Memorial Day Weekend

Happy Memorial Day Weekend Everyone!

Memorial Day weekend

God Bless All Who Serve

May God bless all of you who served and paid the ultimate price. Your selfless sacrifices have kept this country safe and for that, I thank you!

I grew up in a military family.

Memories of living on the Navy base as a child and going to the PX with my Mom for groceries. I remember going to air shows to watch the Blue Angels with my Dad and holding his hand tightly as the precision flight team soared over our heads in tight formation.

I have unforgettable fond memories of this and of my wonderful father, a Navy captain, who I was so proud of and never told him enough.

Many families will spend Memorial Day this weekend by simply enjoying the day off from work and having the excuse to barbecue.

Please don’t forget what this Memorial holiday is really all about. It’s about remembering those brave men and women who died while serving our country. I have the utmost respect for them and I hope you do too.

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

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Thank You God

Thank You God for Everything!

First and foremost, through this blog I want to give glory to God. He has blessed me in more ways than I can count and I am humbled by His mercy and kindness.

Thank you God!

Thank You GodIt is a privilege to write about my delight in God and my hope is that something I write will strike a chord in someone else. When you have good news, you want to share it, right?

Sometimes with all the busyness of everyday life, we forget to thank the One who knew us before we were born. I want to do that now.

Thank you God for Your love and grace – for loving me (and us) so much that You gave Your only Son to die on the cross to pay the price for my (and all) of our sins. We are wretched humanity and we deserve absolutely nothing, but in Your infinite love, You provide the way for us to receive Your salvation and spend our eternity with You.

Salvation

A Life Turned Around

Thank You God for my life. I remember eighteen years ago wondering what the purpose of my life was. I praise You for letting me find the answer and that is, to come to know You and to make Your name known. A horrible life-changing accident years ago could have taken my life, but You chose to spare me and give me a second chance. My life has completely turned around. I’m not the same person I once was. I am a new creation and I understand the responsibility and the joy of what that means now.

The Bible

It’s All True

Thank You God for Your Word – the Bible. You cared so much about humanity that You inspired the gospel writers to write down Your message of love, salvation, and forgiveness for all of us to read until the end of time.

It saddens me that some, even some Christians, doubt the inerrancy of Scripture or try to soften the message to appease a very dark world. People can’t have it both ways. They shouldn’t say they believe in the Bible and then turn around and say “well, only some of it is true.” ALL of it is true. If someone has doubts temporarily, it’s okay, but they need to actively research it and they will come to know the truth as well. I did. No one has an excuse when the information is so readily available to those who seek to understand how everything falls into place in the Bible. I provide some resources in this website for you.

Thank you God for my husband. He is a man of God and was the one who helped lead me to Christ. He is also the one who saved my life years ago in our family accident. Out of all the places my future husband could have moved for a job, he ended up moving to the same apartment complex.

I know that was You, God.

God’s Timing Is Better Than Mine

Some of us are a little resistant when it comes to finding the right guy for us. It took several bad dates for me to realize what I was looking for in a husband – and he lived right next door to me! Bill is my rock and I will never stop thanking God for him.

Thank you God for the wonderful people You have put in my life through the years. I treasure those relationships, each and every one. I love and pray for my friends who are Christians. For those who aren’t, I love and pray for them as well. I pray that my life will reflect the joy that I feel of knowing You personally and knowing that You love me back. There’s no rejection in Christ Jesus. None. While some people we come across in life will reject us, even spread lies or try to hurt us, we as Christians have the knowledge that Jesus will never abandon those of us who seek Him.

Beautiful creation

Thank you God for the beautiful creation that You designed just for us. Every sunrise and sunset is a priceless masterpiece. It is a privilege to live here and experience it, but I never forget the Artist behind the painting.

Thank you God for my health. It’s not perfect and there have been scares. As emotional as that can be, I know there’s a purpose in it no matter what happens in the future. My body will wear with age, but my soul knows that one day, I will spend eternity with You. There will be no pain, no rejection, no sadness, no hurts, no aging – all will be perfect because that is what You have promised us who accept Your grace.

a passion for writing about God

To God Be The Glory

Thank you God for my passion for writing about You. When my television career ended so many years ago, I felt my love for writing would end along with it. I look back on the journey and realize there’s no easy path. But I’m here now and grateful for the rocky path it took me to get here – not at the time, but I get it now 😉 Your timing is always right.

Thank you God for my enthusiasm for Christian music. It truly blesses my life. I like to listen to a lot of different artists, but the most respect I have is for those musicians who dedicate their lives to glorifying God through their talents. As my iPod list continues to grow, I discover more and more artists who inspire me through their words to trust in You.

Thank you God for Your many blessings on my life, both seen and unseen. Many times I think to myself “I know that was You, God.” but there are the too-numerous-to-count blessings that I don’t see right now. I know that You have protected me from many things and I look forward to knowing someday what those were.

Thank you God for our church. We attend a Bible-believing, God-honoring church and we’re grateful to God that we are able to attend.

Thank you God for the tragedies, the losses, the difficult times in my life. This is hard to write, but it is important. We were never, as Christians, promised that our belief in God would lead to an easy and prosperous life. Far from it. In fact, life seems to get harder at times.

Praying

Seeking God’s Peace

When the job losses come, or the surgery date approaches, or you lose a precious child in your family – the questions nag away at you. Why, God? Why me? Did I do something wrong? How long, God?

Don’t stop praying. He hears us. Seek the peace that only He can give us.

Don’t stop trusting Him, even through the pain. The non-believers want you to give up on God. They want a “quick fix” to problems and when you don’t get one for your suffering, they swoop in like vultures to tell you that God doesn’t really care about you.

He does.

He does care.

He does love you and He loves me.

Thank you God!

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Christian Music Playlist 2015

I call the list below my Christian Music Playlist 2015.

I’ve found that while listening to some of my favorite tunes during the day, I’m a lot more productive. Daily tasks just seem to go faster and I’m in a better frame of mind to do them. Laundry can get pretty boring, but if I have my ear buds in with some great music, I’m good.  🙂

Christian Music Playlist 2015

An iPod Full of Great Music

My iPod is a great mix of genres. I love Broadway, Country, Classic Rock, and some Rap. With the rock and rap music, I removed any songs from my iPod that might dishonor God. There wasn’t a lot, but there were some songs that were a little over the top. When I listened more closely to the lyrics and shallow values being promoted, those songs had to go.

We all have a choice and that’s what I chose to do. I feel I’m a lot better off because of it. There are Christian singers whose voices and lyrics are better than anything you can find on a Top 40 radio station. I don’t need Lady Gaga. Christian music has Beckah Shae, for instance.

Below are some YouTube versions to give you an idea of some of the music on my iPod. The quality may not be as good (some are live performances), but you get the idea.

Enjoy!

Here’s Beckah Shae with “Heartbeat.”

I love great harmonies. High Road III is terrific. Here’s a sample:

I saw Selah perform live at our church and they were fantastic. Here’s “Soon and Very Soon.”

We attended a Toby Mac concert last year and it was among the best live performances I have ever seen.

Toby Mac in concert

I’ve seen Alison Krauss in concert several times. She has the voice of an angel.

Do you like to go to concerts too?

There’s a way to find out which Christian groups are performing in your area. Check out the website “Christian Concerts Alerts” and you can sign up for their email list.

God bless!

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National Day of Prayer 2015

Here’s a friendly reminder that Thursday, May 7th, is the National Day of Prayer 2015.

It’s a day set aside to pray for America and for a spiritual revival in our country. Please take some time to thank our Heavenly Father for blessing us for so many years and to pray for His intercession in the challenging times ahead.

God will hear us!

National day of Prayer 2015We don’t know His divine plan and timing, but we do know that He is sovereign and can change the hearts and minds of a nation if it is in His will. We need this in America.

The news gets more and more sad as certain liberal groups seek to cause division in our great country and turn us against each other. Think back. It wasn’t always this way.

Lord, Hear Our Cry

The theme of the National Day of Prayer 2015 is: “Lord, hear our cry” from the verse in 1 Kings 8:28: “Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day.”

Here’s a short preview from Pastor Jack Graham of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. He’s this year’s Honorary Chairman for the Day of Prayer.

Options for Where to Pray on Thursday

1. In your own home, by yourself or with others. At work during your lunch break. With your family before going to bed.

2. Your local church may be a holding National Day of Prayer gathering.

3. You may also want to check out the National Day of Prayer website for more information. You can plug in your zip code to find out the location of prayer rallies and other observances in your area, by clicking here  National Day of Prayer Events

What to Pray For on Thursday, May 7th, 2015

1. Pray for healing in our nation in the midst of racial and social divides.

2. Pray that people will come to realize that there is one God who rules heaven and earth.

3. Pray for our nation’s leaders that they will open their eyes to God’s design for marriage.

4. Pray in Thanksgiving for God’s many blessings on you in the past and in the future.

5. Pray for peace across the world and in America.

God bless you for praying.

We need you!

In closing, here’s a great song from Gateway Worship, “As We Pray.”

 

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Christian Music Challenge – The CMC

Do You Listen To Christian Music?

If not, I want to share something exciting with you.

Christian music is like an anchor during a storm. You can get back your peace and perspective despite the depressing headlines of the day. Just about everyone I talk to is ready to get a break from all of this junk going on in our world.

Listening to Christian MusicYou have a lot of options when you listen to music.

Did you ever take the original Christian Music Challenge developed by Al Menconi? Taking that Challenge many years ago opened up a lot of musical doors for me. I’m talking about great Christian music, in all genres from pop to country to Christian rap. But, more about that later.

Shutting Out The Negative Values of This World

Our increasingly dark world will promote and glamorize anything that goes against our faith in Jesus Christ.

I can’t even turn on the television or read the news without negative headlines or news briefs changing my usually happy disposition to one of instant irritation.

depressing news headlinesThen there are the offensive plot lines that appear every night on television which are also glorified on movie screens across the country. Some parents deny that type of exposure can have a bad influence on their kids and sadly take their underage children to R-rated movies.

Does that make any sense at all? Why aren’t those parents taking the time to check out a movie before they take their kids to it?

There are enough websites out there to let us know if a movie has overtly sexual themes or is laced with obscenities.

I’ve made that mistake myself, although I didn’t have kids with me.

Recently, I started watching the movie “Wild” with Reese Witherspoon. I made the mistake of assuming this movie would be a lighthearted adventure.

Big mistake.

I should have, and will, from now on, check out a thorough movie review website first. Terrible language (including the mocking of Christ) was spewed in the movie, plus gratuitous and graphic nudity.

I turned it off about 15 minutes in, totally disgusted. What a terrible waste of time and money.

Here’s a helpful website that can help parents make better decisions about the movies they plan to take their kids to go see.

http://www.kids-in-mind.com/

hollywood doesn't care about your familiesHollywood Doesn’t Care

Hollywood doesn’t care about your kids or your family. If you’re a parent, relative, or a babysitter, for goodness sake, be aware of what the kids are watching. Don’t be fooled into thinking a movie is okay because the actors promoting it had some safer-viewing movies in the past.

What’s really sad, is that type of “entertainment” (and I use the word loosely) is later honored at a glamorous award ceremony with celebrities applauding each other for making millions of dollars.

I guess this makes me “uncool” for saying this, and I’m fine with that.

I love people, but I love Jesus Christ more.

Discovering Christian Music

For me, taking the Christian Music Challenge was like finding an anchor during a storm. I used to think that Christian music was just hymns and gospel. As beautiful as those genres are, it is comprised of so much more.

There are a lot of Christian rap artists I love to listen to – Toby Mac, for instance. I can listen to his music, crank it up, dance to it even, and not worry that I’m filling my head with the constant drilling-in of lyrics promoting hookups and violence.

Praise God for that!

We have options to offensive entertainment, we just have to take the time to seek it out. You can search youtube, Jesus Freak Hideout, New Release Tuesday, NoiseTrade, and cdbaby.com – to name a few places to discover great Christian music.

These days, a Christian mindset is often ridiculed. For what? For wanting to protect children, for wanting to keep our own thoughts on things above?

Your Whole Family Can Commit to Joy

You and your family can rise above the negative, overtly sexual, and violent secular entertainment and instead have a heart and mind focused on finding peace in Jesus Christ.

When the headlines are getting me down, I turn on music that lifts me up and brings me back to joy. God is in control and nothing that’s happening today is without His knowledge.

Don’t worry: this is not about forever tuning out any other type of music. But, you’ll find that your choices become more and more in line with a changed heart.

The real question to think about is: why would you want to waste your time with entertainment that’s against biblical values and may possibly undermine your relationship with the Lord?

don't undermine your relationship with the Lord

My iPod is filled with a lot of music…country, classic rock and so on. But, I now turn to music choices from all genres that are uplifting and don’t dishonor God. I want my mind to be focused on things above, not jumbled and distracted.

I want my entertainment choices to enrich my life, not bring me down. I’d rather have my thoughts go somewhere like this, wouldn’t you?

Christian musicFrom now on, I’m focusing on making better choices.

Bring it on home, TobyMac!

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