Pharoah Talk

     If you are doing the Bible in a year readings, then you recently read of Pharoah telling Moses repeatedly that he would let the Israelites go into the wilderness to worship their God but then denied them that opportunity.  Each time he and Egypt suffered thru a plague, he would beg for it to be taken away and would say he would give them permission if the plague was stopped.  Plague after plague, his words meant nothing.  He said and did only what benefitted him.
     Do you follow thru on what you say?  I've blogged on this topic before but I think it's an important one.  I have seen this happen with mission trips.  People are ready and willing to ask you for money to send them but when you ask for a summary of the trip, it's ''I will'' but it turns out ''they don't.''  They've gotten what they wanted, until next time.
    Whatever the case may be, don't say it if you don't mean it.  An honest 'no' is better than a 'yes' that failed to act.

Stop It

     I have yet to master the art of patience.  On occasion it has shown itself clearly.  This caption reminds me of one of those times.
     I rarely talk on the phone now days because my voice is softer than it used to be.  I used to though handle the personal business calls that I could.  Well, one day at work I had to call the health insurance company.  A task that I thoroughly hate. Anyways, I told whatever the situation was to the lady on the other end of the line.  She started whispering back to me.  I know this can be an unconscious response to my soft voice so I told her 'please don't whisper.'  She continued to do so and I asked her again to stop it. And again. Maybe it had been a bad day or I had just reached my limit but I banged that phone receiver on my desk two or three times and said 'are you gona stop it now??'  [maybe I should have put that in all caps..lol]  Well, I must have got my point across because she finished the rest of the phone call in her normal voice.
     Patience sometimes just runs out, hopefully you can handle it a little better than me when it does. 

Good Grief

Proverbs 4;24 '' Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. ''

     Even Charlie Brown got frustrated with himself, other people and life itself.  The harshest words out of his mouth though were 'GOOD GRIEF.'  These are two of my favorite words to express dissatisfaction.  We should work on our patience skills to not let things get to us so but we are human.  To use perverse language tho shows not only a lack of vocabulary but also the lack of discipline in your tongue.  There is nothing in bad language that benefits you or glorifies God.  It is just a gateway left open for the devil to wreck havoc.  Movies that are rated R for pervasive language is a warning to you that it is filled with corrupt language throughout.  Avoid being subjected by the media or acquaintences that have a filthy mouth because you don't want to lose sensitivity to its destructive influence on you.
     Psalm 19:14 ''May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.''

Redirection

     Have you ever watched the show ''Let's Make a Deal?''  There's often a choice of money in your hand or looking behind door number 2.  We can choose what we know or trust that there might be something better.  I think that's kind of like what happens when God redirects our choices.  We have to trust that He knows best even when we don't know what it will be.  So what if door number two has a goose behind the curtain, will you still trust that this is what God wants for you?  Stay the course and you'll find out the goose lays golden eggs.
     Choices in life should fall in to place with His Word.  Redirection just means He has something better in mind for you that you may not be able to see yet.

Foolish or Power?

     This is a great caption, thanks Twylia, on how the unbelievers of the world see Christians and their faith.  While unbelievers are counting on their own strength, they are sure to fail.  The guy treading water in the caption is sure to sink and drown because he has no foothold of support.  He can't see or feel the strength in the Power of the Cross.  It's foolish to him because he hasn't been touched yet.  Yet, you can see how close he is to that saving Power.  Do you think he will have to go under a few times before he sees the Power of the Cross?  I think the guy holding on to the Cross looks less worried and feels secure, even amid the deep water he's in.
     Are you sinking or secure?  The song lyrics ''on the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand'' is what comes to my mind when I think about this blog and caption.

Led by the Heart

     Sometimes the heart and mind don't always agree. I can't say you should always go with one over the other.  They usually both have compelling arguements. They are both vulnerable to being swayed by worldly thoughts so it's important to seek wisdom to make sure it's in accordance with God's word.
     My story didn't involve too much of that advice but it worked out.  I knew I wanted to be a pharmacist since 11th grade. I planned my high school classes and college career towards that goal.  What I didn't expect was that the Navy would interfere with that plan.  I applied and got accepted twice to the pharmacy program here in LR.  I had to make a choice both times on whether a career or a relationship was more important to me.  If you could summarize my life in one word, it would be 'adaptation.'  I followed my heart and changed career paths.  Some might say I missed the money train but I don't think money is what life's all about.  I still agree with my heart's decisions.  I think my career worked out better anyways with the physical adaptations I've had to make.  So in this bout, the heart and mind both won.
     Sometimes the heart has reasons that reason doesn't understand.

Way Back Wednesday

Okay first of all, I don't know why I'm in my nightgown on the front porch for the whole world to see. I guess it didn't matter to me. Wasn't it nice when you were young enough to not really care what the rest of the world thinks? All that was on my mind was Bosco and his tricks. A great moment captured with my childhood dog.
I think this picture can remind us to focus on what's important to us and not give in to worldly opinions. The world can make us feel shy or intimidated but we must stand strong in our own values.

Who Saw That?

     I think one of the most embarrassing yet humbling things in life is falling down in front of people. If I've fallen once in my life, I've fallen a hundred times or more. You want to jump up as fast as basketball players do on the court but that's rarely the case.  It's more like a slow motion film that everyone is glued to.
     One time as I was going into the post office in Arlington, TX, I tripped and fell.  The long line of people who were waiting to mail there packages then formed a circle around me. The stares and questions were enough to make me want to be swallowed up by a sinkhole at the moment. Getting up and out of there was all I cared about.
     It's probably a good thing for us all to have a goof up every once in a while to remind us not to be too proud of ourselves. I guess the crowd watching increases the rate of humility for us.

A Thirst For

     Have you ever drank a glass of water and it tasted better than anything else you'd had in a while?  Some of my medicines can really make me thirsty and today my drink of water tasted extra refreshing. Quenching your thirst is a good feeling, sometimes you feel like you just can't get enough.
     Living Water provides for your soul's thirst. What is the Living Water, you might ask? Jesus.  Just as we long for a glass of physical water, our souls should long for Christ.  The better we get to know Him and build our relationship with Him, the more we will satisfy our soul.
     Do you know anyone looking for water? Someone who is spiritually thirsty? Introduce that person to Jesus, the Living Water.

''Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.'' —John 4:14

     John 4;10   “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

Seeing Clearly

     Well today is a very foggy day but we know the sun is behind all those clouds and haze.  We know it because we've seen it on other days in the past.  Hopefully we will only have to wait till tomorrow to see it clearly again.  God is kind of like that too, sometimes we clearly see His works and other times we have to wait.  When we get an answer to a prayer, it's easy to see God working in our lives.  When we pray for someone else for years, we wait and surrender it to His timing and will.  We have to put our trust in Him that even tho our view and understanding is foggy now, one day we will see clearly as Him. 

1 Corinthians 13;12  '' For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.''

3 Step Plan

     If you are one of those people who like a 3 step plan to do something, then this caption is for you.  These three steps can certainly help keep you from a lot of unneeded stress.
     Choosing the right friends can keep you accountable and on the right track.  The right friends can be a comfort zone of support in good times and bad.  The wrong friends can steer you into trouble thru peer pressure and then you're left alone to deal with the consequences.
     Planning your life with purpose means not just getting by in life.  Do for others whenever you can.  Be of benefit and encouragement to others, rather than being self-centered.  Set goals for yourself and go out there and make a difference in the world.
     Framing your life with faith is most important. It's what holds you and everything together.  Faith will sustain you through all the challenges that lie ahead.
     Three steps to a better life and its recommended for all ages. Choose with caution, plan with purpose and frame your life with faith. 

The W's of Life

     I thought this was a good caption on some fundamentals of life.  The W's of life are often questions we deal with on a personal level. 
    'WHO'...it's the body, soul, and personality that makes up our unique person.  There is no one else exactly like you so cherish that.  Embrace the differences in you. Be an original, not a copycat.
    'WHAT' ... the plan God has for you is specific.  The choices you make can make it a smooth or rocky path.  Don't be afraid of the future that is ahead.
    'WHEN'.. the storms will come but so will the rainbows.  God is in control so be trusting and thankful through it all.
    'WHERE' .. turn to the Bible when you have a decision to make.  Seek wisdom and it will be given to the heart and mind that is open and listens.
    'WHY'... often is never known, but that's ok. God works for the good of those who love Him.  It's in our best interest even when we don't understand.

Life Lessons

     Are you in a situation where you are struggling now?  Often the bad situation we are in is due to a bad choice or a series of bad decisions.  When you're on the bottom, the best way to go is up with a positive outlook.  Don't focus on whatever you did to get here because you can't change the past but your future is up to you.  These tough times are life lessons.  They are meant to teach you, change you and make you a stronger, better person.  You may feel scared, desperate, and alone so it's okay to reach out for help from those who truly care about you.  ''You can only help those that help themselves'' so do what is expected of you and more.  It's your road to walk so you have to put one foot in front of the other.
     This is dedicated to my friend who I believe in and want the best for.

Puerto Vallarta 2006

     This is my first Way Back Wednesday blog.  I will try to do a blog from the past with pictures every Wednesday this year.  So let's begin....

     This was my last trip to Mexico.  Charlene and I have been to MX four times between 2002-2006.  On this trip my parents, Charlene and I went to Puerto Vallarta.  We stayed at a beautiful beachside all-inclusive resort.  There were iguanas all over but not a nuisance.  We had our own lil cabana that was divided into two separate rooms.  The bed was on a concrete slab, ugh, that's about the only thing I would change.  While we were there, we went shopping and site-seeing downtown one day.  My mom and Charlene went whale watching by themselves.  I don't think I felt good so my dad and I went on a different boat the next day. If Mexico hadn't become so dangerous then I'd go back for more whale watching.  It's amazing to be so close.  Our pictures turned out to be alot of splashes because it was a new camera and we weren't familiar with it.  Charlene and my mom went parasailing while we did this.  We all had a great time.

Risky Business

     Are you a risk taker?  In some ways it can be a good thing as long as you're not also careless.  You can be too reserved and miss out on the thrill and excitement of life.  One of my favorite things to do when I was young was to ride roller coasters.  Up and down, all around, even upside down. I had to give them up for the most part when I had back surgery so right before it, my parents took me to the Opryland amusement park to ride everything till my heart was content. Loved it. They had the new kind with the track overhead and your seat was like a bucket below it.  This one swung you out over the lake..woosh.  I still ride some rides now, I just have to be more selective.
     We must be discerning tho on the risks of life that we choose to engage in.  Just like this elephant, we often put our lives on the edge for a peanut.  It sounds silly until you think about it and then you realize how true it is.  I won't give examples on what ways that you might be having risky business with, but you know those areas.
      The worst risk of all is waiting for the right day to surrender your life to the Lord. Don't risk it, it's eternally worth it.

Gossip

This is an interactive blog.  To demonstrate how gossip spreads and changes, read the following made up story only once, then read the blog and rewrite the story in your comment. Only read it once.

''Doug and Suzi went to the south side of town to see her friends, Wendy and Ashley, before they went to the West End.''

''If you didn't hear it with your own ears, or see it with your own eyes-- Don't invent it with your small mind and share it with your big mouth.''

      Gossip is like a wildfire.  It starts with just a spark and consumes everything in its path.  We might hear of some rumor and tell someone else whether we know if it's true or not.   It's a dangerous path to tread on.  In my pathology class of about 20 people, we had a lab class on how easily germs spread from person to person.  Two people put powder on their hands with an invisible contaminent in it then everyone randomly shook hands.  Now with a black light, you could see how everyone was now contaminated.  That's how gossip and rumors spread thru the grapevine.  If my lil experiment works in the comment section, I doubt the phrase will remain unchanged.  Let rumors that you hear be put out by you, not passed on.

Eclipse

     My first car was a white Dodge K-car.  My second was a red Honda Prelude that I loved. It developed a water leak in the back window.  So here in this picture is my 3rd car, my red Mitsubishi Eclipse. 
     Most of my 'car' stories happened with the Prelude but I do have one funny story in this car.  I was attending UCA at the time and it was the last day before spring break.  I was going from the parking lot behind the science building to the street that was diagonally across.  Well I didn't pull onto the street, stop, and turn left.  No, I just tried to dart across.  I didn't see that other little red car coming down the street.  WHAM!  Yes, it was my fault but I don't believe the other driver's injury claim when she got out of her car first to check on me.  Well my car was towed away and we both seemed fine.  When I got back to my rented room, I called my parents.  No answer, so I left a message saying I'd been in a wreck.  I called over and over till my dad finally called that night.  I said 'where have you been? didn't you get my message?'  It happened to be April 1st and he said 'yea, haha, April fools joke.'  I said, 'it's no joke. the wrecker took my car to some body shop.'  I wish I could say the story ends there, lol, but it doesn't.  While my car was being fixed, I borrowed my parent's Nissan Maxima.  The first day back from spring break, in the same parking lot, this guy backed out of his parking space right into me.  Okay, this wasn't my fault this time.  Not too much damage but still it was a bad driving week for me.
     Accidents are going to happen so when you get that call, just be thankful first that they're ok.

Fishin' in the Dark

     This picture is from 1994 sometime in the summer.
     I've been fishing since I can remember from Lake Conway to many of the other lakes in Arkansas to the Atlantic Ocean off of Maine.  I've always enjoyed the sport, more than the food caught.
     My dad and I often went down to his cousin Chuck's place in Scott down on the Old River.  He has a boat house so you can sleep between yoyo runs at night. Catfishing at night is a process in which you hang up yoyos on tree limbs with bait and then later you go spotlighting to see if you caught anything.  Well my job was to drive the boat up to the yoyo and my dad would get the fish off.  In the dark of night, snakes are something to be on guard for.  They aren't easy to see either. One night as we were driving towards a yoyo, we spotted a snake right on the limb of the yoyo. I turned that boat around faster than you can say lickety-split. My dad saw his dad get bitten twice by a snake in his lifetime but I wasn't going to repeat that family history.  We had alot of fun catching catfish at night by yoyos or trotline.

The Future Was Ahead

Isaiah 40;28-31
''Do you not know?
   Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
   the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
   and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
   and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
   and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
   will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
   they will run and not grow weary,
   they will walk and not be faint.''


     Do we really want to know the future?  Wouldn't it steal the joy of the present?  I think so.  To trust in the Lord is all we need to know that our future is secure in His hands.
     This picture is out at my grandparent's place out in the country when I'm about 8 years old.  My cousin, Melissa, and I used to pick blackberries around this rock. I had already fought a few battles by this age but God had already proven to give His strength and power thru me.  He has been with me every step so I will not fear the unknown future.  My strength is renewed each day by my hope in the Lord until my race is finished and He calls me home.

Prom

     This is my prom picture from May 1989.  I can tell you this was not an easy road to get here but certainly worth it.  Every girl should feel like Cinderella at least one day in her life.  I did.

     As most teenage girls do, I searched teen magazines looking for the type of dress I wanted.  My mom and I went to Conway one day looking for a dress.  Well we went into this little shop and there it was, 'the dress.'  It had a ridiculous price tag on it so I said 'let me just try it on for fun.'  Well that's all it took, my mom was sold on it.  

     So now I have the boyfriend and the dress, I'm all set for prom or so I thought.  About a month before the big day, I came home from school with a fever.  It quickly got worse with each hour that passed.  My parents took me to the ER where I was admitted with my first ever episode of pneumonia.  They drained A LOT of fluid off my lungs and started me on IV antibiotics.  I was in the hospital about 5 days.  I can't remember how much school I missed but I think 2-3 weeks.  So would I be well enough and strong enough to go to prom?  You can bet your bottom dollar on it.  It wasn't even a question in my mind.

     We had dinner at Steak n Ale and then the prom was at Holiday Inn in W. Little Rock.  Even tho I thought I'd win but didn't, I felt like the prom queen that night.

      As my friend Twylia says "He didn't promise us an easy life...He promised us help to live it."

80's Hair

     Actually this picture is from Sept 1990 but I was still sporting the hairstyle of the 80's. If there was ever a day in my life so far that I've felt like yelling 'I'm on top of the world' then it would be this day. I certainly wasn't wise at this age and had bookoos still yet to learn but I was happy in a worldly sense.
     I think the decade of the 80's was the best. The music was awesome and the fashion was hip.  As you can see, BIG hair was the desired look.  If your hair didn't stand up and out two or three inches, then you were just flat out of it.  Teasing your hair was a national pastime back then. I bet you could see 20 faces in the girl's bathroom mirror at school at one time, all with a teasing comb in hand. Oh yes, and don't forget the hairspray!  Who knew we were destroying the ozone layer?
     Maybe it's a sign of age when your favorite decade is the one you grew up in but that's okay, it also means you lived thru it.

Worth It



Morning of college graduation



NIU Graduation, Aug 1994



     If I've done anything right in my life, it was to finish school completely.  That's right I'm not going back.  I wouldn't say the academics was the hardest part for me but the going and doing it every day was.  I guess what I'm trying to say is that it was physically tough for me. Those huge heavy books, the constant fast-paced notetaking and the ability to get to where my class was were just a few of the challenges that stick out in my mind.  My first two years at UCA I refused to use a scooter.  Yes, I was prideful but I also knew that if I could make it without it, then it was better for me. No, it certainly was not easier to do without it.

     With my degree I was able to get my job at the lab, after two years of relentless job searching.  I enjoyed 5 great years there.

     If the joy it all brought me is not enough to express to you how worth it it all was then I'll tell you more.  I now still benefit greatly from it all financially and have wonderful health insurance.  If I only had government health insurance, woah, let's just say it'd be bad.  God knew what I needed then and now so He paved the way and gave me the strength to achieve it.

It's Better to Shop than Clean

     How thrilled do I look to be doing laundry?  This is me around 1994 in our apartment in Naperville, IL.  I did more housework than shopping back then because it was usually too cold to venture out and we had limited funds.
     Friends of mine are going to Dallas this weekend for a no-kids, all girl weekend of shopping.  How fun is that going to be for them!  I don't have a picture of me shopping but I can guarantee you my smile would be more evident in it than in this picture..ha. 
     Sure housework must be done but there is a high probability that it will still be there when you get back from shopping.  So go have fun, chores can wait.

Okay, Enough

--PG- rated video...lil bit of profanity--

     Okay, we all know people who like to hear themselves talk.  I love the scene in the movie, Planes Trains and Automobiles, when Steve Martin tells John Candy that he's like a Chatty Cathy doll that would pull his own string..haha.  Some people like to include every, and I mean every, detail with you in the story they're sharing and sometimes forget the point to the whole story. 
     Well it kind of made me feel better when I read my daily Bible reading yesterday. God doesn't want us to ramble on either, in prayer.  Matthew 6;7-8 '' And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.''  God cares more about what your heart is petitioning for than the words you use to ask for it with. If you try to use big 3 dollar words to impress whoever is listening to your prayer out loud then you should know that your thoughts are off track with your heart's prayer.  God just wants to hear from us.  There is no 500 word minimum that He requires, like your English professor.
     I'm a pretty much a matter of fact kind of gal, so if I start to ramble, tell me 'GET TO THE POINT.'

You Is....

     I recently watched the movie, 'The Help' and it's a very good movie. It's funny yet thought provoking. I like movies with a point, unless it's political. I'm not going to spoil the movie for you if you haven't seen it yet but instead draw from it.
     An encouraging word or statement to someone in an unchangeable, discouraging situation can give them the hope and self-esteem to push thru it.  This is what the maid did, in the movie, for the little girl whose mother didn't take time to love or care for her.  All people, but especially children, need to be told how special they are.  They need confidence building words spoken to them.  A child who knows that they are loved, appreciated and important will be more confident, ambitious and less vulnerable to peer pressure.
     Your words sink into the minds of others so make them positive and encouraging. Be a joy booster to someone because 'you is kind, you is smart, you is important.'

Broken

     I am an avid animal lover. There is like a 2 percent chance that I won't cry if a dog dies in a movie, 98 percent for people.  I know some people think that's wrong but animals are helpless and innocent.  We are responsible for their care. They can't say 'hey, I'm going in for my checkup on Thursday. It's just a short walk but I'll be back by 3pm.'  Neutering your pet is an important part of their health. The shelters are full of dogs and cats that need a good home. Thankfully, you can't adopt one without it being fixed.  A dog or cat that has been fixed will have a longer, healthier life. Puppy mills are horrific.  They are like a 3rd world prison for animals who prey on them for money. 
     Please respect the animals around you.  As Bob Barker used to say 'please spay and neuter your pets.'

Guide Them

     Okay so how many of you are glad that the Christmas break is over and you can send your kids back to school?  I don't have any kids but I'm glad.  It means you can go to the movies or the mall with a lot less chaos and distraction.
     Some people homeschool and others send their kids to public or private school, it's a personal choice.  Either way, learning takes place both in and out of the classroom.  Proverbs 1;8  ''Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.''  You can't expect your child's teacher to take care of your parenting responsibilities too.  An absent parent will reap what they sow.  The public schools have especially taken God out of the curriculum but that doesn't mean your child has to do without.  2 Timothy 3;16-17  ''All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that all God’s people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.''  Use God's Word to raise and guide your child daily to keep them on the right track.
     Learning and teaching is 24/7.  Do your part with the Bible as your resource tool.

Strong Enough

     Many of the people who know me now have only known me since I moved back here.  Depending on how well you know me, one might assume that I've always been in a scooter. Well that's not true.  I gave up walking for the most part around the age of 26. You might ask, 'how could you give up something so important?'  Well I did fight the inevitable. I had one of those grocery bag carts that I'd use in the house or to practice walking with up and down the driveway.  I soon realized that all I thought about was not falling and wasn't enjoying going anywhere I went.  I was working full-time at this point and that took alot of my energy.  I wanted to do it all..x, y and z.  My disease is progressive so it's like a pin-hole leak in a glass of water. You can try to refill it a little on the weekend but it soon will be drained empty.  So you make choices.  It was a dream of mine to work so my energy went to that and the scooter was a way to adapt.  I could now go places without fear and at the speed I wanted. Yes, there is a downside of being weaker over time.  If I had fallen tho and broke something, it would have been worse.
     It does take courage to accept a new reality in your life or in yourself.  You adapt but mostly you trust God to see you through it.  If you don't see how this can apply to you then consider if you had to move, or get a hearing aid, or change jobs, or any of life's unexpected changes that will come.

FBF Prayer Requests for January

FBF MISSIONARY PRAYER REQUESTS FOR JAN 2012



TED AND PRISCILLA CLARK

1. Pray for wisdom for us this year, in planning other evangelistic outreaches and considering various ideas for evangelism.  We feel an urgency to focus much time and energy on evangelism this year, as we are convinced that the time is SHORT before the Lord’s coming!

2. Please pray for great wisdom for us concerning the decision about buying a piece of land in Arumbaro to be used for a permanent, central location for teaching Bible studies to larger groups together, holding children’s activities and advancing the work there in general.  The land we were considering, which was ideal, has doubled in price within a few months.  Pray that if the Lord wants us to have this land, the owner would soon return the offer to his original, more sensible price (which was even a little on the high side).

MONICA SERNATINGER

1. Please, continue to pray for Coral. She has decided to follow Christ and to break up the engagement, but he, Mario, does not understand or want to leave the relationship. We need wisdom, and Coral needs strength to continue obeying God.

 

2. Please, continue to pray that the Lord would provide a missionary family to come and continue with the church planting ministry here in Puruandiro.

BOBBY AND NAMATHA AVILEZ

1.       Pray for the Avilez family as they plan a deputation trip to the US this March. Pray for churches and other opportunities to share the House of Hope Orphanage ministry!

2.       Pray that more of our kids would have a born again experience this year!

LESLEY WOLFE

1.       Aaron & Amy Speitelsbach --- current partners.  They will begin their return from Monrovia, Liberia to the village (Freetown, Liberia) on January 5^th (hopefully!) and should be back into full time language study beginning January 9th.  Pray especially for Aaron, that he will make good progress this year in his study and useage of Glaro --- that the Lord will help and enable him to learn, retain, and speak Glaro well! 

2.       Guy and Keyla Burkhead --- our potential partners.  Haven’t heard from them in a while.  They just finished up their training in December, and I know that he was needing gainful employment this year.  So, please pray for this need of his/theirs; and also for the Lord’s direction as to where they should serve --- i.e., w/NTM, and more specifically with the Glaro work; or, stateside in fulltime ministry.

You're an Example

''Sometimes the best thing you can do for others is to be a good example."

     They say the best sermon is one that is lived and not preached.  Others are watching you, whether you realize it or not.  The other day the oldest member of our church, Roy, said to me 'we missed you the other day.'  He noticed and remembered I had missed the Christmas morning service.  Your actions are stronger than your words to alot of people.  Alot of us don't know how or feel comfortable in witnessing to others verbally but the way in which you conduct yourself daily will speak volumes to others.  Others see how you respond to trials in your life, is it with fear or grace?  Others see who you credit your blessings to, are they self achieved or God granted? 
     Whether you're a child, a teen, or an adult, you are an example to others. Have you ever heard or thought 'well so and so did it, why can't I?'  Be a positive influence and example in the eyes and ears of others.

Dreams

     This caption is so me!  I think 80 percent of my dreams have to do with school somehow.  I don't know why since I've been out of school for forever and a day..or 1994.  The dreams are often about being late or not being prepared for a test.  Well I still hate to be late and like to be prepared for things so I guess it relates to things I personally struggle with and don't like about myself.  It does make me anxious when I don't feel on top of things and racing to catch up to where I think I should be on my self-imposed timeline.
     A friend and I are starting the Bible in a year challenge together today.  I know, we're already a day behind..lol.  I've done it before alone but I'm hoping our accountability to each other will help me keep on track.  I want to avoid any dreams of being behind on this task.
     Here's the website, if you want to challenge yourself to read the Bible this year...
       http://www.oneyearbibleonline.com/oneyearweekly.php?version=51&startmmdd=0101

2012 Begins

     I've had this caption of this cute lil guy for quite some time and have been trying to figure out what he's saying.  Now I know, it's ''HAPPY NEW YEAR.''
     What does the new year have in store for you?  I honestly don't know myself.  I know there will be trials and opportunities because God has the plan all worked out for me.  Trust and obey is all I have to do to complete His agenda for me in the upcoming days of 2012.
    May your year be filled with blessings and the comfort of His love.