted a new review for a Phenomenal book titled Deep Harbor by Lisa Tawn Bergren! It's one I highly recommend! Go here to read my review
Have a blessed Monday everyone

So many hurting

I have been away from my computer and spent some time catching up on some blogs tonight. I was so sad to read sooo many posts with great needs, prayer requests, hurting souls, so many in need of the LORDS touch ~ HIS miracle working power in their lives! But we serve an AMAZING GOD prayer warriors!!!! HE hears the cries of HIS people. I sought HIM on each prayer request I read, laying each one at the feet of Jesus ~ knowing, trusting that HE would minister, HE would heal, HE would give HIS peace, HIS joy, His love, HE will provide!

I read these and wanted to share then and pray they will encourage those in need. This one comes from Charles Spurgeon, Spurgeon on Prayer and Spiritual Warfare

Oh, dear heart, what is your condition?
Are you torn with anguish? Are you sorely distressed? Are you lonely? Are you pushed aside? Then cry to God. NO one else can help you. HE is your only Hope. Wonderful HOPE! Cry to HIM, for HE can help you. I tell you, in that cry of yours will be the pure and true worship that God desires. HE desires a sincere cry far more than the slaughter of ten thousand rams or the pouring out of rivers of oil (Mic 6:7)....
See then, poor, weeping, and distracted ones, that it is not ritualism, it is not the performance of pompous ceremonies, it is not bowing and struggling, it is not using sacred words, but it is crying to God in the hour of trouble that is the most acceptable sacrifice your spirit can bring before the throne of God.

This comes from Jim Cymbala ~ Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire

I discovered an astonishing truth:
God is attracted to weakness, He can't resist those who humbly and honestly admit how desperately they need HIM.

Please visit Spiritual Sundays . Thank you Charlotte and Ginger for bringing us this anointed blog each and every week!

Love and Blessings!

An update and a Birthday

Thank you ALL sooo very much for your prayers! I wanted to give you all an update on how the surgery went. As I shared with you the plan was to go in and put in metal plates on both sides of his upper jaw and also to wire his jaw shut for minimum 1 month.
When the Surgeons got in there they found they would NOT have to put in the metal plates PRAISE THE LORD but did have to realign the bone under his left eye because it was twisted. They still wired his jaw shut so that he can heal properly. He is at home resting and recovering now. Again, thank you all for your prayers and for the prayers of the man who has done this. I pray he meets the Lord and finds Salvation and Forgiveness.

Today is my baby boys 13th birthday! I know he is far from being a baby but I know you all understand our babies are our babies forever! "As long as I'm living my baby he will be!" I love this book " I will Love you Forever" I still can't read it without crying! (pathetic I know) Today Jantz woke up and was given his favorite breakfast ~ biscuits and gravy, hashbrowns and of course coffee. Tonight we will all be going to one of his favorite restaraunts Tokyo Garden. This is where they cook your dinner right in front of you. He loves it and our whole family will be there to celebrate! I will post pics soon! Jantzen participated in the school spelling bee and ended up 4th in the Whole Entire School!

Jantzen from the day I saw you on the sonogram and knew I had a little boy I fell instantly in Love with you. You have always been the sweetest young man and you truly have a heart like David. I am sooo blessed to be your mom and so very proud of the young man you are today. May you continue to grow in the Lord, in HIS Word and Praising HIM every step of the way! Thank you for ALL the Sweet things you do! Dancing under the moonlight with me, rubbing my feet after a long day, warming up my corn bag, making cookies, reading with me and always wanting to just talk at the end of your day! Your kindness, thoughtfulness, and sweet heart teach me everyday and make me want to be a better person!

You have done such an amazing job with your dog treat business ~ your dad and I are soooo very proud of you! Always keep your dreams alive and make sure the ask the Lord to lead and guide you for it is far better to be in the center of HIS Will than ever doing things on our own!

Happy 13th Birthday ~ I love you sooo very much

Mowing with my Dad this past summer~ this is such a precious picture to me. It was the last time Dad ever mowed.


I've shared Jantzen's Canadian passion! Some friends got him this authentic jersey! It is hanging on his bedroom wall! :)


Just a handsome young man!


Silly pic ~ blurry too but I love this boy sooo




Please forgive me for not visiting today ~ We have Rylee ♥ and I just was able to quickly post this while she is napping! I love and appreciate you all so much!

Prayer Request

Our oldest daughter and my sweet grand daughter were spending this past week and weekend in Florida with her grandmother and had planned on staying through the middle of this week. We talked to her yesterday and she asked if we had received the picture and story of her husband via the text message she had sent us. Neither one of us had! WEIRD!!! We ALWAYS get her picture texts because most of them are of Our precious Rylee. Anyway, she proceeded to share with us that her husband had stopped at a local convenience store to get some cash from the ATM machine. He works nights so it was early in the morning or very late however you want to say it. The only other person at the convenience store was the female employee. Our Son-in-law got his $40 cash and proceeded to walk out. He was attacked from no where by a man who hit him UNCONSCIOUS and continued to hit him and hit him. He took the $ but left his wallet. The female employee called the police immediately but because the man was on foot he got away and has not been found or even identified.

My son in law is in soo much pain and found out that he will have to have surgery to place medal plates in is middle upper jaw on both sides along with wiring his jaw shut for at least one month. He will have to be on a liquid diet and on light duty at work for a month as well. This is soo very sad and I am just in awe of the evil people will do in order to obtain some money!

Would you mind praying for them. Krista is on her way home from Florida. They drove and stopped in a hotel tonight but will be here tomorrow to be with Casey during his surgery. This will take place on Wednesday. Please pray for them, this is such a blow to them in so many levels.



While praying for them please add Westin ( 5 yr. old little one who needs a miracle!), Melanie from Bella Mella, Lisa Smith(cancer), Denise and her Lovebug (healing), Alle and Ron (healing, peace) and Allie's sister Sandi (healing, recovery)
and for other prayer requests please visit my friend Beth's blog! She does an amazing job at keeping us posted on who and how exactly we can pray! God is able to meet each and everyone of these needs. As I type It feels overwhelming but not one bit of it overwhelms our Father! For HE is able to do more than we ask or imagine!! Praise HIM




Thanking each one of you in advance for being mighty warriors

A White Valentines Day

Good Morning and Happy Monday to everyone!

We are having the craziest winter ever! I can remember for soooo many Christmas' hoping and praying for a WHITE Christmas and well, they just didn't happen that often. This year it sure did! We got around 8" of snow on Christmas Eve and it was like an answer to prayer. Everyone was sooo happy! Well, let's just say the snow has continued off and on and when it comes it has been plentiful :) Well, for Valentines Day ~ one thing I have NEVER asked for or even thought to ask for ;) was a white Valentines Day but guess what! We got it! Here are a few pics from our back yard!






Also, I wanted to let you all know I am trying something! I have started a blog just for my book reviews. It's called
The ♥ of a bookworm. You can go here and read my Most recent review! Oh ya, FOLLow me if you want to okiedokie! Thanks everyone!

Happy Monday ~ we DH is gone again but will be home late tomorrow and the kids are out of school today so we are just chillaxin....My favorite kind of day!

Love and Blessing

Giving advice

Thank you Charlotte and Ginger for hosting ~ please go visit others here

For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Mathew 7:2

As I sat in bible study this week I was taken aback at how some people explain and/or Judge others for their actions. And might I add here that MY key word here is ACTIONS...... Let me explain.

We have discussion time in our small groups (about 10-12 women) before we view the video to go over the weeks prior homework. I do not attend this church nor do I know anyone really to speak of and I love going because I love to study the Word and meet new people. Honestly ~ THIS IS COMPLETELY OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE but I truly feel the Lord has led me here and I am sooo blessed. It is a very large group of women ~( 200+) and we are all placed in small groups according to how they feel they are led to put them together. This year I happen to be in a group of women who are very mature in the Lord and it also happens that more than half of them have all served alongside their husbands as pastors or in some form of clergy in the church (for 20+ yrs). So I must admit that I probably expect a bit more out of these women in Wisdom, Understanding as well as compassion for the people and definately in Knowledge.

So with all that said we have a woman in bible study who is from another nationality and a brand new Christian. To hear her explain her Salvation and relationship will bring you to tears! It is simply beautiful. Needless to say, she hangs on every word of what is said in Bible study and one of the eldest woman was explaining sin and its consequences to all of us in the group. Here is her explanation in part.

"This is what I tell young people when explaining consequences ~ If you sleep with someone out of wedlock then you must know that that child is your consequence."

Ok, I have to speak up hear as I did in the group of women.

"UMM, Excuse me~ I have to address this because I am not a consequence. I've never been a consequence. I do not agree with nor do I condone premarital sex. My parents slept together before they were married yes, they made the decision SO THAT they could be married and knew this was the only way they would be allowed to be married at their young age. (18) Can you say Young Love?
I also know of a young girl in my daughters school who has made this decision to sleep with someone before being married and is now a young single mom. My daughter said to me "MOM, this is so sad, she could have gotten a scholarship to anywhere she wanted but that baby screwed everything up for her!" I promptly responded and said "NO, honey that baby didn't screw her life up ~ having sex before she was married did." My daughter looked at me with her mouth ready to say something and just said "OH, you are right."

You see, it was the act that was wrong ~ NOT the child. When I was 13 my mother told me the truth of their decision to sleep with one another before being married. She shared that with me wanting me to know how much they loved one another even though at this age in my life they had divorced. I did not receive this news in this light. I felt horrible and was sad. It took me a while to see this in a different light. I also struggled with it until the Lord showed me


For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well
Psalm 139:13-14


along with


Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
Jeremiah 1:5

I AM NOT A CONSEQUENCE.

I ask of you to search your hearts and to those who are Christians .....Please watch how you share your OPINIONS, your JUDGEMENTS or your ADVICE. My parents lived with many consequences for their action. The action was the ACT itself. The consequences were too many to list and I am sure if you sat down with the numerous Single parents out there and the young teen mothers who are living with their young babies. They would tell you their baby is NOT a consequence but living daily and having your life change, your future change ~ because of your choice to have premarital sex will have numerous consequences and life proves to be very difficult. But I also know that even though that choice is made many also choose to seek forgiveness....they repent and turn away from those ways and live a life worthy of Christ. They lead their children to know and love the Lord and teach them of their wrong choices.

I share this to encourage myself and others NOT to JUDGE because sometimes even a well meaning word of advice can bring condemnation instead of bringing life. It is not up to us to judge peoples choices but to love them in spite of them.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
John 8:6-8

IN HIM

T.G.I.F.

Well you know what that means~ it is time to laugh, giggle and go visit my friend Kim here and give her some L♥VE. I hope everyone has a blessed and lovely Valentines Weekend but like my friend Clif shared on his blog; Don't just tell them you love them on Valentines Day ~ tell them everyday!!

Hope these kids make you smile





Love and Blessings

Pursuing L♥ve

I just love this Series that Marsha from Marsha's Musings is doing on Pursuing L♥ve! This week we are sharing Love is Kind



kind1  [kahynd] Show IPA
–adjective, -er, -est.
1. of a good or benevolent nature or disposition, as a person: a kind and loving person.
2. having, showing, or proceeding from benevolence: kind words.
3. indulgent, considerate, or helpful; humane (often fol. by to): to be kind to animals.
4. mild; gentle; clement: kind weather.
5. British Dialect. loving; affectionate.

Synonyms:
1. mild, benign, benignant, gentle, tender, compassionate. Kind, gracious, kindhearted, kindly imply a sympathetic attitude toward others, and a willingness to do good or give pleasure. Kind implies a deep-seated characteristic shown either habitually or on occasion by considerate behavior: a kind father. Gracious often refers to kindness from a superior or older person to a subordinate, an inferior, a child, etc.: a gracious monarch. Kindhearted implies an emotionally sympathetic nature, sometimes easily imposed upon: a kindhearted old woman. Kindly, a mild word, refers usually to general disposition, appearance, manner, etc.: a kindly face.


Antonyms: Cruel

I just had to throw the one and only antonym in there! After all those synonyms, you would think that there would be at least a few antonyms ~ NOPE .... There is only 1 and it's a biggie! It should be easy for us to say ~ NO I am NOT CRUEL!! But we are or at least I am or can be.

In Proverbs (11:16) we learn "A kindhearted woman gains respect"
(12:25) " A kind word cheers you up"
Also, If we are kind to the poor it honors the Lord Proverbs 14:31

Yes, I can say I am an encourager, I have been known to help the needy but I have learned most it is how we act in our own homes and behind all the closed doors that matters the most. I will never forget hearing the speaker at a conference share about having a fight with their husband and someone knocked on the door and it happened to be their pastor. They both went from screaming at each other to puting on smiling faces with a kind tone and asked him in. He had heard the yelling and clearing his throat asked "Well, I don't want to interrupt ~ is everything ok?" The wife just smiled and said "OH YES, we are GREAT! So glad you came by!" LOL Yes, it is funny but isn't it so very true! We can treat our husbands and children one way but when we are in public or certainly at church we can be known to put on a whole new face. I want to be the same woman no matter where I am but I especially want my children to see an authentic woman of God. A woman who is Kind and loving no matter where I am. I have learned the only way to do this is to seek the help of the ONE who is truly Kind! The only example of kindness that is true and holy ~ JESUS. I know that with HIM I can do ALL things and when I don't, I praise and thank HIM for GRACE and MERCY!

Please go join in with Marsha and share how you are pursuing love here

Celebrating MOM and some awards

We had such a good time celebrating Moms birthday! My mom is Beautiful ~ inside and out! She had me at a young age and we have always been soooo close! When I think of my Mom ~ I have learned Unconditional LOVE, hard work and determination and to have JOY no matter what it is your doing! During my school years when mom and I would be home cleaning house we would turn on the stereo and dance and clean and then I would hear those magic words...."LOREN MICHELLE ~ get in here right now! You know this isn't clean ~ If your going to clean something ....clean it right the first time!!!" LOL she was right! I could have done better :) and NOW I do it right the first time! Or now as an adult and I make one of those infamous calls asking "HOW do I cook this or what is the recipe for that? Or how do you always make everything look so nice" I have come to learn and appreciate all of the Love that goes into what MOM does and she gets so much of that from her mom and I get so much of that from my MOM.....I am so blessed to have a legacy of LOVE ~ unconditional LOVE! Thanks MOM! Here are a few pics


Lunch with MOM ~ from left to right...Me, Jen, MOM and her dear friend Pat



Moms cake ~ this is a recipe from my NANA! We Love this cake and it is more special knowing that Nana made this all the time


This was moms gift from all of us ~ My brother didn't get to come bc his daughter has Strep :( They were very missed!



Me and MOM ~ I am sooo blessed to have you as my Momma ~ I love you and Praise the Lord for you Love, your friendship, and encouragement. I can't even begin to thank you enough for all you do in my life



Now, here are some awards I have been blessed with and am horrible at posting them! Please forgive me my friends I do appreciate them sooo very much!



This came from my friend Mikki in January ~ Thank You Mikki


This Prolific Blogger is soo cute! I love it :) Thank you Andrea



This Sunshine Award was given to me by Barbie :)


I thank you all for sharing these awards with me ~ and want to pass them all to anyone who follows me! You all encourage me each and everyday, bring sunshine to my heart and clearly make my heart swell with Love!

L♥VE is in the air

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the ♥

Helen Keller


I love Valentines Day, don't you? I L♥VE all the RED, PINK, and of course all the ♥'s! I also love decorating for this holiday. I am sooo not creative and so when I happen to see a cute and OH SO adorable craft that I can actually do myself well, I am all over it! I found a new friend JEN @ TatertotsandJello. She also goes by JenJen :) LOVE it! Since we call our daughter that too!
Well, Jen has a very creative gift AND shares it with all of us in the Bloggy world plus, they are sooo affordable! Below is the Adorable craft that I did and her tutorial is here if you would like to try it! Have fun, it truly is super easy :) She also has quite a few pictures of what others did on her blog here




She is also having a great giveway today so head on over and see for yourself and enter to win some awesome jewelry!

Here are a couple more pics showing that L♥Ve is in the air at our household






I think I am going to try to make the wreaths that Jen shows a tutorial for on her blog as well. That will be my next project and will wrap up my decorating for this holiday. Hope everyone is having a blessed Monday!


L♥VE you all

Spiritual Sundays

To join in or read other Spiritual Sunday posts go here Thank you Charlotte and Ginger for all you do :)


This week has been so Rich in the Lord! Most of you know the plan was for me to be in Florida for the week but due to the ice/snow storm and two cancelled flights last weekend, I relented to stay home. Last week I shared with you all that I committed to keeping my Mind stayed on the Lord and HE promised to give me Peace.

Because I had NO PLANS to be anywhere (except one day that got cancelled bc of a stomach bug) I was able to just bask in the Lord and spend some serious time with HIM, which turned out to be somewhat of a mini retreat. Only I didn't have to go to a hotel, listen to a speaker....NOPE. It was just me and the LORD, HIS Word, and the HOLY SPIRIT.

How my hearts swells with JOY and with PEACE. I cannot describe how many ISSUES the Lord dealt with me over, or how many times He has ministered to me.

I learned this week that I have allowed some OFFENSES to build up in me. As I drove to bible study on Thursday, I found myself crying out to the Lord "WHY??? Why did Daddy not have more time, why was he not able to have surgery to remove the tumor and take a portion of his lung etc." Well, guess what Bible Study was about.... Guess what the video at Bible Study was about......yep, being offended. I have never known with so much certainty that I was to be EXACTLY where I am! Each time I walk in to Bible study someone says something that causes me such pain ( mournful pain...for instance ~ the #1 prayer request this week goes something like this....I am on my way to Oklahoma City to be with my Dad. He is dying. He has lung and liver cancer and has gotten pnuemonia so we know his time is short....GULP ~ here come the tears ) BUT here is the thing.....It allows the Lord to minister to me even when I didn't know it was necessary !!! Here are just some bullet points I want to share with you for you to ask yourself.

When offended and you get mad ~ what do you do in your anger? are you afraid to get in there and try again?

Do you go into seclusion? or do you just disengage your heart and put on a pretty smile anyway pretending to be happy to be at church or sing those worship songs?

David was so upset when Uzzah was killed for touching the Ark of the God (2 Sam 6). David was angry and afraid, he went off to be alone and was very mad at God.

Here is the thing that STRUCK me that Beth Moore shared....
your enemy is BANKING ON us STAYING in the anger and fear! He desires for us to not only stay mad but he wants us to LOSE ground in our walk. We LOSE ground WAY FASTER than we gain it my friends!!

David had a heart after God....even though....he committed adultery....he committed murder.....he got mad at God. But even when David did these things he repented and sought the LORD.

I know I do not ever want to allow the enemy an opportunity EVER to have a foothold in my life or my walk NO MATTER what comes my way

As David says in 2Samuel 7:18

Who am I, O Lord God? and what is my house, that YOU have brought me this far??

Thank you Lord

T.G.I.F.

I am sooo glad it is Friday! Today is my MOMS bday !!! Happy Birthday Momma ~ I love you soooo very much! I will be posting all the pics next week since we will be having her party at my house this weekend. My DH FINALLY returns tomorrow and I CANNOT WAIT to see HIM :) Today I will be going to lunch with my Mom and one her dear friends and I think my daughter will be coming along as well :) what fun we will have!


Well, you know today is Funny day so without further ado..... Enjoy this funny video and PLEASE go visit KIM and give her some L♥VE okiedokie :)



T.G.I.F

Pursuing L♥ve

I l♥ve meeting new friends here in this blogging community! I l♥ve seeing Christ in them as well! I just recently met Marsha from Marsha's musings. She is going to be doing a series on L♥VE for the next 14 weeks!! I know she would l♥ve it if you joined in!

This first week is L♥ is Patient Wow, what a way to start out with a bang huh?!

Some of her questions are....

Have you ever built a wall around you to protect your wounded heart from being hurt?
In what way(s) do you drink deeply of His love for you?
Do you have a passage of Scripture about God being patient in His love towards us you’d like to share?

In answer to the first question...YES! I have built some pretty big walls around my heart and sometimes the Lord shows them to me and other times HE gently nudges me either with HIS Word or sometimes my actions will show me that the building is under construction and I better get to repenting! I have to say that those walls going up FELT very legitimate. I was wounded. I was broken. In some instances, I had even lost a relationship that I cared about deeply ~ a relationship that played a role in my life daily and now it was no more. Yes, I was wounded~ VERY WOUNDED. (Feelings should never be what I allow to lead me because they will most definately lead me astray.) But in my pain as I began building the walls around me ....protecting my heart and Not being willing to put myself out there for anyone.....I began to hear the Lord say

"Yes I know my beloved"
"Yes, I am so sorry that has happened"
"Yes, I know you miss that relationship"
"I understand Loren but, can I have it now?"

You see, I was carrying it. I was puting myself on the cross and not laying the situation at the feet of JESUS to bear my burden. WOW ......"can I have it now?" Our Father is sooo very PATIENT! Even when we attempt to be a junior Holy Spirit for ourselves! HE longs to to heal our broken hearts. HE longs to make us whole and get to the root of those feelings so that your relationships will be healthy in the future.

Yes L♥VE is Patient. The Lord L♥VES us unconditionally and is truly Patient with us EVEN when we attempt to build walls. He waits ~ He speaks to us through His Word and the Holy Spirit whispers....I know and I am so sorry but ....can I have it now?

What are you holding on to? Are you building any walls? The Lord is there for you PATIENTLY waiting to take the pain, to carry the burden and to heal you!


Thankyou Lord ~ for L♥ving me and for being sooo very patient with me. Thank you for helping me tear down those walls and be more of who YOU have designed for me to be!

Please go visit Marsha here and join this wonderful Pursuit of L♥VE

In HIM,

Beth Moore's So long Insecurity

Tyndale Publishing is proud to announce Beth Moore's new book titled "So Long Insecurity"

Perhaps one of the biggest issues all women face is their own insecurity. Beth Moore, one of today’s most admired and trusted Christian writers, wants women to be free from the insecurity trap. So Long, Insecurity will strike a chord with women everywhere, as Beth speaks truth into the lives of readers, showing them how to deal with their innermost fears, rediscover their God-given dignity, and develop a whole new perspective—a stronger sense of self. Women of all ages and backgrounds will resonate with this message of security and discover truths that will free them emotionally and spiritually and lead them to a better life as they walk with God.


I received this book free from Tyndale and in return I was asked to share my humble opinion. Being a follower of Beth's blog that she shares along with her precious daughters I have been blessed to read posts from Beth in regards to some of these insecurities but what has amazed me the most are the comments that she receives daily from women all over the world. Beth shares in her book that she loves to research and in this particular book she received input from over 1000 men and women. Wow! This book is awesome and if i shared everything that I highlighted or that spoke to me well lets just say It would be a book in itself :)
This book goes so quickly and it's like Beth is sitting down and you can just smell the coffee while we chat! She takes the subject of insecurity VERY SERIOUS. She shares the different kinds, the roots and then lovingly shares how we along with our Heavenly Father and the power of the Holy Spirit can overcome it! I have to say one of my favorite aha moments (and I had many) was when I learned that because of my personality I already am oversensitive and like Beth that adds to how we respond to circumstances and as she puts it...."I feel everything. My joys are huge and so are my sorrows. If I'm mad, I'm really mad, and if I'm despondent, I wonder how on earth I'll go on. Then I will get up, pour some coffee, and move on to the next emotion and forget how depressed I was an hour ago. Ever do that?"

I HIGHLY recommend this book to any woman or any teenage girl. We as women experience insecurity in some form and this will help you pinpoint how to hit it head on and not let it control us or keep us from experiencing the life that our Heavenly Father desires for us to live!




to purchase this book please go to tyndale.com
Love and Blessings!