Beth's Blog

Farewell Blog World

2009-03-29T11:12:00.000-07:00

I'm leaving the blog world indefinitely. The Lord has put it in my heart that I need to focus more on my family. I feel like I've been spending too much time online and not enough time nurturing my relationship with Christ, being a wife, and being a mom. So, I'm going to get back to what is most important in my life. Even though I don't post that often, I do spend a lot of time surfing through other blogs and reading them.
I'm leaving my blog website up in case anyone would like a recipe from it or would like to read any other posts. But I won't be posting anymore after this and probably won't be reading other blogs either.
Also, for those of you who email me, I won't be checking email as often as I used to, so you might want to call me if you need to tell me something pressing.
I pray anyone who has stumbled across my blog has been encouraged by it and hopefully has taken something away from it.
God Bless!
~Beth

Recession Fashion

2009-03-12T14:14:00.000-07:00

Kelly over at Kelly's Korner is doing a Mister Linky post on recession fashion. So, here are my tips for dressing for less in today's tough economy.

1. Shop consignment sales. We have two great children's consignment sales in our area twice a year: Rhea Lana and Duck Duck Goose. I went to both this year and got some great things for the kids. For my 7-year-old: 2 nice button-down Abercrombie shirts for $10 each, several pair of jeans for around $8, nice brown leather shoes for $8, and a lot more! For my 4-month-old: Lots of cute outfits for around $4 and some adorable brown sandals for this summer for $2!
It's also a good idea to clean out your old stuff and put them in the consignment sales. Then, you make back the money you spend, so the stuff is basically free! And you usually get to shop earlier than the public if you consign, so you get the first pick of the cutest stuff!

2. Shop e-bay. I love Gap jeans, but they usually run around $60. I know exactly what size I wear in them, so I go to e-bay and find Gap jeans in my size for around $8 plus shipping. I end up spending less than $20 on $60 jeans! And even if they're used, Gap makes great jeans that last forever. You can also usually find "lots" of cute tops in your size at a good price. And for the kids, my pastor's wife says she buys most of her baby's clothes on ebay and saves a ton of money.

3. Join Yahoo Groups. Yahoo has some great groups out there. One I love is freecycle. You give away stuff you don't use anymore (including clothes) to people in your community and you can also get stuff. I've gotten some great things from there. It's usually a really great place to find maternity clothes. There are also coupon trading groups. Someone might get a 15% coupon to JC Penney in the mail that they aren't going to use, so they offer it in the group and you can get it. This is a great way to save on new clothes.

4. Yard Sales. Especially if you go to the fancy-shmancy neighborhoods. They always have great stuff!

Do you have any recession fashion tips? Post a response here, or post them on your blog and participate in the Mister Linky at Kelly's Korner!

Fizz Keeper

2009-03-10T18:09:00.000-07:00

This:

Is the "Fizz Keeper"

I got this the other day when I bought the Chef'n Palm Peeler. I wanted to give it a fair shot before posting my opinion on it. I've used it several times now and here is what I think:

We drink a lot of 2-liters. They always do fine until I get down toward the bottom of the bottle and then it always seems to lose it's fizz. So, I end up pouring about a glass and a half of the soda down the drain. I bought the Fizz Keeper, hoping it would solve my dilemma. Unfortunately, it did not. It did great at keeping fizz in the soda. But when I got to the bottom of the bottle, I poured a glass and there was fizz, but it looked different than the usual carbonation fizz and the soda was still flat. Also, the fizz keeper wouldn't make a good, tight seal on the bottle of Barq's Rootbeer.

So, when it comes to the Fizz Keeper, I say don't waste your money. It kept the soda from going flat until the bottle got low, but so does the bottle cap for me. Maybe if you take a little longer to drink your 2-liters it might work better than the regular bottle cap for you. But I don't know for sure because I didn't test it that way. We drink 2-liters pretty quickly.

Hope this helps!

Chef'n Palm Peeler

2009-03-06T11:31:00.000-08:00

I got one of these the other day and used it last night. It is AWESOME! It slides right onto your finger, tucks into your palm, and peels anything. It even has a convenient potato eyer at the tip and is top rack dishwasher safe. I hate peeling potatoes and sometimes cut a little too much of the potato with the peel. Not with this thing. It peels the potato perfectly and it's soooo easy. It makes peeling potatoes a snap! I got mine at Kitchen Island in Cabot. You can also get them online at The Kitchen Store here: http://www.thekitchenstore.com/chpape.html

I got another goodie at Kitchen Island and I'll be posting on it once I use it and see how well it works.

Gray Areas

2009-02-27T16:43:00.000-08:00

Ever come across a gray are in life that the Bible doesn't specifically speak of? If you are wondering whether you should or should not do something, and the Bible doesn't specifically talk about that particular subject...ask yourself these four questions to make your decision.

1. Does it promote edification? (will it unite or divide the saints?)
2. Can it lead to bondage or addiction?
3. Do you have an uneasy conscience about it? (probably a good indication you shouldn't do it)
4. Can it cause someone to stumble? (1 Cor. 8:9)

Our pastor gave us these four questions last Wednesday night. I know I'll be using them for the gray areas in my life. Will you?

Strawberry Coconut Cake

2009-02-24T14:41:00.000-08:00

This cake was adapted from another type of cake I make. The other cake was made with a boxed cake mix, though. This one is from scratch and so much better! The other cake had pudding in it and had to be spooned out, but I needed a cake that could be sliced, so I changed a few things and came up with this and it's sooo delicious. And if you don't like the texture of coconut, don't worry, it's made with cream of coconut so there is no gritty texture and just the right amount of coconut flavor to compliment the strawberry.

Strawberry Coconut Cake

Yellow Cake Recipe from Better Homes & Gardens:
3/4 cup butter
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups milk

other ingredients you will need:
one box fresh strawberries
one can cream of coconut (found near the mixed drink stuff in the grocery store)
1 tub cool whip

1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temp. for 30 minutes. Grease and flour one 13/9/2 inch baking pan; set aside. In a bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 375. In a mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, beating until well combined. Beat 2 minutes more. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and milk, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Spread batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cook cake for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and place on serving platter.

4. While the cake is still warm, using a butter knife, cut several small slits about an inch into the top of the cake all around (about 10 slits). Spread about 1/2 cup of cream of coconut all over the top of the cake. Allow cake to cool completely.

5. Once the cake is cool, slice strawberries into thin slices and cover the top of the cake with them. Then, frost the entire cake with the cool whip. Serve.

Store in Refridgerator.

Make sure and leave me a comment if you try this and tell me how you like it!

Hollywood

2009-02-23T06:52:00.000-08:00

For a list of movies that use blasphemy, click on Hollywood and God to the left.

My Friend at Conversations with a Cupcake

2009-02-19T06:21:00.001-08:00

Click here to see a really cute video by my friend Brooke over at Conversations with a Cupcake. It's pretty funny, and you get a recipe out of the deal, too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAObVcxbnYI&watch_response

If God is Good...

2009-02-18T10:25:00.000-08:00

A common misconception is that if God is good, he will allow you into heaven because a good God would not send you to Hell.

Well, if God is good, then he must also be a good judge. We will all face judgement when we die. Imagine if you went to court for murder and the judge had all the evidence against you. Would a good judge pardon you for your crime? Of course not, he would sentence you to your punishment because he is a good judge. In the same way, God is a good judge and must judge us for our sins. Have you ever lied, stolen, cheated, etc.? Then you will be found guilty in God's courtroom. UNLESS you have the ultimate attorney. This attorney pays your fine for you and God then will say, "your case is dismissed, your punishment has already been paid." The attorney is Jesus. He paid the price for our sins on the cross so that when we face judgement, our case will be dismissed and we will move on to an eternal heaven where we will live with God. Now understand that this gift is not automatic. You must first accept it. "narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it" Matthew 7:14

It is so sad that "there are few who find it". But the reality is that most people are too selfish to turn from themselves, repent for their sins, and follow Jesus. Selfishness isn't always the issue, but it often is. There are many people who are afraid that following Jesus will change them, and they are happy just as they are. Let me tell you from experience, it WILL change you...but the change is for the better. I'm not saying it will make you have a better or happier life, but it will definitely change you for the better. Mostly because you will have an inner joy knowing that this life, with all its problems, is temporary and you have something to look forward to: eternity in paradise with your creator.

Want to accept Jesus as your Savior? Go to these links in order:
http://www.proverbs31.org/doyouknowJesus/doYouKnowJesus.php

http://www.proverbs31.org/doyouknowJesus/acceptJesusForm.php

http://www.proverbs31.org/doyouknowJesus/whatDoIDoNow.php

If you do this, please let me know. I'd love to rejoice with you!

Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

2009-02-08T12:48:00.000-08:00

This is what's for dinner at my house tonight. I sort of made it up myself a few years ago and it's delish!!

Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

1 whole chicken
2 bags of boil in bag white rice
2 cans cream of chicken
One 15 oz. jar of Kraft Cheese Whiz
1 bag frozen broccoli cuts
salt and pepper
Shredded Cheese of your choice (I use colby jack)

Rinse the chicken and take out the neck and gizzards. Boil chicken until cooked through. Drain and let cool. Pull all chicken meat off the bones and pull into small strips of meat. Put in a large bowl.

Boil 2 bags of rice until done, then add them to the chicken. Mix in cream of chicken, cheese whiz, and broccoli cuts. Stir in some salt and pepper.

Put in a large casserole dish. Top with shredded cheese and bake at 350 degrees for about 30-45 minutes.

Serve with bread of your choice.

Tex-Mex Beef Enchiladas

2009-02-03T16:39:00.000-08:00

These are so yummy! My family loves it when I make them.

Tex-Mex Beef Enchiladas

Yellow Corn Tortillas
1.5 pounds ground beef
1 can refried beans
1 large can enchilada sauce
Two 8 ounce packages shredded cheese (mexican blend or colby jack or cheddar)
1 packet McCormicks Chili Seasoning
Butter

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet. Drain grease and return to skillet. Add the packet of chili seasoning, the can of refried beans, and half the can of enchilada sauce. Stir together and cook until it is hot. Remove from heat and set aside.

Spread butter on each side of a corn tortilla. Cook it in a small skillet, turning until both sides are golden. Fill it with some of the beef mixture and shredded cheese. Roll it and put it in a large regtangular casserole dish. Repeat until the dish is full of enchiladas.

Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce into the remaining beef mixture and stir until well combined. Spread this over the enchiladas in the dish. Spread one whole 8 oz package of shredded cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, until cheese is melted and slightly brown.

Serve with tortilla chips and sour cream.

My Funny Stuff Blog

2009-02-01T14:41:00.000-08:00

I made a new blog. It's all about stuff I think is funny. Go check it out, and get a good laugh.

The link is to the left.

Italian Roast Beef Sandwiches

2009-01-23T07:26:00.000-08:00

This is what's for dinner tonight at my house. It's another quick and super-easy recipe. I learned this one from my dad.

Italian Roast Beef Sandwiches

1 Boneless Chuck Roast
2 Packets Dry Italian Dressing Mix
Hoagie Buns
Butter
Garlic Powder
Sliced Cheese

Brown the chuck roast in a skillet until the outside is nice and golden brown. Put it in the crockpot and fill with enough water to cover the roast. Pour in the two packets of italian dressing mix. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the roast falls apart. Pull the roast into shreds

Butter each side of the hoagie buns and sprinkle with garlic powder (or garlic salt if you like it a little salty). Put them in the oven on 400 until they are lightly toasted.

Put shreds of the roast and a slice of cheese on each hoagie bun.

I serve these with homemade fries.

Chris Sligh

2009-01-17T19:40:00.001-08:00

I saw Chris Sligh in concert tonight. It was so much fun! He's really funny and has a beautiful voice. Afterward, he signed my CD and I got my picture taken with him. If he ever comes to your town, I suggest you see him. He puts on a really good show...plus he has a really cool fro.

Gigi's Apple Crisp

2009-01-16T08:55:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was my 4 year wedding anniversary. The Lord has blessed me with an amazing husband who is also a wonderful father to our two boys. I love him so much and thank God continually for him.

We always get each other the "traditional" anniversary gifts. The 4 year traditional gift is flowers or fruit. So, he got me flowers and I made him an apple crisp. I use my mom's recipe and it is soooo delish! (the grandkids call my mom Gigi). It's nice and crispy and sweet. In fact, after this post I think I'll go have some!

(Warning: if you are on a diet...turn away now! This stuff is full of sugar and butter!)

Gigi's Apple Crisp

4-5 Gala Apples
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbs cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 stick of butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup self-rising flour
1 egg
1 stick of butter

Peel apples and slice into wedges. Grease a rectangular glass baking dish. Cover the bottom of the dish with the apple wedges. In a medium bowl, mix 1/2 cup sugar, the cinnamon and nutmeg. Sprinkle mixture over apples. Cut the 1/4 stick of butter into small slices and scatter them over the apples. In a large bowl, mix 1 cup sugar and 1 cup flour. Beat the egg in a small bowl. Mix the egg into the flour/sugar mixture with a fork until it is crumbly. Spread the crumbles over the apples. Melt 1 stick of butter and pour over the top of the crumbles. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream on top.

Busy Mom Recipe: Dorito Chicken

2009-01-12T15:01:00.000-08:00

I subscribe to daily email devotionals from Proverbs 31 Ministries. Today's devotional was called "Her children arise and call her busy". In the devotional the author writes that one day after telling her daughter she was too busy to tell her a story, her daughter said,

"That's okay, I'll tell you a story. Once upon a time," she began, "there was a very busy mom. She woke up every day and she was tired. She made a big pot of coffee and went into her room to pray. She prayed and prayed and prayed…but nothing happened. She did the laundry and went to Target and to the grocery store where she spent lots of money. She made dinner and cleaned the house. She went to help the homeless children. At the end of the day, she was still tired so she went to bed. The end."

That really hit home for me. I bet that's how my son views me as well. I really need to slow down and spend some good quality time with him and with the Lord each day.

So, for you busy moms, I have a great recipe. I'm making this for dinner tonight...it takes very little time and it's delicious! My mom always called it "Mexican Chicken", but I've heard several people call it "Dorito Chicken". Whatever you want to call it, here is the recipe...enjoy!

Dorito Chicken

1 Whole Chicken
2 cans cream of chicken
2 cans rotel
1 large bag of Doritos
2 bags shredded cheese (I use colby jack blend but you can use cheddar too)

Boil the whole chicken until done. Strain and let cool. Pick all the meat off the bone and pull into small strips. Put the meat in a large bowl. Mix in the cream of chicken and rotel. Stir in some salt and pepper.

Crush the Doritos while still in the bag.

In a large, deep casserole dish, cover the bottom with half the bag of Doritos. Cover the Dorito layer with half the chicken mixture. Cover that with half the shredded cheese. Then do a layer of the other half of Doritos, a layer of the other half of chicken mixture, and finally the other half of the cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

Serve with Tortilla Chips.

Think about it

2009-01-10T10:06:00.000-08:00

I want you to think about something. First, pick a person in this world of great status. Maybe it's your favorite actor, or the president of the United States, or your favorite singer. Just think of a person you would love to meet and have a conversation with. It has to be someone of this world, who is living right now. Do you have your person? I'm going to pick a person, too. My person is George W. Bush.

Ok, now imagine that person wanted to come to your house and sit with you at the kitchen table and have a conversation. I think if George W. Bush wanted to visit my house and have a conversation with me, I'd probably be very excited about it. I would probably clear my schedule so there would be no interruptions. I probably wouldn't say, "you know, George, I'm a little busy watching Judge Judy right now...maybe some other time." Of course not! I would be very interested to talk with him and probably would want to make our visit last as long as possible. What about the person you picked? Would you blow them off or cut your conversation short? Probably not.

Now, think about this question. When it comes to God, do you really believe, that what you believe, is really real? I mean do you REALLY believe it? Because if you REALLY believe that when you pray, you are meeting with the creator of the universe, the living God, you wouldn't have trouble praying daily...you would have trouble leaving your prayer! Think about it. If a conversation with someone of this world who you find fascinating would get you so excited that you wouldn't let anything stand in the way of it, how much more exciting should it be to speak with GOD?!

Last night, we started a weekly Bible study with our friends called The Truth Project. Let me tell you, it is really amazing. If you ever have the chance to do The Truth Project...do it. It will make you think about your faith in ways you have never thought before. And it will make you constantly question yourself..."Do I really believe, that what I believe, is really real?"

The idea about prayer really hit me. I struggle to have a daily prayer life. But if I really believe I'm speaking with God, why is it so hard? I think this concept is going to dramatically change my prayer life. Each day, if I choose, I get to meet with the creator of the universe...and THAT is more exciting than meeting with anyone else I can think of. I'm really excited that I have the privilege to speak with Him whenever I want...and I think now it's going to be hard to peel me away from those conversations.

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

2009-01-08T13:30:00.000-08:00

I've always loved homemade scalloped potatoes (the boxed ones are kinda yucky), but I never knew how to make them. I was so excited when my mom got me the new Better Homes and Gardens "Celebrating the Promise" cookbook for Christmas. I was looking through it and found a simple recipe for scalloped potatoes. I've made it twice with dinner and it's sooooo good. Don't forget to comment if you ever try a recipe from my blog and tell me how you like it. Here is the recipe, with some slight changes made by me.

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup butter or margarine (I use real butter)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
4 medium, thinly sliced potatoes

1. For sauce, in a medium saucepan cook onion and garlic in hot butter until tender. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Stir in cheese until melted. Remove from heat; set aside. Place half the sliced potatoes in a greased, shallow casserole dish. Top with half the sauce. Repeat layers.

2. Bake, covered, in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 40 to 50 more minutes or until potato is tender and top is a nice golden brown. Let stand, uncovered, for 10 minutes before serving.

Beef Tips with Noodles

2009-01-01T14:36:00.000-08:00

Ok, sorry I haven't been blogging regularly...I do have a newborn baby at home, so I think that's a legit excuse. I plan to get going on my blog regularly very soon. We're starting to get into a good routine around here, so it won't be long. Meanwhile, here is this SIMPLE crockpot recipe for you busy moms out there. It is sooooo delicious... my favorite thing to prepare for my family when I know it's going to be a busy day.

Beef Tips with Noodles

Put all these ingredients into your crockpot and cook on Low 6-8 hours or until the beef is tender.

2 pounds beef tips (I get the kind for stir-fry)
2 cans cream of celery
2 cans cream of mushroom
1 whole onion diced (I know it sounds like a lot of onion, but it doesn't taste onion-y, trust me)
One tbsp. salt
1/2 tbsp. pepper
1/2 tbsp. garlic powder

When the beef is tender, boil a pot full of egg noodles until they are tender, then mix them into the crockpot. Serve with Cornbread.

Enjoy!

Another Giveaway from Sunshine

2009-01-01T14:34:00.000-08:00

My friend Sunshine over at Make Life Delicious is doing ANOTHER giveaway. Check it out HERE

Oh, Christmas Tree...

2008-12-12T11:03:00.000-08:00

We got our Christmas tree up on the 2nd. It's a tradition in our family to get a real tree each year (and then watch as it slowly dies by Christmas...LOL) I just love the smell of a real tree, it smells like Christmas to me! I was looking at the tree the other day and thinking of the significance it has to the birth of Christ. I looked it up on the Internet and found several things. The one I liked the best is that the shape of the tree symbolizes the trinity, with each of the three points being the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We always put a cross on the top of our tree to remind us of the gift Jesus gave us on the cross. But as I looked at the tree, I realized it sort of looks like a big arrow, pointing toward that cross on top...or pointing toward heaven. So, each time I look at that tree, I follow the arrow with my eyes and my heart toward Jesus. I pray you will find little ways like this to remember what Christmas is all about this holiday season...the birth of our Lord and the sacrifice He made for us at calvary so we can have eternal life with Him.

Hershey Gift Basket Giveaway

2008-12-01T12:40:00.000-08:00

This week my friend Sunshine over at Make Life Delicious will be giving away 5 Hershey Gift Baskets. Each basket will include…

* Baking Bowl

* Hershey’s Recipes

* Oven Mitt

* Spatula

* 2 Bags of Hershey’s Kisses

* Peanut Butter

* Flour

* Brownie Mix

* Hershey’s Cocoa

You have a few different ways to earn entries to win one of these awesome gift baskets. Winners will be chosen at random this Friday, December 5!

So, hurry over to www.MakeLifeDelicious.com to find out how to enter.

Fried Deer Steak and Green Beans

2008-11-26T15:32:00.000-08:00

First let me say that I need to change the date stamp on my camera. These pictures were actually taken Monday evening when I made these things.

Here is a picture of the fried deer I made (well, some of it...by the time I was done cooking, this platter was full)

It's been my experience that if someone doesn't like deer, the deer they had was not cooked right. I've had several people tell me they don't like deer. Then, when they have it cooked like my dad taught me to cook it, they LOVE it! The secret to good deer meat:
Tenderize it with a tenderizing hammer until it's paper thin
Fry it in conola oil in a cast iron skillet
Don't turn your stove up too high, you need to cook it slowly and turn the meat often

Now, I'm about to tell you the secret to the BEST green beans you have ever put in your mouth. Seriously...I came up with this myself and have used it to turn green bean haters into green bean LOVERS. And the best thing about it...it's sooooo simple.

What you need:

4 cans of cut green beans

4-5 pieces of your favorite bacon

Cavendar's Greek Seasoning

Dump the green beans into a pot with the juices from the can

Put in the bacon

Shake in lots of Cavendar's (probably about 3 Tbs. if I had to guess)

Stir it all together

Put it on the stove and bring it to a boil

Boil it until most of the juice is gone

Serve and be prepared be AMAZED!

If you try my green beans, please leave a comment and let me know what you think!

Decor Ideas

2008-11-23T07:50:00.000-08:00

I promise to have my first food post VERY soon. You have to cut me a little slack because, after all, I did just have a baby 2 1/2 weeks ago. But soon I will be cooking deer meat from an 8 point buck my dad killed last week. My husband and 7 year old spent the weekend with my dad deer hunting. Since they didn't get one themselves, my dad gave them some of his to bring home. And I am soooo excited about cooking it!

Until then, I need some help. I want to paint and decorate my front bathroom soon. Right now it's just very plain with no decor...we bought this house this year and haven't decorated any rooms yet except the nursery. This is the bathroom my two sons will use AND it's the one guests will use. And I can't think of ANY ideas. The challenge is that one of my kiddos is 7 and the other is a newborn. So, I need something for boys, but not too baby-ish...and not too big kid-ish. Also, something that won't be too weird for guests. So, PRETTY PLEASE, post a comment if you have any ideas of how I can decorate that bathroom.

Food and Jesus

2008-11-20T07:13:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I've spent lots of time lately trying to think of how I can make my blog better. How can I make it more interesting for me and my readers? Well, each day I enviously look at the food blogs I follow, Make Life Delicious and Speaking of the Sweetest Things, and I think "man, I wish I had a food blog...but I really want to have a Christian blog." Then, this morning I thought, "why can't I have both?" I mean, Jesus taught many important lessons over food...why can't I combine the two as well? So, from now on, my blog is a Christian Food Blog! And I'm so excited about it! I love love love to cook, and I'm always trying new things. Sometimes the new things turn out delicious...and other times they turn into pizza night (yuck!). I might even post some of the yucky ones and get some ideas on how to make them good. So, check back soon for my very first food post.
~Beth

A New Look

2008-11-15T07:34:00.000-08:00

I'm revamping the blog. I've decided to start putting a little more time and effort into it. So, check back often and see the changes I'm making. I'll also be posting more frequently.
Thanks for stopping by!
Beth

Folded into Grandpa Ford's Bible

2008-11-15T06:23:00.000-08:00

Grandpa Ford is who my husband was named after (his middle name is Ford). My mother-in-law emailed this to me. She found it in Grandpa Ford's Bible. I love this.

For your consideration:

Fact-God's word written in the bible.
Faith-Our christian walk once we accept Jesus as our Saviour. Christianity is not just a creed; it involves action.
Feelings-Our mortal self for all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.

Three people were walking along a narrow cliff wall. Their names were Fact, Faith, and Feelings. While Faith kept his eyes on Fact, who was walking in front of him, he had no problems keeping steady and walking straight. However, when he looked over his shoulder at Feelings, he began to totter and nearly fell off the cliff.

In your Christian life, you are walking along a cliff wall. You are Faith. It is most important for you that you keep your eyes on Fact. Don't look over your shoulders at Feelings. Feelings is a variable person. Sometimes he is up, and sometimes down, occasionally depressed, and often moody. But Fact is steady, reliable and unchangeable.

As you keep your eyes on Fact, you find he as three parts to him:

1. The FACT that Christ is risen and alive. this is a matter of history.
2. The FACT that this risen Christ has pledge His word that, if you open the door of your heart to Him, He will come in. REV. 3:20
3. The FACT that you have now opened that door. Therefore, He has come in and is with you forever. Claim it, Believe it, and you will Know it!

So remember! Don't look over that shoulder!

Because He Lives

2008-11-02T14:45:00.001-08:00

It's amazing how God will put even the smallest things into our lives to give us comfort. This morning, I got to go to church for probably the last time for a few weeks. I'm having our second son by C-section Tuesday morning, so I'll be out for a few weeks recovering. My husband and I have had some anxieties as we approach the big day, as anyone would. But this morning, we sang the song "Because He Lives" at church. We've sung this song many times in worship before, but it never has struck me quite the way it did this morning. Here are the words that really hit me...

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives;
But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because He Lives!

Chorus:
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

How amazing is it that we sang this song, that speaks of the assurance Jesus gives us for our children right before I go to have my baby? I was so amazed. I felt like God put that song there just for me and my husband this morning. When we sang that part, my husband squeezed my hand and I was filled with a calming comfort from the Lord. Praise God, He LIVES!

Spreading The Wealth

2008-11-01T09:20:00.000-07:00

Blogger's Choice Awards

2008-10-22T21:07:00.000-07:00

If you like my blog, I'd appreciate your vote in the Blogger's Choice Awards.
Just Click Here

Love,
Beth

God's Artwork

2008-10-20T07:55:00.000-07:00

I challenge you to slow down today and look around at God's amazing artwork. There is so much beauty around us and we often get too busy to notice. He has blessed us with so many beautiful creations.

P.S. The first place you can find one of his beautiful creations is in a mirror.

A cirumhorizontal arc seen for about an hour above northern Idaho on June 3, 2006.

Me Church

2008-10-16T11:35:00.001-07:00

For Arkansas Voters

2008-10-14T15:28:00.001-07:00

It's so important to vote. And it's even more important to be informed before you go to the polls so you know what and who you are voting for. Here are some links for Arkansas voters.

Links to the issues you will vote on November 4 so you can make an informed decision. And for more information on each issue, go to www.ballotpedia.org and do a search for them.

http://www.votenaturally.org/2008_elections/Referred_Question_No1.html

http://www.votenaturally.org/2008_elections/Proposed_Referred_Constitutional_Amendment_No1.html

http://www.votenaturally.org/2008_elections/Proposed_Referred_Constitutional_Amendment_No2.html

http://www.votenaturally.org/2008_elections/Proposed_Initiative_Constitutional_Amendment_No3.html

http://www.votenaturally.org/2008_elections/Proposed_Initiative_Act_No1.html

You can go here to see who is running in each district so you can research them before you vote.

http://www.votenaturally.org/2008_elections/candidates_ballot_issues_nov4_election.pdf

Go here to check and make sure you are registered to vote. Click on your name to see which districts you will vote for.

https://www.voterview.ar-nova.org/

Below you will find the early voting information for Pulaski County. Be sure to note the days and times of the specific location where you plan to go because the main location is different than the satellite locations across the county.

Pulaski County Regional Building early voting hours and dates: (this building is across Broadway from the courthouse and across Markham from the LR City Hall Building)

Mon. October 20th – Friday, October 24th – 8:00 am – 6:00 pm

Sat. October 25th – 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Mon. October 27th – Friday, October 31st – 8:00 am – 6:00 pm

Sat. November 1st – 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Last day: Mon. November 3rd –8:00 am—ends at 5:00 pm

Other Early Voting Locations and hours:

Hours and dates:

Mon. October 20th – Friday, October 24th - 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

Sat. October 25th – 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Mon. October 27th – Friday, October 31st – 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

Last day: Sat. November 1st – 10:00 am—ends at 4:00 pm

Sue Cowan Williams Library 1800 S. Chester—LR

Dee Brown Library 6325 Baseline Road—LR

Roosevelt Thompson Library 38 Rahling Circle—LR

McMath Library 2100 John Barrow Road—LR

William F. Laman Library 2801 Orange Street—NLR

Jacksonville City Hall #1 Industrial Drive--Jacksonville

Jess Odom Community Center 1100 Edgewood Drive—Maumelle

Jack Evans Senior Citizen Ctr 2301 Thornhill Dr.—Sherwood

God and The Scientist

2008-10-12T06:30:00.001-07:00

God is sitting in Heaven when a scientist says to Him, "Lord, we don't need you anymore. Science has finally figured out a way to create life out of nothing. In other words, we can now do what you did in the 'beginning'."

"Oh, is that so? Tell me", replies God.

"Well", says the scientist, "we can take dirt and form it into the likeness of you and breathe life into it, thus creating man."

"Well, that's interesting. Show Me. "

So the scientist bends down to the earth and starts to mold the soil.

"Oh no, no, no..." interrupts God,

"Get your own dirt."

Tithe = Blessing

2008-10-07T22:11:00.000-07:00

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." Malachi 3:10

I have a personal testimony to this scripture and I've recently felt led to share it.

Last year when my husband and I truly started living for the Lord and putting Him first, I started feeling convicted about tithing. We would put a little money in the offering plate each Sunday, but we weren't giving 10% of our income to the church. Instead, we were impulsively spending money on many "wants." Even though I was feeling convicted about it, I didn't say anything to my husband because I didn't want to push him into tithing. After all, God wants us to be a cheerful giver, not a giver whose wife guilted him into it. But apparently, God was working on my husband's heart, too. Around the first of this year he came to discuss it with me and we both decided we needed to start tithing. Many churches aren't able to reach out to the community and the world due to inadequate financial support. We don't want to hinder our church from ministering to the world...we want to help our church do this.

Now, let me back up a little. Before this year, we had tried for 3 years to get pregnant. We went to doctors and were told my husband would probably never get me pregnant. We tried IVF, but some of the medications I had to take right before the procedure caused blood clots in my lungs and I almost died. We already had my son from my previous marrage, who my husband adopted, and we finally gave into the idea that he was going to be an only child.

As I mentioned before, around the beginning of the year, we started tithing 10% of our income to our church. We've never seen it as a struggle, or something we HAVE to do. We have always seen it as something we WANT to do. We don't think of that 10% as our money...it belongs to God and we have no right to it. Well, in March of this year I found out that I was pregnant! You can imagine our surprise and delight at the news. Our baby is due in 4 weeks and we are having another son. I truly believe that this baby is a direct result of our obedience to the Lord. He really opened up the floodgates of heaven and poured out the greatest blessing I could have hoped for.

When people tell me they can't affored to tithe, I just tell them I can't afford NOT to.

What is your Spiritual Gift?

2008-08-22T10:51:00.000-07:00

Take this free online analysis to learn what your spiritual gifts are and how you can use them for God's glory.

http://www.churchgrowth.org/cgi-cg/gifts.cgi?intro=1

I took it and I have two spiritual gifts that tied for #1.

Showing Mercy: As a mercy-shower you have the Spirit-given capacity and desire to serve God by identifying with and comforting those who are in distress. You understand and comfort your fellow Christian. You enter into the grief or happiness of others and have the ability to show empathy which is to feel WITH others, not just for others.

Pastor/Shepherd: We are actually discussing the GIFT of shepherding, not the POSITION of pastor. As a gifted shepherd, you have the Spirit-given capacity and desire to serve God by overseeing, training, and caring for the needs of a group of Christians. You are usually very patient, people-centered, and willing to spend time in prayer for others. You tend to be a "Jack of All and Master of ONE," meaning you are usually dominant in one of the speaking gifts (evangelist, prophet, teacher, exhorter) as well. You are often authoritative, more a leader than a follower, and expressive, composed, and sensitive. Your pleasing personality draws people to you.

In 2nd Place was Administration
In 3rd Place was Teaching

Gossip

2008-08-18T09:28:00.000-07:00

I think all of us women are guilty of gossip. I really liked this daily devotional from crosswalk.

Godly Talk or Gossip?
by
Melanie Chitwood

"Tell the older women to behave as those who love the Lord should.

They must not gossip about others or be slaves of wine.

They must teach what is proper." Titus 2:3 (CEV)

Devotion:

Have you ever said words such as: "I'm just telling you this so you will pray for her," or "I'm really not supposed to share this; just don't tell anyone else." Truthfully, I've been guilty of trying to hide gossip with words like this, but God has really been convicting me lately about my words. Specifically, God is challenging me to speak godly words. Now that this subject of godly words is on my heart, it seems that God is bringing verses and life-lessons about this topic wherever I turn.

As I drove home from Bible study, I realized that God had used my friend Debbie that night to deliver one of those life-lessons about godly words. Out of all the discussions that night, Debbie's words were the ones that stayed with me. Her words had pointed me to a deeper understanding of God, so much so that I wrote them in my journal and even shared them with another friend.

Over the ten years I've know her, I've learned many lessons about godly words from Debbie. First, I've never heard her gossip about another woman. The definition of gossip is "idle talk; rumor; talk of a personal, sensational, or intimate nature." In Titus 2:3 we women are instructed not to be "malicious gossips." God knew that we women might struggle with our words. Debbie has never even hinted at gossiping about another woman. That's an amazing track record.

The second lesson about godly words from Debbie has been the way she talks about her husband and her marriage. We've had many honest conversations about our marital challenges. Once again, Debbie has never gossiped about her husband. Even at times when she's been angry or frustrated with her husband, she doesn't berate him or share details that would embarrass him.

Finally, one of the keys to Debbie's godly words is in the amount she speaks. She is neither overly quiet nor overly talkative. The words she says are wise and point me to God. Her example in the amount she speaks teaches me to ask myself: Do I really need to say anything in this situation, or do I just want to hear myself talk?

I'm very much a work-in-progress in this area of godly talk. I've spent plenty of time lately confessing the sin of my ungodly talk, and I'm thankful for my heavenly Father who doesn't give up on me but calls me to His standards. I'll end with two things that are really helping me in this area. I have a friend who is also working on this and we hold each other accountable. And I have a question that I'm trying to use as a guideline for godly talk: Are my words going to lead to gossip or to God?

Dear Lord, You know what's in my heart and You know that godly talk is something that's challenging to me. Lord, I want to honor You with my words. I want to be a woman who can be trusted by others not to harm them, and I want to be trusted by You, Lord, to speak only what honors You. Make me aware of situations or people who might tempt me to gossip, and give me the strength to avoid these situations. Lord, if I sin with my words, convict me, cause me to repent, and to have a change of heart, a heart that wants what You want. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Application Steps:

Read through Proverbs chapters 6,10, and 13. Write down any guidelines you learn for godly talk.

Ask a trusted friend to hold you accountable to speak in a godly way.

Ask God to make you more aware of your talking.

Reflections:

Do I listen more or talk more?

Are my words going to lead to gossip or to God?

Are there situations or other people who tempt me to gossip? Can I avoid them?

Power Verses:

Proverbs 6:16, 19, "There are six things which the Lord hates ... a false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers." (NAS)

Proverbs 13:3, "Careful words make for a careful life; careless talk may ruin everything." (Message)

Are you wheat or chaff?

2008-08-08T20:13:00.000-07:00

Matthew 3:10-12 (NKJV)
And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

1. What do I like?
I like that when we turn to Jesus, he baptizes us with the Holy Spirit so that He is with us all the time. I like that I will be part of His wheat that He will gather into the barn because I have trusted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior.

2. What do I find challenging?
That every tree which does not bear good fruit, trusting in Jesus as their savior, will be cut down and thrown into an unquenchable fire. I know many people who are probably not saved and it's sad to think they will be cast into a fire that never goes out.

3. What do I learn about God?
That He sent Jesus to baptize with the Holy Spirit so that those of us who trust in Him will never be alone. We will always be filled with the Spirit and can face anything with Him inside us. I also learn that he baptizes those who don't follow Him with fire. This makes me realize that His judgement is severe and you can't go back and accept Him once it is too late. The fire is unquenchable. I also learn that when you are baptized with water by a preacher, it means nothing if you haven't been baptized with the Spirit by Jesus (given your life over to Him).

4. What is He leading me to do?
He is leading me to bear good fruit and lead others to know Jesus so they will be saved from the unquenchable fire.

5. What will I meditate upon?
[He will] gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Matthew 3:12b

Flight into Egypt

2008-08-07T14:36:00.001-07:00

Once again, I'm doing the 5 question study.

Matthew 2:13-15 (NJKV)
Now when they departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."
When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying "Out of Egypt I called My Son."

1. What do I like?
I like that God speaks to us to protect us from harm. I like that Joseph listened to God and trusted Him, even though it meant fleeing to a foreign land. It couldn't have been easy to do what God told him to do. I like that this scripture reveals an Old Testament prophecy that Jesus fulfilled.

2. What do I find challenging?
God told Joseph to flee to Egypt, a foreign land. It is challenging when God asks me to step out of my comfort zone, even if it is to protect me or the ones I love.

3. What do I learn about God?
If we are willing to listen, He will lead us away from harm. I also learn that Jesus fulfilled many messianic prophecies from the Old Testament.

4. What is He leading me to do?
He is leading me to trust Him. Sometimes the things He leads me to do may not be fun or easy, but they may be for my own protection or for His glory. I need to be willing to listen and go where He leads me, even if it is hard to do or seems ridiculous.

5. What will I meditate upon?
When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying "Out of Egypt I called My Son." Matthew 2:14-15

5 Questions

2008-08-06T19:48:00.000-07:00

Our associate pastor preached tonight and gave us a great idea for a good in-depth Bible study during daily quiet time. I couldn't wait to try it out and wanted to post it on here. He said to find a few verses to concentrate on, then after reading them ask yourself these 5 questions.

I chose Hebrews 4:14-16 (NJKV)
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

1. What do I like?
God understands how we are tempted to sin because he was also tempted.
He sympathizes with our weaknesses to sin, making it easier to go to Him in confession.
His throne is open for me to come to Him anytime for help.

2. What do I find challenging?
God was tempted like me, but He did not sin...that's a tough thing to compare myself to because often when I am tempted I DO sin.

3. What do I learn about God?
He is merciful and forgiving. His throne is open for me to come boldly to Him no matter what I have done wrong. He understands that it is difficult for me to resist the temptations of Satan and is willing to forgive me for my sins.

4. What is He leading me to do?
I think he is leading me to always come to Him and throw myself before His throne for forgiveness for my sins. There are times when I feel I can't ask for forgiveness because I don't think I'm sorry enough for the sin to repent. But He is telling me here that He understands my weaknesses and will help me in my time of need. I need to rely on Him for everything...even help with repentance.

5. What will I meditate upon?
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Heb. 4:16

What are your answers to these questions for this scripture? I'm interested to hear your input.

A New Post!

2008-08-05T19:13:00.000-07:00

I'm so sorry it's been so long since I've posted. I've been very busy with several things in life. But I HAVE been in the Word and God has revealed so many things to me. I feel like I've really grown spiritually these last few months, but I still have a long way to go.

Today I read 1 Kings 13. This took place after Jeroboam led the people to worship false gods. In Chapter 13, a man of God came to Jeroboam with a message from God. God commanded that man to give his message and turn and go. He was not to eat bread or drink there and was not to return the same way he came. The man was on the right track and turned down the first person to offer him bread and drink. However, an old prophet came to him and told him to come back to his house and eat and drink with him. This old prophet lied to him and told him God told him "bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water." The man of God went back with him and ate and drank with him. Then the Lord punished him. When he left, he was killed by a lion.

What did I learn from this chapter? There are many people who come to you in life trying to lead you away from the Lord and what He has commanded you to do. This man was an old prophet who lied and led the man of God astray. Not all people who try to lead you away from God will appear to be the type who would do that; some may even be fellow Christians or church leaders. Here's the test we should always give...if what they say does not match up with the Word of God, don't listen! This old prophet claimed God told him to take the man back to his house to eat and drink. The problem is that didn't match with what the Lord had already told the man. We have to be careful what we believe when people try to influence us. It doesn't matter if it is your own pastor...always confirm what they say with the Word of God. The Bible will never lead you away from God; it will only bring you closer. Stay in the Word...even if it means only reading one verse a day...stay in it. If you don't, you open yourself up for Satan (the lion) to attack.

Don't be Deceived

2008-06-20T21:21:00.000-07:00

Christians, don't be deceived. Satan doesn't blatantly come at you, he gets to you very subtly. Don't listen to any nonsense from the New Age, Feel Good Queen, Oprah. Don't even let it into your home. I urge you, when Oprah comes on, turn off the television and read your Bible.

Watch This:

Back Where I Belong

2008-06-20T10:22:00.000-07:00

I've come to the realization that I have put the Lord to the side until I feel like I need Him again. What was I thinking? Do I not need Him all the time...in the good times and the bad? What a fool I've been. So, last night I talked it over with my accountability group and set my goal to get back on the right track with this. Today I started reading Jeremiah again. This time, I'm feeling led to read my King James Version Bible. And while it's more difficult to read than some of the other versions, some of the poetry in this version is so amazing to me and really touches my heart unlike anything else. I started back in the beginning of Jeremiah and it was like reading it for the first time. I feel refreshed and I am ready to be faithful to the Lord in my studies and my prayer life. Like Jeremiah, I want to be successful in the Lord's eyes. In the world's eyes, our success is measured by our career, possessions, happiness, etc. But success to the Lord is much different. Jeremiah was not successful according to the world. He was poor, imprisoned at one time, rejected by many, including his family, and even though he pleaded with Israel to return to the Lord, they would not listen. But Jeremiah was faithful to the Lord throughout his life. He never gave up on God, proudly proclaiming His word. Jeremiah was a very successful man, obdedient and faithful to the Lord. I want that kind of success in my life, no matter the worldly consequences. Because the eternal benefits of my success will far outweigh them.

Jeremiah 1:19 And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee.

Antichrist?

2008-06-14T09:06:00.001-07:00

I'm sure many of you have seen this email going around. A family member recently emailed me asking if it is true. See my comments below.

The Email:
The Book of Revelations!

This will make you re-think : A Trivia question in Sunday School : How
long is the beast allowed to have authority in Revelations ? Guess the
Answer? Revelations Chapter 13 tells us it is 42 months, and you know
what
that is.
Almost a four-year term to a Presidency. All I can say is Lord Have
Mercy
on us.!!!!!!
According to The Book of Revelations the anti-Christ is:
The anti-Christ will be a man, in his 40's, of MUSLIM descent, who will
deceive the nations with persuasive language, and have a MASSIVE
Christ-like appeal....the prophecy says that people will flock to him
and
he will promise false hope and world peace, and when he is in power,
will
destroy everything ..
Is it OBAMA?? I STRONGLY URGE each one of you to repost this as many
times as you can!
Each opportunity that you have to send it to a friend or media
outlet...do
it! I refuse to take a chance
on this unknown candidate who came out of nowhere.

My comments:

There are a lot of different interpretations of where the Anti-Christ will come from. But this email is silly. First of all, there is no book of Revelations, it’s the book of Revelation. John had just one revelation. So, that tells me from the beginning that the writer of this probably doesn’t know what they are talking about. I have no idea where they would get that it is a man in his 40s of Muslim descent. The Muslim religion was founded in the 7th century…long after the Bible was written. So, it wouldn’t mention anyone coming from Muslim descent because it didn’t exist at that time. What I would say is you should ignore emails trying to point out who the antichrist is. It doesn't matter...when the antichrist comes, he will come into power and there is nothing we can do to stop it. I do believe we ARE very close to the end times, but those of us who are covered by the blood of Christ don’t have to worry about the antichrist. The tribulation will not begin until after Christ has returned and raptured us into the clouds with Him and we will live with Him forever (1 Thess. 4:17). What we need to worry about are those who will be left behind. We talk to several people each day who do not know Christ as their savior…some of them are friends and family members who we love very much. And if Christ were to return today, they would be left here to suffer the tribulation and if they don’t receive their salvation during that time…they will suffer eternal hell. So, what we need to focus on is winning those lost souls to Christ. That is the most important thing. And we need to remember that we are the only Bible some people will ever read, so we must constantly examine ourselves to make sure we are properly representing Christ. When was the last time you shared the joy of your salvation with a lost soul?

Rev. 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, "Surely I come quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Our preacher has been preaching on the book of Revelation on Sunday evenings for a few months. You can listen to any of them online here http://www.cbcnlr.org/view/96

Laminin

2008-06-05T22:46:00.000-07:00

This is about 9 minutes long, but you have to listen to it. It's sooooo cool!

Help

2008-06-03T19:29:00.000-07:00

I just had to share this with everyone. I hope my friend doesn't mind. I won't use her name just in case.

A friend of mine recently told me there was a time in the beginning of her marriage when they were really struggling. She didn't know what to do or what God had in store for her and her new husband. One day she was on the website biblegateway.com and she just typed in the search area the word "help". She said it was her way of just saying to God "help". Go to www.biblegateway.com and type in the search area the word "help" and look at the first bible verse that comes up in the search results.

Isn't it amazing how God speaks to us? I think He was very clear about what He has in store for her marriage.

This Is Too Funny

2008-05-26T14:04:00.000-07:00

A Thought For Today

2008-05-24T17:57:00.000-07:00

Timothy 4:3, “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” (NIV)

Just because someone is preaching on television or the radio or the Internet does not necessarily mean they are preaching sound, biblical doctrine. Before you are convinced by what someone preaches, look it up in the Bible and see for yourself. If what they say doesn't match up with scripture, it's a good idea to turn a deaf ear toward them from that point forward. It may make you feel good or be what your itching ears want to hear, but if it isn't biblical, it isn't truth. Sometimes the truth hurts.

Anticipation

2008-05-21T06:24:00.000-07:00

I got this from my Proverbs 31 Ministries daily devotional. But I had to share it with everyone. I have never thought about my prayer life in this way.

Anticipation
Micca Monda Campbell

“My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.”

Psalm 62:6 (KJV)

Devotion:

Children anticipate everything from birthdays to family vacations. Yes, they await good things with expectancy. There’s no doubt that we once did too. As we grew older, however, we lost some of our anticipation. Maybe it’s because we’ve been disappointed one too many times. Perhaps we don’t expect anything because we don’t feel worthy of receiving anything good. Or maybe, we just don’t believe it’s meant for good things to come our way.

Take prayer for example. How many times do you and I petition the Lord and then fail to expect an answer? John tells us, “Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask; because we obey his commands and do what pleases him” (1 John 3:21-22). You and I can have this confidence. In fact, as obedient children of God, we should be so confident in Him that we expect good things like answered prayer, a healed relationship, the home coming of a wayward child, forgiveness of sins—whatever we ask.

When my children ask something of me, they expect an answer. Then they anticipate the fulfilling of that answer. As children of God we should do no less. We should anticipate great things from our great God. We should expect Him to hear our cries and respond, so much so that we are looking with anticipation all around us for His answer and provision.

Bible teacher, Henry Blackaby says, “After we pray, whatever happens next is God’s answer.” Wow. I sometimes miss God’s loving response to my prayer because I don’t anticipate a reply.

The Bible teaches us that believing is seeing. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). We must believe in order to see God’s provisions. Let me ask you what I often ask myself: “Do you simply hope God will answer your needs, or do you see God’s generous hand at work in your life? Do you wait with expectancy or do you doubt His provision?” He may seem slow at responding, but He’s always right on time. While it would be nice if God owned the same watch as we do, you and I can always count on His perfect timing.

We will see God when we anticipate His involvement in our lives. We will see Him when we can say, “His answer and provision may come slow, but they are sure to come, and I will wait with expectation.”

Dear Lord, today I chose to anticipate Your work in my life. Show me great and mighty things that only you can do. And I will praise Your Holy Name. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

His Help Meet

2008-05-19T17:59:00.001-07:00

I was reading a book called "Created To Be His Help Meet" by Debi Pearl a while back. I haven't finished it yet. I put it down for a while to study my Bible more closely, but plan to pick it back up soon. Today I found the notebook I was taking notes in and thought I'd share some of the greater points of the book (from the first 13 chapters mind you). By the way, it's a great book and I highly recommend it to ALL women who are married or plan to get married.

Some great points from the book:

* A woman trying to function like a man is as ridiculous as a man trying to be like a woman. p.21

* It is far better that the job be done poorly by your husband than to be done well by you. p.23 (that's a tough one to accept, but it's true)

* No man has ever crawled out from under his wife's criticism to be a better man -- no matter how justified her condemnation. p.30

* Joy begins with thankfulness. Thankfulness is how you think; joy is the abundance it produces. p.37

* Christ is willing to love you and make you His bride, just as you are. And he asks you to be a bride to your husband; just as he is. p.44

* To allow someone else to control your life is much harder than taking control of it yourself. p.50

* You can decide to be in a constant state of anger and bitterness, or you can ask God for the wisdom to live each day in a state of honoring your man for God's sake. p.55

* A woman who really knows God will know thata true spirituality is obeying God's recorded Word, not cultivating her "spiritual" sensibilities. p.59

* Divorce is never planned, but is almost always preceded by certain avoidable reactive behavior and events. Don't let it happen to you. p.72...is there any satisfaction in your punishing responses?

* Wisdom is knowing what you "bought" when you married that man, and learning to adapt to him as he is, not as you want him to be. p.76

* God designed the woman to be sensitive and vulnerable for the sake of the little ones whom she must nurture. p. 108

* And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
1 Tim 2:14 (A reason women should not teach men) p. 110

* We need to be aware of the power we have to seduce our husbands into following us into disregarding the clear, objective words of God. p.111

* Today, if a woman is willing to play her husbands role in directing the family, her husband will lose his natural drive to bear responsibility. p.112

* God created the woman to be the helper of the man - a sinless man. Now that she has led him into sin, she is still his helper, her desires are still focused on him and his goals, and he will still rule over her as before -- but now he is sinful, selfish, and carnal. p.118

* All marriages are made up of two sinners with lots of faults. p.129

* Any woman who lives on the edge, expecting to be offended and believing ill will on every hand, that woman is living in vain imaginations and is a godless woman. p.129-130

Yes, this book can be harsh, but it's all biblically based and when you really think about it, the harsh words are true.

What would you do?

2008-05-19T15:36:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah Chapter 2

2008-05-17T09:04:00.000-07:00

Wow, this chapter really spoke to me. I'm feeling more and more reassured that God directed us to study this book of the Bible because I am learning so much from it that I can apply to things that are going on in my life right now.

Chapter 2 is when God presents his case against Israel. And it was a little scary because all the charges against them are things we in America are doing right now. I can't imagine that God is very happy with our nation right now. In the beginning of the chapter, God reminds them of how they were when they followed Him. He said during the "kindness of their youth" they were "holiness to the LORD." Then, Israel forgot the God who led them out of Egypt into their beautiful land. They were worshipping false idols and the leaders (those who should have really been focused on God) were doing things their own way.

This takes me back to when I was saved, during the "kindness of my youth." It's like when you first recieve that joy of salvation, you are so on fire for the Lord and doing everything you can to live for him. During this time, angels are rejoicing in heaven and the Lord is so happy to have a child come home to Him. Things are wonderful. Then, we start settling back into some of our old ways. We forget about our first love. Now, keep in mind you don't have to bow down to a wooden statue to worship a false idol. That idol can be money or possessions or anything that takes priority over the Lord. In many ways we can become idol worshippers like Israel had.

The part of this chapter that really struck me was v. 27-28.

"For they have turned their back to Me, and not their face. But in the time of their trouble They will say, 'Arise and save us.' But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? Let them arise, If they can save you in the time of your trouble."

Isn't it frustrating as a Christian when you see someone who has nothing to do with the Lord, does not pray, does not read their Bible, does not have a personal relationship with the Lord, and as soon as they come to a time of trouble in their life where they have no control over the situation, they run to God? Then, when the trouble is gone, they forget all about Him again. That frustrates me. But, don't we Christians do the same things at times? There are times when I will just stop reading my Bible for months. I won't have a daily quiet time, and I won't pray very often. But when things get tough and I need the Lord, I go running to Him and start praying every day and studying the word. Now, I may not forget to do those things as easily as someone who doesn't have their salvation, but isn't it almost the same?

Friends, don't get too caught up in this world. How will your money help you when your child is so sick he/she is in the hospital for days? How will your nice car help when your husband is laid off from his job and can't find another one for months? The only one who can truly help us through our struggles is our Lord Jesus. But He doesn't want to just hear from us when we need His help. He wants to know us personally and intimately on a daily basis. Just like a marriage, we are the bride of Christ. We need to stand by him in sickness and in health, through the good and the bad, no matter what happens.

This chapter really made me re-evaluate how I think about my relationship with the Lord. I can't expect him to come running to bail me out of troubled times if he hasn't heard from me in so long that he doesn't recognize my voice on the other end of the line.

Jeremiah Chapter 1

2008-05-13T18:28:00.000-07:00

My mentor and I have decided to read the book of Jeremiah together. So, I thought this would be a good time to make a blog entry on the things I learned from Jeremiah today. While I've heard several scriptures from Jeremiah, I have never read the entire book before, so I'm really excited about this.

Today I read Chapter One. The first thing that really caught my attention and got me thinking was v. 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations." God knew Jeremiah would be a prophet to the nations before he was even in his mother's womb. After three long years of trying, John and I are finally pregnant. I can just imagine 2 years ago, God looking down upon me as I prayed for a baby and thinking, "it's not time yet, but one day I will bless you with a child. I already know that child and the plans I have for him/her". I wonder what God has already ordained this child to be. Sometimes I wonder what he ordained ME to be long ago before I was in my mother's womb. Just when I think I might have that figured out, He throws me another curve ball.

Then, in v. 1:6, just as Moses tried to get out of what God ordained him to do, Jeremiah argued with God, "Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth." Have you ever felt like that? For me, the hardest people to share my faith with are family members and close friends. I have close family members who have not given their lives to Jesus and I pray for them often. But when I'm talking to them, God will open a door for me to share my faith and I will reach right out and close it just as quickly as it opened. Later, I'm kicking myself for not jumping at the opportunity, but it's like I'm saying, "Lord God, I cannot speak, for I am a youth!" I used to use the excuse that I was too young in my faith and didn't know enough scripture to back what I was saying. But how long can I use that one? I'm equipped enough to knock on the doors of strangers with my FAITH team from church and tell them how they can have a personal relationship with Jesus. In fact, a couple of weeks ago, a woman prayed to receive Christ as a result of one of those visits. I can share that with a stranger, but not a close friend or relative?

This is where I need to focus on v. 1:7-8 But the LORD said to me: "Do not say, "I am a youth," For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you," says the LORD.
I need to trust in the Lord to fill me with the Holy Spirit and give me the words to say. And I need to overcome the fear of rejection, for God will deliver me.

My biggest fear has always been rejection. Not so much from strangers, which is why it doesn't bother me to be turned away by a stranger at their door who doesn't want to hear what I have to say. But when a friend or family member rejects me for something I say or do, no matter how right I am, it bothers me a great deal. This is something I'm going to have to overcome. I have trouble saying "no" even when I want to, I have trouble sharing my faith even when a door opens for me to, and I have trouble telling people their actions or words are inappropriate even though I know they need to hear it. And it all boils down to a fear of rejection.

So, today the lesson I learned is that it doesn't matter if I am rejected by man. Verse 1:19 says, "They will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you, For I am with you, says the LORD, to deliver you." As long as I am living for the Lord and speaking the words He gives me, there will be those who will fight against me and even reject me. But what eternal value does their opinion have? The Lord will deliver me for remaining faithful as Jeremiah did.

My New Blog

2008-04-30T09:38:00.000-07:00

I decided to take the old blog down. I wasn't really comfortable about putting personal info and pictures out there on the Internet for whoever to see. So, I'm starting this blog as a way for me to journal about the things the Lord is teaching me in my life and in my Bible studies. I hope it can be encouraging to others and helpful in some way.

Love,
Beth

Beth's Testimony

2008-04-30T09:37:00.001-07:00

I want to share my personal testimony with everyone. Forgive me if it's a little lengthy, but I don't want to leave anything out. When I was growing up, we didn't go to church. In fact, I remember for several years when we lived in Cabot, Sunday was the day when my mom, my sister, and I would go shopping at McCain Mall. I went to church occassionally when a friend would invite me. I remember being in church with friends and not knowing the words to any of the songs. And when they would talk about Moses or Abraham or Isaac, or anyone else in the Bible for that matter, I would have no idea what they were talking about. It didn't really bother me at the time, but thinking back on that it makes me sad that there are still children out there like me who don't know anything about Jesus, the Bible, or church. I guess I always knew there was a God, but that was about it.When I was in high school and college, I lived an unruly life. I drank, cursed like a sailor, smoked cigarettes, experimented with drugs, and had premarital sex. Some people would be ashamed to admit they have done these things, but this is part of my testimony. I'm not ashamed to tell you about these things because you can't fully understand how far Christ has brought me unless you know where I've been. While I was in the Air Force, I got married and had Dawson. When he was about a year old, I got a divorce. After my divorce, I was stationed in Biloxi, Mississippi as an instructor. I was probably there for about a year when we got a new instructor in the office named Lou Lanton. It only took about 5 minutes of talking to him before I knew he was a Christian. I noticed that there was something very different about Lou. He seemed happy all the time and just seemed like his life was really fulfilled. I couldn't put my finger on it, but something was very different and it got me thinking. And when I met his wife, Nikki, who is one of the sweetest people I know, I knew there was something to this Christian stuff. So, I decided to go to church. I had been going to a Catholic church because some of my friends in Idaho were Catholic and I had visited a Catholic church with them. But something didn't set right with me about it. So, I started going to a Lutheran church. About that time, my boyfriend moved in with me and we started going to church together. But he was verbally abusive and controlling and every church we went to, he would decide we couldn't go there because a guy looked at me or something crazy. So, we hopped from church to church. I decided because I was going to church, that made me a Christian. So, I told Lou Lanton at work that I was a Christian now, too. He was really excited for me and shared some thoughts with me and gave me some booklets to read. I didn't quite share his enthusiasm, though. But that's because I wasn't truly saved. I started trying to live my life like a Christian, but I was still "playing" marriage with my abusive boyfriend, so my heart wasn't completely in it.After 10 miserable months, my mom finally "rescued" me from my boyfriend. I say she rescued me because I was at an all-time low in my life. I was sinking in a pit of depression and didn't know how to get out. I was scared all the time and honestly wanted to die. I'm convinced that if my mom hadn't stepped in when she did, I would have eventually committed suicide. But my mom knew something wasn't right and she came to my rescue. It took several months of intense therapy for me to start living my life again. I had post-traumatic stress and was put on medication, but I pulled through it and started living my life again. I started going to a non-denominational church and was baptized. But the weird thing is, that I don't remember ever saying a prayer to receive Christ. I just decided I felt like I was saved and I got baptized. Now looking back it sounds so crazy, but at the time I really thought I was saved. So, I was going to church and getting involved as much as I could. I prayed almost every day and read my Bible. I even took a vow to God that I would never have sex again until I was married. All these things made me think I was saved, but it always felt like something was still missing. And I continued to sin in other ways; I would just make sure to pray for forgiveness after I sinned. I would go out to the club with my friends and get drunk, and as long as I said a prayer the next morning for forgiveness, I felt ok about it. I met John in December 2004 and he said he was a Christian, too. We fell in love very quickly and decided to get married. We were married one month after we met. A few nights before the wedding, we went to a friends house for a little bachelor/bachelorette party together and we both had a little too much to drink. Isn't that what all Christian couples do before they get married? (just kidding) I did manage to keep my vow to God and we didn't have sex until our wedding night. So, at least we have that to be thankful for.We went through several struggles the first couple of years of marriage. He was deployed, then Hurricane Katrina, then his post-traumatic stress, then we tried fertility treatments that almost killed me. We went through a lot, but our marriage just grew stronger. One thing I know for sure is that it was a blessing straight from God that he put me with John. I thank him daily for that. John started having faith struggles and I was getting frustrated with it. Then, after we moved to Arkansas I started having faith struggles. We weren't going to church regularly and the more I read my Bible, the more confused I got. I had so many questions and was doubting everything. I came to a point where I decided that I was not a Christian and I did not believe in any of it anymore. I told John and he was ok with that because he was still having faith struggles, too. But during all this, I was MISERABLE. I literally felt sick at my stomach all the time, I was having anxiety attacks, I just felt horrible. Finally, after several weeks of this, I decided to do something about it. So, I e-mailed Lou and Nikki Lanton. I knew they wouldn't be judgmental and would try to help and I was right. I poured out my heart to them about my doubts and struggles. They were very encouraging and pointed me to the scriptures that would clarify my questions. It was like a light came on. All the doubts and disbelief I was having was cleared up with scripture. I shared what I found with John. Lou also pointed me to www.gotquestions.org and now it's my favorite website. Anytime I have a Biblical question, I go there. So, we started going to church again. It was all becoming clear to both of us. I was at church one Sunday morning and John didn't go with me. The sermon was about not waiting another day to receive your salvation. So, I came forward to re-dedicate my life to Christ. I felt so much better. But God wasn't quite done with me yet. A week later, we had Dr. Morris Anderson visit the church and preach. John and I both went and we both said the prayer to receive Christ into our hearts and lives. We also let the church know that we felt like our baptism was out of order and we wanted to be baptized. We became members of the church and started living our life for Christ. Everything started to change. The way we thought about things and the way we lived our life. We started reading our Bibles daily, sometimes together. We surrounded ourselves with other Christians for encouragement. John started hanging out with Aaron McCoy and learned a lot from him. But there was still one element missing...we were not sharing the gospel with others. We weren't living our life so that everything we do is for the glory of God.Then, came October 5. John and Aaron McCoy went for a motorcycle ride. A car ran a stop sign and Aaron wrecked into it. John tried everything he knew to do to save Aaron. They med-flighted him to UAMS, but Aaron didn't make it. It was a very difficult day for us and we'll never forget it. Aaron was such a great man of God, he was always sharing the gospel with others and led God-only-knows how many people to Christ. And then he was gone. But there was an immediate change in me and my husband. We both realized THAT DAY that nothing matters in this life except for how many people we share the love of God with. When we die, we won't say "I wish I had worked more" or "I wish I had a nicer car" or "I wish I had drank one more margarita". If we have any regrets at all when we die, it will be "I wish I had led more people to Christ so they can experience what I am experiencing now." We KNOW where Aaron McCoy is now. He's in an unimaginably beautiful place with our Father. He has no worries, no fears, and no sadness. And that is where he will be for eternity. And it's just a scary thought that there are people I talk to every day, people who I love, family members and friends, who won't get to experience that. And if I don't do whatever I can to inform them of this gift, then am I not partially to blame that they don't receive it? Since October 5, John and I have begun to witness to people about Jesus. We have become on fire for the Lord. I put it this way...Aaron ran with a torch for God and he ran as hard as he could with it, lighting other torches along the way. And God put John with Aaron that day so that he could hand that torch off to John. And now it's up to John to pick up where Aaron left off and run with that torch. Because in the big scheme of things, this is all that matters...that God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. And it's our responsibility to make sure everyone knows about this amazing gift. Whether they accept it or not is NOT our responsibility, but making sure they know about it and they see how it has affected us, and they see the joy it has brought us, that IS our responsibility. And knowing what I know now...I'm not sure I had any right to call myself a Christian before October 5, 2007. October 29, my husband and I were baptized together. And I'm proud to say that I shared the gospel with my mother the week before that and she was baptized with us. And my sister, Christina was baptized with us as well. Our church had a revival scheduled for the week after October 5, but they felt like it was appropriate to cancel it due to Aaron's accident. But God did not cancel the revival at Central Baptist Church that week...he just had a much more powerful revival in mind for us.