So much to share, so little time ...

I have some good news and ... some good news!

The first line of good news is that this blog will go on but the better news is that it will have to continue on my personal blog, vitaleSWEETS. Reason being is that my relationship with God continues to grow and flourish and rise and He has blessed me with so much as far as my business and relationships go. That said, I am limited on time but want to continue blogging. I've been discouraged over the past few months trying to keep up with both a Christian and personal blog and whenever I attempt to update either blog I just decide against it because I don't know what should go where.

My solution?

As the Lord has become the forefront of my life and how I live it, He and all of his involvement in my life belong on my personal blog. I can't do away with this blog because I have had some fantastic guest bloggers and there are some truly informative posts here so I will keep this blog online and open to guest bloggers, etc but I will primarily be writing about my blessed life from my personal blog from now on.

What a journey it has been since becoming a Christian in January 2011. Just as my blogs go I was living my life that I've lived for 26 years but beginning a new dimension, thus this blog. Now, here I am, able to join both as I'm no longer me learning about being a Christian, but me, Anna Lisa THE Christian. No better way to start this chapter than by sharing through my personal blog.

In times of great despair ...

Many of us go through difficult situations with those we love and often feel lost and confused. I recently had a strain in my bond with one of the most important people in my life, someone I have always looked up to. We had an argument and I lost control for a brief moment. I looked to God and, right away, I apologized for my mistake and moved on. This, in turn, was the beginning of absence in my life for about a month. The first few weeks of being avoided and ignored were painful. I would go through bouts of anger, resentment and sadness but I continued to talk to God and take in my daily Bible readings. I prayed for my loved one and for my own strength and clarity. Fortunately, life can be pretty occupied when you have a nearing 2 year old and my priority is my family so that got me through the rest of the weeks. I felt sad when I would reach out with no success until one day I called this person and they answered. They answered my call.

I said I love you and I am so sorry and they returned with the pain I caused them. I can't speak for this person but I believe they did their part, although, I wasn't out for an argument. Arguments are too easy. The difficulty many have is swallowing their pride. Could I have retaliated and cast some blame onto this person? Could I have described past situations that were equal to my offense but done by that person? I certainly could have, and then what? I would have upset the person further and possibly caused a deeper disconnect, nothing would be resolved and I am sure I would be left with that "well I got that out of my system feeling" where you think you'll feel better afterwards but you don't. This person needed to be in my life and if taking full responsibility for the issue and being truly sincere about that was the way to bandage the situation then, of course, there is no question to what I was to do.

Every single time I trust the Lord, He comes through for me and gives me the strength, the comfort, the love I need and I know He'll always be there for me in that way.

Joyce Meyer

My mother in law told me about Joyce Meyer a few weeks ago and suggested I check out her half hour special each morning to start my day off right. She could not have been more right! I've gathered wonderful and inspirational quotes from Mrs. Meyer.

She struck me with the first episode I watched. I tend to stress out very often and she happened to be discussing the effects of such tendencies. Meyer said that "stress is a down payment on a problem you may not have." Oh my goodness is that dead on.  More times than not, when I have anxiety over something and drone about it for weeks and weeks it almost always works out! Imagine that, you pray and then you end up thanking God for answering.

Here are a few others in the past weeks :

"God, you are God. You are awesome and I do not need to be demanding that you explain everything to me. I need to live by your promises, not by your explanations." 

"When you give, you are more like God than at any other time." 

"Invite God to get into your mess and change it."

Meyer is extremely easy to relate to. She does not sugar coat anything and tells life the way it is for her. She has come out of terrible experiences and is deeply sincere with every word. In NYS, you should be able to catch her at 830am and 1030pm on your Christian stations. You can also view her website and watch her broadcasts there.

My Thought of the Day

It's been a really long time since I posted... sorry about that!

Recently I've been reading through the book of Genesis and God has just been showing me so many things that I'd never seen before. That's one of the things I love about the scriptures, it doesn't matter how many times I read something, there's always another level of revelation. I could read the Bible a million times through and find something new each time!

One thing that kind of blew my mind a bit was the story of Adam and Eve. I know we've all read it and know it forwards and backwards, but reading it again this last time I began to think about the reasons behind Eve's decision to eat the fruit. She had everything going for her, a great husband, beautiful home, all of her needs provided for and let's not forget she was drop dead gorgeous and never going to age or lose her girlish figure. Who wouldn't want that? On top of all that she had an intimate relationship with God who came down daily to walk and talk with her. She had quite the life! Yet, something compelled her to eat of the fruit of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Satan came to her as a serpent and knew her weakness. He knew exactly what to target in her in order to cause her to fall into sin. The serpent planted a seed of doubt in Eve's mind. He implied that God was holding something good back from her, something that was for her benefit, that would make her like God Himself. And so Eve ate the fruit and gave it to her husband and he ate the fruit too. Their eyes were opened and they realized they were naked and they knew shame for the very first time. See, Satan knew that if he could cause that doubt in Eve's mind, that thought that what he was offering was better than what God had then he could get Eve to sin. Eve didn't recognize that what he was offering was only half truth. He told her she wouldn't die from eating the fruit, yet we know that the moment she ate it death entered the world. Her body began to die in that moment; her physical body, her emotional body, and her spiritual body. Eve thought God was withholding something good from her when in reality He with keeping her from death. Now here's the kicker, we're exactly the same way. Satan uses the same tricks that worked for him then to get to us now. We fall for it hook, line, and sinker. He gets us to think the things that God has told us not to touch are good for us, that God is holding something back. But the reality of the situation is this, God knows what is good for us and what will bring death. He makes it clear in His word and it's not because He wants to be a dictator or be mean, but because He, as our creator, knows what's best for us. We've all fallen into this trap, thinking we know better than God because surely this "thing" is for our good. But God knows so much better than we do, and He's only looking out for us. Many times when we fall into sin we also experience that "shame" that Adam and Eve did. Their response is the same as ours, to hide from God. But the best thing we can do when we fall is to allow God Almighty to come in, see the mess we've made, clean us up, and put us right back on our feet. Satan uses that shame to try and separate us from God, but God doesn't hold our sins against us. When we repent and ask for forgiveness He casts them as far as the east is from the west. Sitting here writing this I'm amazed by the goodness of God and so incredibly thankful that Jesus took my punishment for my sins making a way for me to come to the Father. I hope and pray that the insight God gave me helps you as it's helped me!

Today's Promise From God

When your faith is shaky ...

The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.
Habakkuk 3:19

Today's Promise From God

When it seems impossible to follow God's commands...

Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace.
Romans 6:14

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is arguably the most difficult feeling to genuinely express in a necessary situation. For example, you have probably been angry in your lifetime at ridiculous situations and in very serious situations. In the moment your anger flared, could you not have replaced it with forgiveness to resolve the situation? Easier said than done, I'm sure we can agree, but the point is that it can be done.

Take this scene from the more recent adaptation of Little Women starring Susan Sarandon and Winona Ryder.

http://youtu.be/u3CGG-6alBE (unable to embed due to owner's disabling)

Jo's little sister, Amy, burns her beloved manuscript out of jealousy that Jo was able to go out while restricting Amy and sentencing her to an evening of homework. Jo's anger seems relatively understandable, maybe slightly extreme, but understandable at first glance.

Think, though, was her anger worth it? This is not to say one should not experience upset and that we should all be hunky dory throughout ever instance in our lives, but must we react with angry words and actions in our anger? The reality is, Amy burned a pile of papers. Granted, the papers had Jo's hard work that took a great deal of time and effort but it was a material item she was deeply attached to and nothing more. I am one to speak, I have had a few times in my life where my computer hard drive was done for and I thought I had lost my personal photos, the most important material thing I have. I literally had meltdowns with each loss (and they were recovered which is another story for another day!) and looking back I feel a little selfish.

Where does forgiveness play into this?

Forgiveness is not only about saying, "Well, that's alright so long as your sorry." It's about recognizing that when something is the matter, it just is and if there's something that can be done to fix the situation well then so be it but otherwise there is no good coming from anger. Anger will only hurt others. And so what? The wrongdoer deserves to feel hurt, no? Chances are they probably already do and if they are malicious than let God be their judge.

In the resolution of what Amy did, Jo was able to forgive her. She did come to the realization that it wasn't a true loss. A true loss would be losing her mother, her father, her sister. In the end, she wrote a book that was the complete opposite of what was burned. The only thing that could have made the situation better was Jo thinking about this and recognizing this before lashing out. I would like to imagine that if Amy had been 3 years old, Jo would have displayed a great deal of patience in the same scenario, no matter how upset she felt inside.

Forgiveness is the answer. Grudges stay with you and weigh you down. Forgiveness can release any bitterness you hold inside. There are tough experiences in life such as the murder of a child. Often, spectators and the loved ones of the victim are eager to see the predator be sentenced to death. If that is the fate of someone, there is no reversing the law and extreme as this may sound, God can help you achieve feelings of forgiveness to such a lost soul, relieving the victim's loved ones of a life of anger and hate and bitterness within. Corrie ten Boom is a perfect example. I have written about her work, The Hiding Place, and her experiences during the Holocaust. She refers to a meeting with a Nazi where she begged God to give her strength to shake hands with this person who murdered her sister, her neighbors, so many people and He did. She describes their shaking hands as such a moving moment because God was with there, protecting her from a life of anger. She was able to forgive. 

Goals and Mrs. Dalloway

I feel so redundant saying this, but yes, I have been terrible and keeping up with my blogs. Life shouldn't get in the way of something you love and are passionate about.  It is important to remind yourself of what is important in life and to make sure you fulfill your life with those things on a daily basis. I need to make a point of writing on my blogs the moment I put my little one to sleep if I haven't already written for the day!

Back to business - I wanted to discuss the film Mrs. Dalloway, based on the book by Virginia Woolf. I am not here to criticize the book, the film or the author at all but to give commentary on one small (literally a minute or two of screen time) scene from the film with Mrs. Dalloway, her daughter and a family friend. Her daughter mentions leaving with the friend due to an interest in converting to Christianity. Mrs. Dalloway remarks that religious fanatics are converting everyone.

The whole of the scene is that Mrs. Dalloway ends up making her daughter feel guilt and disappointment for even thinking of converting. I find this extremely hypocritical. Just as Mrs. Dalloway suggests that Christians are out to convert everyone, is she not out to convert others against Christianity??? Her daughter does not seem to be a wreck, or disillusioned, nor did she seem to express immediate need to become Christian. My understanding was that she had an interest in learning more about Christianity. Whether or not you believe something, a wonderful first step is educating yourself on any subject. Discouraging anyone from learning while pitting them against that same subject has a lot to do with major problems in the world.

Wars are fought and children are born into families that oppose this country or that country as a result, without the child even being old enough to know what the war was about or why they hate any particular country! I am not sure what the comparison is from the book to the film for that scene but am eagerly looking to borrow Mrs. Dalloway from the library to compare. It is suggested that Mrs. Dalloway is gay and it is not disclosed as to whether this is her reason for being against Christianity but I  believe that is the implication and I find it rather small minded, as well.

There is a large misconception that Christianity means you're preppy, you're perfect, you don't swear, you don't do wrong, you never do anything illegal, you are not gay, you have never been convicted, I could go on but I'm sure you get the point. We forget that Christians, no matter what their faults, strive to be like Jesus each day of their lives. If you really blow it at 2pm on a Friday, then at 2:01pm on that same day you pray for forgiveness and continue to be like Christ without ever giving up. We are human and many of us have experienced wrong doing but that does not mean you are unaccepted. When you open your heart to God, when you trust him, when you serve him and when you build your relationship with him, He is there for you without a doubt.

Maybe you are reading this and thinking, "Man, she's not going to convince me. This is such bullshit. *laughs* Have fun in la-la land!!" You have every right to think, or say that. You may not want to accept it but if you feel that way God is still God, he still loves you and I will still pray for you. When a Christian discusses their faith, they are not out to convince or trick anyone. I am sharing my experience and thoughts with you and my only hope is that you listen. Remember, because you have one view, as Mrs. Dalloway did, you do not have to judge others for their attempts at educating themselves. The most hypocritical part about Mrs. Dalloway's situation is that her story is one of great tragedy. She was gay and knew better than anyone what it was to be judged, so why should she impose judgement on her own daughter?

A Christian giving testimony is a free lesson in what God can provide. Many people have a hard time listening to Christian testimony, perhaps because they feel like they are being trapped and tricked into believing. That feeling is fear, fear of believing in something you can't fully explain, fear of trusting something you can't see, hear or touch the way you can another person, fear of opening your mind. That's right, you are not shutting down and "following the crowd" by accepting our Father! You know why?! Because accepting God has nothing to do with "but everyone's doing that" or "this is 2011!" I have never felt more sure of myself or more at ease than the day I became Christian.

I recently read Maryland by Loree Lough and in it there's a discussion between two characters, one a believer, one not. The non-believer suggests that science provides logical answers, but the believer reminds him that science  is playing it safe because science does not allow you to believe the impossible.

Believe the impossible. What a gift.

Today's Promise from God

When your health is failing...

I am the Lord who heals you.
Exodus 15:26

The Chair

I must share this story because it was clearer than day to me that God was telling me to relax the other day.

Let's back up. A few weeks ago Micah and I, coincidentally, checked out this resale shop down the street called A Second Thought that happened to be a Christian store. It's a great little shop with many wonderful little treasures. We picked up some books and were checking out when I saw this chair that would be perfect in our living room (and for my taste!). Unfortunately, it had a sold sticker on it. I kept thinking on the way out that it would have been perfect because we still haven't bought all of the furniture we need and we only have a couch in our living room. A chair would have fit the bill, oh well!

Well, we go in the other day, moseying on up and I'll be darned! The chair was sitting outside ready to be bought. Now this day was not so super to begin with. I was a little stressed about finances, especially since we're going on a trip this coming weekend and both my husband and I were a little exhausted from thinking about money. This is where I know God had a hand in my afternoon. The moment I saw that chair I didn't hesitate for a moment with thoughts of, "no you can't afford that" or "you could put the money somewhere more useful". It was as if He was saying, "You don't need to worry about things like money. I will take care of you always. There is no need for worry because you can always trust me." I'm not saying that he put the chair there as if it were meant for me and only me and that God wanted me to buy that chair. That was not what I got at all from seeing it there. That feeling of knowing we could buy it just went to show that money is not really an issue and we are alright and here is this chair for $15 that would hardly break the bank for us. I knew in that moment my worrying was senseless and after we packed the chair into the trunk I truly had a feeling of weightlessness. He just filled me with trust in Him.

Today's Promise from God

When you need to be sure about your salvation ...

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9

Today's Promise from God

When you doubt Jesus actually rose from the dead ...

"Why are your hearts filled with doubt? Look at my hands. You can see that it's really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don't have bodies, as you see that I do." As he spoke, he showed them his hands and feet.
Luke 24:38-40

Today's Promise from God

When you need to show you're reliable ...

To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.
Matthew 25:29

Today's Promise from God

When you're afraid of risking your reputation by telling others about Jesus ...

I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God's angels.
Luke 12:8

Today's Promise from God

When you've turned from God...

"My wayward children," says the Lord, "come back to me, and I will heal your wayward hearts."
Jeremiah 3:22

Today's Promise from God

When your relationships seem like so much work ...

Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Today's Promise From God

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
Proverbs 16:24

Moving on up!

Yes, we have moved on up to the East Side, of Rochester, NY that is! I've been MIA yet again, but I swear for good reason. The good Lord has blessed our family yet again. My husband recently took on a management position at a restaurant close on Conesus Lake. This was so wonderful for us as we had planned to move to Rochester, eventually, as our permanent residence. His job is better in every way and we're much happier, although, we were sad to say goodbye to some wonderful friends we met in Glens Falls, NY. Within a week the Lord kept our spirits up and our patience in tact as we only had a week to find an apartment. Sure enough we found a beautiful townhome in a great area. It was smooth sailing from there, thank goodness. We are just now settling in and I'm so happy to report that I will be back in blogging action. I have been thinking about a redesign for the page so look out for some changes (nothing difficult, if anything it will end up easier to navigate!).

I would also like to express my joy for Susan who has just found a new house with her family. It is one they plan to grow in as a family and I'm so very happy for her! Congratulations Sue!

We continue to ask that if you would like to contribute with a blog, donation, or otherwise please comment with your email address and I will write back promptly!

I hope you all are sharing in the gift of prayer and patience and that He is bringing you much happiness as well. I will resume daily prayers tomorrow! God bless!

Today's Promise From God

When you wish you had done things differently ...

Lord, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive? But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you.
Psalm 130:3-4

Today's Promise From God

When you're worn out from the routine of life ...

I long to obey your commandments! Renew my life with your goodness.
Psalm 119:40

Today's Promise From God

When you want each moment to count ...

I focus on this one thing : Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Philippians 3:13-14

Sue's Graduation and new books to share!

Over this past weekend my husband and I attended Susan's graduation from St. Elizabeth's College of Nursing! We are so proud of her and the ceremony was held in a beautiful Catholic Church by the campus. Let's all send good prayers to Sue with continued success in her career as a nurse. My mother is a nurse and I have so much respect for both my mom and Susie. There is so much hard work involved but their commitment to their patients comes from their hearts and their need to care for others. Congrats Susan!

I also wanted to share 2 books that I picked up from the Salvation Army. (Note: This is a great way to support your local Salvation Army and to benefit yourself too - go in and look for any Christian books. Even if you find duplicate copies or books you already have purchase them to pass on to others!). I found The Pray of Jabez : Breaking Through to the Blessed Life by Bruce Wilkinson and The Promised Savior : The Meaning of Christmas Revealed Through Time and History by Randy Hurst. I look forward to reading both and letting you know what I think!

Today's Promise From God

When God has called you to a task ...

Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
Isaiah 41:10

Doctrine Week 3 : Creation : God Makes DISCUSSION

Hello! I finally had the opportunity to finish the 3rd Sermon in the Doctrine series from Mars Hill Church. If you would like to watch please refer to the links at the right and select 'mars hill church'. This will connect you to all videos and discussions we've had so far.

I hope some of you also took some time to watch the sermon and can discuss along with me. This particular sermon was on the Creation. Pastor Driscoll states that the Bible stories are more of a theological history and a guide to heaven rather than a scientific text. The Creation is not about who and what but God's work. I think this is a wonderful way to explain what the Bible does for us. Many people do want to pick it apart and contest the contents of the Bible with science without recalling that the Bible is a book of stories mean to teach us how to live as Christians in order to get to heaven. The Creation story tells us how we came to be here and the privilege we have been given to be here with God as our creator and savior. We can not begin to understand ourselves without acknowledging the existence of God, as he created us. When Pastor begins to discuss the various interpretations of the Creation by Christians (I didn't realize there was much much debate within the Christian community on the story!) he proposes a closed hand/open hand theory which he describes as a discussion without the division. I was overjoyed that he said this because I think this goes for all topics! I used to loathe discussing politics without a format like this. Often times, people get pleasure from not only arguing a point but pressing it on you without any relief! This would frustrate me and ultimately kept me away from what could have been wonderful discussions. Discussion without division is something everyone could gain from and no better format to discuss The Creation.

Something really grabbed me during this sermon and it was the statement that the creation reflects the creator. As an artist this held much meaning for me. I tend to do drawings and/or paintings that are personal for me and display beauty. We live in a truly remarkable world. Nature in itself can leave you speechless. With technology today we have been able to see television series like Planet Earth and Life that give us a glimpse of the beauty of nature that some of us with never have the pleasure of coming face to face with. People are beautiful and so unique. What does this tell us about our creator, God? Well, it certainly confirms everything I've read about why God made us. He loves us, He loves his creation, He loves beauty, He loves nature and put all us all together so that he could enjoy his creation and we could enjoy what he has created.

Who would have guessed that with all the beauty in God's creation there would be anything to discuss, right?! Hehe, well of course, there is the debate on how old the earth is and the belief that there is a young earth vs. old earth. The young earth is describes as being anywhere from 6,000 to 10,000 years old in reference to the genealogies in the Bible. Some believe that the earth may just look old and was made mature as Adam was created mature, as opposed to him being created an infant. This does not coincide with the scientific explanation of the earth being roughly 4.5 billion years old. From my understanding of the Bible isn't it possible that He did create the Earth and then at a later date created everything else? I believe Pastor may have touched on this when discussing a gap in Genesis. What I found amazing was that even non Christians agree that homo sapiens show up within the last 10,000 years which completely agrees with James Usher's studies from the 1600's on the biblical genealogies. Since the Bible does not directly give the earth's age there is more freedom to debate there but as far as humans - it seems that the consensus of about 10,000 years is applicable whether your Christians or not. In the end, I agree with Pastor that no matter how old the earth is, there is great significance in the creation of human life being young and being accepted by all to have occurred around 10,000 years ago. There also seems to be a general consensus that a big bang, or big God occurred which I like to refer to as the BIGinning :) Pastor mentions that Christians don't reject science but naturalism. This was followed by a huge sigh of relief on my end because grade school kind of gave me the assumption of science vs. Christianity. When he said this and further explained I was relieved to know my thinking was wrong and that's something I can move forward with!

He ends with a discussion on atheistic evolution which was a shock to hear about. In my mind, Atheists don't believe in God and I've never put much more thought into atheism than that but he Pastor went on to describe how their belief is that we come from nothing, go to nothing, life is full of unyielding despair, random, chaos and no real purpose. And he concluded that these beliefs are basically biased and just bad science. That was enough information for me! I don't think there is an alternative to Creation. Where we come from determines our purpose here and where we will go. We come from God and we were here to fulfill His Word in order to one day go to heaven. Doesn't get any better than that! Who wouldn't want to live a life serving God? There is so much good to be done and joy and happiness to experience - it's no wonder God set this life up for us, he loves giving us joy through the obstacles he helps us overcome and the passion to love others and so on and so forth! As Pastor Driscoll states, the Creator entered His creation and made Jesus to identify with us. Jesus resisted sin, never exchanged the truth for the lie and he paid the penalty for our sins. In Oneism, all of these distinctions are erased. There is no savior, no one outside of the circle to believe in, have faith in. Distinctions are necessary, as stated above, to understand ourselves. If not for distinctions we would have no God, no creator, apart from which we would not understand ourselves.

How's that for food for thought?! I feel like I have so much more thought to put into all I've just written even! Whew :)

Back on Schedule!

It's been a while since we've shared thoughts on a Mars Hill Church Sermon so here is #3 in the series we've slowly but surely been following.



Susan has already watched and I am trying to watch and give you my discussion piece within the next few days! With the weather getting nicer I've made a bad habit of not updating this regularly but I made a promise to myself last night that I would certainly keep up. It is too easy to say, "Oh, I'll take care of that another day" and God, just as anything you love, care for and have faith in, is not someone to place on the back burner. I'll be back with a discussion soon! Feel free to watch this video and share in discussion using the comment box!

Harvest of Blessing UPDATE : I continue to collect both monetary and item donations. It must be noted that it can take up to 6 months before a package is delivered. As I've mentioned before, one package of items is still in transit to Asingan from the US that we've sent with items donated from various people. We appreciate the continued support. If you'd like to know more please check out our facebook page and help!

Today's Promise From God

When you feel vulnerable to spiritual attack ...

If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you.
Psalm 91:9-10

Easter

First off .. my apologies!! It's been so long since I've updated. We have been in and out of town for the past 2 weeks with the Easter holiday and making rounds visiting family and friends. For Palm Sunday we went to a different church in our area and we truly loved it. We had a wonderful experience there. Everyone was easy to talk to, Addison did great in the nursery (her first time being left with anyone other than a relative!) and it was a "special" Sunday service in that they did a mock interview with Pontius Pilate. The acting was great and very informative.

For Easter Sunday we went to my in laws close to the city. Mom was singing and playing the bells for the service so we had fun watching her. I was really excited for Easter this year because this is the first year celebrating as a Christian. Because I wasn't involved with the church much of my high school and college years I think this was the first year Easter meant much more to me than hunting for eggs and the basket full of goodies that the Easter Bunny has left somewhere! Hehe. Seriously, though, I don't think I even knew until now that Good Friday and Easter memorializes the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. What a weekend for Christ - sacrificing everything including his life so that our sins could be forgiven and they staying true to God's word and literally rising from the dead. This was extremely significant not only for what Christ did but because this opened many people's eyes to His truth. Christ rose just as God had intended and now many could see that this was real and as a result of all those who gained faith in Christianity we are all able to fill our lives with God's love.

I hope everyone enjoyed their Easter weekend!

Today's Promise From God

When you think your way is best ...

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don't be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
Proverbs 3:5-7

Today's Promise From God

When you're in distress ...

When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them.
Psalm 91:15

Today's Promise From God

When you need supernatural strength ...

He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.
Isaiah 40:29

Today's Promise From God

When you feel like giving up ...

Put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.
Ephesians 6:13

Today's Promise From God

When you're oppressed for what you believe ...

The more we suffer for Christ, the more God ill shower us wit his comfort through Christ.
2 Corinthians 1:5

Today's Promise From God

When your soul is restless ...

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Isaiah 26:3

Today's Promise From God

When others get on your nerves ...

Love is patient and kind.
1 Corinthians 13:4

Today's Promise From God

When you're searching for daily opportunities from God ...

To those who use well what they are give, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.
Matthew 25:29

Premarital Cohabitation and the Bible

I should begin by explaining that my husband and I began living together well before we were married. We moved in together rather early in our relationship in January of 2007. I can't speak for my husband but at the time I was 21 and living in Chicago. I guess I viewed myself as a passionate liberal which, at the time, I don't think I would have had a problem admitting that I wasn't quite sure what that meant, haha. Looking back, I was more going with the crowd as opposed to gaining knowledge as a basis to my own views. So there I was, being modern, doing what everyone was doing because, let's face it, times had changed and it was completely common for couples to move in together before marriage. I mean, I had told my mom this enough times to know it was the truth.

June 13, 2009 we were married and, soon after, went back to our already established life together.

A few months ago we decided to be Christians, lead Christian lives and to raise our daughter in a Christian home. Becoming something other than what you were before brings about a whole new outlook on life and, for me, a great deal of understanding. I have recently discussed with others the importance of marriage and cohabiting - in that order and in relation to the Bible.

In discussing these topics I immediately recall when Micah and I were living together and both of our moms seemed to bring up marriage the longer we were together. Obviously, we were proving to be a committed couple in that we were committed to staying together but what then? I never understood what the big deal was. I didn't get why it mattered. Marriage is just a piece of paper. (Of course, in the back of my mind I had my hopes that we would get married at some point but making my point of marriage not being a big deal seemed important at the time). A key part I never even took into consideration was not so much the politics of marriage but the idea of it being a holy institution and the religious importance marriage carried. I have also since overcome my ignorance of what the 'big deal' was all that time.

In the Bible marriage is an obligation that provides security and can not easily be abandoned. Similarly, the governmental relevance of marriage allows for the protection of rights for married couples and their children. As you're probably gathering - marriage is not to be taken lightly and it is not just a piece of paper. The way I see it now, love is essential to wanting to spend the rest of your life with someone but marriage is the promise you make, the oath you take, the commitment to that everlasting love and the declaration to stand by one another. Where does cohabitation fit into all of this? When you are married, or as Genesis describes it, "This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh" you and your spouse are beginning life as one unit. As a unit you share your parents, your siblings, your friends, your belongings, your roof, everything. Marriage indicates the beginning of life together, of living together.

I now recognize that it is immoral and, frankly, a sin for a couple to live together before marriage. I now understand why this was so important to our parents. It was easy to think, at the time, that, "We're not our parents. We're going to do things our way." How selfish I was! This had nothing to do with our parents wanting us to do what they did and that it was right to get married before living together because it was right for them in their time. This had to do with deeply rooted Christian way of life and living it to the fullest. I mean, I really thought my whole bit about changing times and that many we're moving in together before marriage was intelligent and now it just appears to be the age old, "if they jump off the bridge are you also willing to?"

This is a perfect example of what I said before and how becoming a Christian brought so much understanding. I can't go back and rearrange our marriage and move-in-together dates but I can raise my daughter with this newfound understanding and I can hopefully influence others to rethink their choice to move in with their significant other before marriage. I truly believe that more times than not a couple chooses to live together before marriage for their own personal reasoning and for a culture that often supports their decision. I see this as selfish and completely negligent of God’s word which is neither vague nor confusing on this point: A personal commitment between a man and woman is not the moral equivalent of a biblical marriage.

Today's Promise From God

When you doubt that God's way is best ...

The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.
Psalm 84:11

Today's Promise From God

When you worry about meeting your daily needs ...

Don't worry about these things, saying, "What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?" These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
Matthew 6:31-33

Today's Promise From God

When you wonder if your motives matter to God ...

I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.
Jeremiah 17:10

Today's Promise From God

When you can barely make ends meet ...

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
Matthew 6:33

Nothing to Lose

For some reason I have always reserved prayer for times when I needed to ask for something I deemed worthy of prayer. To me, "worthy of prayer" mean it was something very important, nothing foolish. I'm not sure why. I guess I always felt selfish and presumptuous asking God for little things like getting through an exam or helping me to make work on time. In a way it's similar to asking my parents for something as a child. Sometimes we don't ask for things like money for ice cream in case the ice cream truck comes because we figure we can't be so lucky as to get money every single time we ask. This all reminds me of this one day when I was just a child. My dad brought me to the pet store as we often went to buy multiple supplies for our zoo at home! I saw this adorable baby guinea pig. She was white with grey spots and her hair was still soft, not so hoarse like when they're older. Her little wet pink nose twitted here and and there. I don't think I gave it a thought before blurting, "Can we get that guinea pig? I want her." I didn't even consider that there's no way we could make an addition to the pets at home and you know what? He actually bought it! I'm not even sure I expected it, I was too caught up in the cuteness to think that he would actually say yes. We had our long haired, grey guinea pig Harry at home anyway! But sure enough, he actually bought it! That said, I believe we think way too much about whether or not we should ask God for help in times of need. I think when you need something, anything at all, even a nudge in the morning if you're not good at getting up, you should just ask God. What do you have to lose? Instead of thinking about if your question is selfish or if the discussion you'd like to have with God is worth it we should be caught up in the moment and go ahead and just speak to Him. He wants us to. He is our Father. He loves us and wants to help and, better yet, he CAN help!

Yesterday, I finally opened up to the idea that there is no discussion or question unworthy. God will discuss anything with us. I was feeling alright in the morning. I'd been slowly getting over a cold the days prior but felt enough energy to go to the gym. I went and came home and had breakfast and I started to get a migraine, a common occurrence for me. I took medicine and throughout the day got worse to the point of vomiting. Mind you, this is all while taking care of my daughter while my husband's at work. She too has been sick and cranky the past week or so. So here it is, late afternoon and I can't focus on caring for her any longer. I decide to make a "bed" between the living room and dining room in order to barricade her in the living room in case this lasts longer than I can imagine. I give her juice, water and snacks and I lay down. The pain is so horrific that I just start crying and, with no other hope, I just prayed. I asked God to please look out for Addison and to give me the strength to get through this so I can focus my attention to her, to just relief me. At one point my husband texted me and I could not even focus enough to write to him that I'm not doing well. 10 minutes later, I was able to sit up and open my eyes and everything was gone. Migraine gone, not even a headache left over, nothing. Nausea was gone as well, not even a lump in my throat. I was so overwhelmed that I open the blinds and looked out the window for a trace of Him, I'm not sure what I was looking for but I started crying and thanking God. I really needed Him and he helped me. God is all around, there is never a need to look for Him. He's there whenever you need Him.

Today's Promise From God

When others claim to be miracle workers ...

No pagan god is like you, O Lord. None can do what you do!
Psalm 86:8

Today's Promise From God

When you feel like striking out against someone who has wronged you ...

God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Matthew 5:7

Today's Promise From God

When you want to draw closer together ...

Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine, flourishing within your home. Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees as they sit around your table. That is the Lord's blessing for those who fear him.
Psalm 128: 3-4

Today's Promise From God

When you question whether anyone could ever really love you ...

I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul.
Psalm 31:7

Today's Promise From God

When you feel you have no one to turn to ...

When you call, the Lord will answer. "Yes, I am here," he will quickly reply.
Isaiah 58:9

Today's Promise From God

When you want to live for God now ...

The Lord says, "I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name ... I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation."
Psalm 91:14-16

Today's Promise From God

When you're feeling pushed beyond your own abilities ...

All glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
Ephesians 3:20

My Thought of the Day

Lately I find myself feeling very tired. Not so much physically, but more so emotionally and spiritually. I've had a few big situations come up with family and friends who have leaned on me in the midst of their trials. While I'm always happy and willing to uplift and encourage others, it can be draining. In those times I find myself just wanting to "veg out", to not have to think about anything and find some escape from reality for just a little while. Many times I forget I have a source of strength, well beyond my own capabilities, in Christ. That's not to say that throughout the trials and tribulations I'm not praying, I am, but it's not often for myself. Sure I pray that God will work through the situation and give the person peace, encouragement, and direction. Yet I forget to ask for strength and to wait on Him and be still in His presence. Psalm 46: 10a says "Be still and know that I am God."

I freely admit that I like to fix problems, if you have one, I'll try and fix it! Yet in doing so I'm forgetting that He is in control. So I spend myself on praying for other's situations and trying to figure it out for them, rather than just being still. I wear myself out doing this and it's in no way what God wants for me. Yes, He wants me to pray about the situation, but what He really wants is for me to GIVE Him the situation. To calm my mind and stop trying to figure it out! To trust Him enough to know that He's got it handled in a way my small human mind can't even begin to comprehend.

Matt 11:28-30 says,"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” God never meant for us to be tired and worn out from the trials of life. He's waiting for us to be still and lay down the burdens that we carry so that He can take them from us. Be encouraged today, if you're going through a tough situation or know someone who is and it's weighing on you, God is in control! Be still and know that He is God...

Today's Promise From God

When fighting for justice seems like a losing battle ...

At last everyone will say, "There truly is a reward for those who live for God; surely there is a God who judges justly here on earth."
Psalm 58:11

Today's Promise From God

When you're searching for happiness that lasts ...

You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.
Psalm 16:11

Their Eyes Were Watching God

"Two things everybody's got tuh do fuh theyselves. They got tuh go tuh God, and they got tuh find out about livin' fuh theyselves."

This is a quote from Their Eyes Were Watching God which I recently completed. I thought it to be ahead of its time and timeless in many ways. The book was written in 1937 but is a romance and tragedy that takes place in all walks of life and could happen then, now and somewhere down the road. I strongly believe in what Hurston stated above. I believe the placement of going to God first and foremost and finding about ourselves after is completely intentional. When you open your heart to God and let Him in you have experienced a rebirth. Inviting God into my life changed everything for me. It changed how I perceive everything and for the better. There is a struggle going on for those who have not yet found God. I have dear friends who I've discussed Christianity with and they don't see the picture I try to paint for them. I call it a struggle because it's almost as if some physically, emotionally and mentally fight off God and his word. It's as if they're afraid to receive God and his word as the truth. They're holding on to false beliefs. Another book I just finished today is The Decision of a Lifetime by Marilyn Meberg and she discusses those who don't believe in the Bible. She quotes her friend Ed saying, "You can't prove your point by using a book I don't buy into." This is often the case of many and her response is dead on. Perhaps we can't prove the Bible to be true but one thing we can do is give testimony on our relationship with God and what he has seen us through. There's no better proof than your own life stories that God is good and God is with us. I can only hope that those who are struggling can one day find God because the relief I got the day I let go and let God will never be matched. It is not to say that when you develop your relationship with God that all your problems go out the window. What God does, though, is helps you through and teaches you through struggles. Many times people get tied up in their issues and become angry and bitter but when you have God in your life He reminds us that nothing with come of worrying, faith in Him helps you to let go of any problems you may have and allows you to breath, relieve yourself of trouble.

Zora Neale Hurston writes towards the end of her novel at a time of struggle, "They seemed to be staring at the dark, but their eyes were watching God." No matter what time of day or where you are He is with you to see you through any and everything.

Today's Promise From God

When you want to belong to someone ...

Where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.
Matthew 18:20

Today's Promise From God

When you find yourself desiring what someone else has ...

Most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless-like chasing the wind.
Ecclesiastes 4:4

Say a Prayer for Japan

I'm so grateful for the opportunities given to me in High School. We were lucky enough to be involved in hosting Japanese students - an ongoing tradition for 30+ years, I believe, at Oneida High. I've remained close with many in the group who came. Facebook and Skype allow us to keep in touch regularly and, of course, with the crisis in Japan I grew very worried for my friends. Luckily, I've found them all to be in safe locations as well as their families. Recently, Haruka Higa, who I keep in regular contact with, had a letter published in Oneida's local newspaper, the Oneida Daily Dispatch. Here is the link to read the letter. Unfortunately, there are people out there who see this terrible crisis as propaganda. In sharing this letter from someone living through this tragedy I hope you will see that this is very real and that this country needs your prayers.

God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.

Psalm 46:1-2

If you would like to find out more on what you can do to help please click here.

Today's Promise From God

When things don't seem fair ...

Those who plan injustice will harvest disaster, and their reign of terror will come to an end. Blessed are those who are generous, because they feed the poor.
Proverbs 22:8-9

Today's Promise From God

When it seems the odds are against you ...

Nothing is impossible with God.
Luke 1:37

Harvest of Blessing UPDATE and new literature!

Sorry I was MIA again. We went to visit my parents so I was unable to post the daily Promises from God. I brought along with me a bunch of donated clothes from a few friends of ours and the check for $52 that we've raised so far. My mom is going to cover the rest of the balance to ship the clothing that's been donated to the Philippines. I think this shipment will help some of our relatives out as well as others in their community who are also in need of the items. Mom has shipped one box already that should arrive there in about 6 weeks and that was covered solely by her but included many items of clothing donated by Susan. The next shipment willbe using the money collected as well as clothes so I've requested photos to be taken of these 2 shipments. I'll let you all know when the next shipment goes out and hopefully I'll receive photos so I can show you all where your generous donations have gone!

On this trip home Susan and I and our families were able to get together and she gave me a wonderful gift of 3 books to read. The Decision of a Lifetime : The Most Important Choice You'll Ever Make by Marilyn Meberg and Assurance for a Lifetime : Knowing and Living in the Confidence of Christ also by Marilyn Meberg. She also gave me Women of Faith : New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs : New King James Version. I have not opened any of them yet as I'm still catching up with past reading but I'm so excited and thankful for these gi

fts. Currently Micah and I are finishing How to Pray : The Best of John Wesley on Prayer together and then we plan to read Crazy Love by Francis Chan which we're both looking forward to. How to Pray is interesting and very basic. It's very helpful on how to focus on prayer and to go about what it is you're seeking. I feel that I sometimes think I know what I'm about to pray for but when I actually begin my prayer I'm not sure how to put something into words or what it is I'm really asking of our Lord but this book seems to put everything into perspective. The book is also a great reminder of how God works with us even if it's not always plain as day.

Another book I have just begin on my own is Their Eyes Were Watching God. This is a very short book and may seem like a quick read but the 'voice' of the book is very unique. You are reading the character's words as they said them so it takes a little getting used to. For example,

"Don't think Ah don't feel wid you, Janie, 'cause Ah do. Ah couldn't love yuh no more if Ah had uh felto yo' birth pains mahself. Fact uh de matter, Ah loves yuh a whole heap more'n Ah do yo' mama, de one Ah did birth. But you got to take in consideration you ain't no everyday chile like most of 'em. You ain't go no papa, you might jus' as well say no mama, for de good she do yuh. You ain't got nobody but me. And mah head is ole and tilted towards de grave. Neither can you stand alone by yo'self. De thought uh you bein' kicked around from pillar tuh post is uh hurtin' thing. Every tear you drop squeezes a cup uh blood outa mah heart. Ah got tuh try and do for you befo' mah head is cold."

This is the language of this book. I was reading the other day and my daughter was sitting with me so I read aloud and I found that I was actually hearing/feeling the story more this way so any time I'm feeling like I'm skimming the pages and missing the content I read aloud during the character's dialogue.

I'm really excited to finish some of these books so I can begin sharing my thoughts with you. If you've read any of these please feel free to share your thoughts with me here as well!!

Today's Promise From God

When you want to be the greatest ...

Anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Matthew 18:4

Today's Promise From God

When you feel like giving up ...

When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.

Psalm 94:19

Today's Promise From God

When it's hard to be honest ...

May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in you.

Psalm 25:21

Today's Promise From God

When you need supernatural comfort ...

The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will.

Romans 8:26-27

Back in business!

Hello everyone! I am so happy to see Debbie's posts while I was away and I'm so glad to see she has people thinking, including myself! I already feel as though I'm gaining so much from what Susan and Debbie have to say and their thoughts assist me in growing as a Christian. I thank God for allowing my family safe travels over the past week. I had a wonderful time seeing old faces that I have missed so dearly. This was my first time back to Chicago since becoming Christian and I had much to share with my friends. I was so excited to give testimony to dear friends of mine on how God has been working with me in my life. When I'm discussing my relationship with God to friends I feel as though he is right there with. I almost get overzealous in my excitement to share but part of me feels as though God is so happy for me that his joy is just rubbing off on my own! You know how when someone starts laughing it makes you want to laugh too? That's my feeling when discussing joy but instead of laughter it's pure happiness. I feel God's happiness for me and it pours out of me while I'm in conversation.

Harvest of Blessing - Don't forget to 'Like' this link! We're always seeking donations to assist us in this project. If you would like to donate please use the "ChipIn" box to the right! All of the details are on our Facebook Fan Page! Please share both this blog and Harvest of Blessing page with others so that more can have the opportunity to give! Thank you everyone who has already contributed - we're so close to our first shipment and I know we can do it ahead of schedule :)

Today's Promise From God

When you feel alone with no one to help you ...

He has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. He has not turned his back on them, but has listened to their cries for help.

Psalm 22:24

My Thought of the Day

“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven." Matt 10: 33-34

Lately I've been re-evaluating a lot of things in my Christian walk and I've had to ask myself, do I do this? Do I deny Christ before men? Maybe not outright, but how many times do I hold my tongue because I don't want to "offend" someone, when I have the truth to offer them. I fear I've become so busy "doing" God's work that I've missed the true work that He's called all of us to, spreading the Gospel. Jesus said,

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen." Matt 28:19-20

I'm accepting the challenge to share my faith. What about you?

My Thought of the Day

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. Phil 4:6-8

Back before you know it!!

Hey everyone! I just wanted to let you know I'm going to be out of town from tomorrow until around March 5th so I won't be able to post for about a week. Please continue to share our blog with others and spread the word about Harvest of Blessing. We appreciate any donations and feel free to email me at annalisa.tuttle@gmail.com if you would like more information on how you can help. Thanks everyone and have a wonderful week!

Today's Promise From God

When you're wondering what heaven will be like ...

I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, God's home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever."
Revelation 21:3-4

A Day with God

Ever since we became Christians I often feel as though I'm being touched by God on a daily basis. I get stressed out once in a while being a stay at home mom with a toddler as well as commitments working from home in design. Then pile on some dirty dishes, laundry that needs to be folded, messes all over and this week especially, I'm preparing for our trip to Chicago next week. Obviously - stress squeezes it's way into my days here and there. In the past it would be difficult for me to find an outlet, I would do some rigorous cleaning perhaps to take my mind of things. Since becoming closer to God, though, I feel as though my problems are often lifted. I may be overwhelmed for a minute if that and almost instantly God puts his hand on me and literally lifts the anxieties off of me and carries them for me. He brings such relief to me when I need it the most. Other times, I'm not sure how to explain this, but it's almost as if he's whispered to me. Not a conscious whisper that you hear but I guess it's like he signals to my brain a reminder that it's okay. It's okay that Addison doesn't want to eat her lunch and that the living room is a complete disaster. She'll eat when she's hungry and I have a whole day to pick up her toys and put clothes away. Then all at once a huge sigh of relief comes over me and I thank God his love for me.

Today's Promise From God

When you're ashamed of your past ...

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Psalm 51:7

Today's Promise From God

When you don't know what to do ...

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.
James 1:5-6

Harvest of Blessing - How this will work!

For those who have some confusion let me first say the list of items needed is posted under 'Info' on our Facebook page. That said, this is the process of events once we have enough money to ship a box and for each future box we raise money to send ..

1. Items from the "Items Needed" list can be donated by contacting me at annalisa.tuttle@gmail.com. Those in the Oneida or Glens Falls area will be designated a drop off location or if you'd like to ship items I will also give you a location to send.

2. Money and all items will ultimately end up at my mother's house and she will do the packing of boxes while documenting with photographs so that I can share them with you all!

3. She will ship items through Cargo Plus.

4. The items will be sent to my cousin Aleli (my mother's niece) in Asingan, Philippines who will take care of distributing items to those in need while documenting so I can share with you also.

(Note : Both my mom and Aleli have been doing this for years but this is the first time we've ever raised $$ to do so. Before my mom would send what she could when she could with her personal finances when she could afford to.)

5. Last but not least - as soon as I have photos to share with you, you will see firsthand the gift of giving.

Thank you everyone, we are so grateful for this opportunity to help others in need.

Harvest of Blessing

We just want to thank everyone again for the donations. As you can see we are over halfway there and once we meet our goal of one box being shipped we will surely continue on to ship more and more boxes!!! Please check out our Facebook fan page link to the right to find out more details on our charity project! Thanks!

Today's Promise From God

When you want to mature in your faith ...

The righteous keep moving forward, and those with clean hands become stronger and stronger.
Job 17:9

Today's Promise From God

When you've lost someone you love ...

He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign Lord will wipe away all tears.
Isaiah 25:8

Today's Promise From God

When other people are spreading lies about you ...

He will send help from heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me.
Psalm 57:3

PROJECT 18 - aka Harvest of Blessing on Facebook!

First let me again say thank you to our contributors for such generous donations. We are currently $70 to our goal which is fantastic. The more donations the more boxes we can ship. Some of you who are new readers might be wondering what I am talking about! That is sort of the problem. There isn't anywhere that I can consistently update you on Project 18, which we're now calling Harvest of Blessing, without it getting shuffled into the archives and not as easy to navigate to specific posts. As a result I've created a Facebook Fan Page solely for Harvest of Blessing. Here you can get all the details on what Harvest of Blessing actually is as well as the list of items needed. I will use this page as a way to update you on where we're at with donations and once we finally start making shipments we can update you on that as well. I'm hoping to send a digital camera to my cousin who will be handling shipped items so that she can document the distribution of items. Check out the page and 'Like' us!! Thanks again everyone for all of your support. God is so good.

Guest Authors

As you can see Debbie has given us a fantastic post as well as a podcast to listen in on (I did listen and it's fantastic so make sure to check out her link! After inviting Debbie to be a guest author I thought that there may be more who have things to add so I'm urging anyone interested to send me a message if you'd like to guest author and I'd be happy to add you! There is no limit on how often or how much you'd like to write. We'd love to hear your inspirational stories, daily meditations, music, literature, film - anything you can think of to share for the goodness of God. We hope to hear from you!

Leaving Your Mark

Hi All! I'm so excited to be contributing! A BIG thank you to Anna Lisa for inviting me!

Do you ever wonder what this life is really all about? We're here for such a short amount of time in the grand scheme of things. Yet our culture is obsessed with leaving their mark. But that's not why God placed us here on earth. We're given an opportunity to live lives that point back to the Father. Peter says, "As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 4:10-11)

When I think about the mark my life will leave behind when I'm gone, I want it to mean something. I don't want to leave behind my name, but rather a legacy. I want everything I do to touch the lives of others for Christ so that they then in turn affect the lives of those around them and pass it on, and on, and on. Our lives are meant to bring Glory to God in ALL that we do!

For more on this, I recently shared a message at my youth church called, "I Am Legend". You can check it out here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/soul-purpose-ym/id363384404

Welcome Debbie!

Wanted to let everyone know we have a guest author who will be posting, hopefully, as often as she can and wants! Her name is Debbie so look forward to her posts. She always has fantastic words of God to share on a daily basis on Facebook as well as wonderful stories so we're excited to see what great things she will bring to our blog! Enjoy :)

Willow Tree by Susan Lordi

For those of you who are not aware of this collection, this collection consists of many sculptures designed by Susan Lordi and inspired by those she loves. They are absolutely beautiful and there are so many - angels, couples, children, loving embraces between husbands and wives, children and parents, grandparents and so on ... I urge you to check out the Willow Tree website!

Today's Promise From God

When you're deciding how much to give ...

Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full - pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.
Luke 6:38

In the News : An Inspiring Act

Read THIS! My cousin posted this on facebook a few days ago and I sent it to my mother in law. I had not even thought of it in relation to God, I was too caught up in details and thinking about Chicago but mom wrote a response to me and said, "That's what Christianity is all about, doing those acts of love that He puts in our path..." Of course I said to myself, Duh! I have to blog this! Hope you enjoy :)

Doctrine Week 2 Revelation : God Speaks DISCUSSION (AL)

I have finally finished the Week 2 seminar from Mars Hill Church which you can click here to watch!

After watching two seminars I'm so grateful Susan shared this site with me. I truly believe I did not buckle down and become Christian sooner because I would get discouraged from my lack of knowledge - not knowing where to begin to become Christian, not knowing how to read the Bible, not enough understanding to commit. The clarity given in these seminars is everything I've been seeking. Although I have already become a Christian and feel I've gained a great deal of knowledge to make this decision there are still basics I do not understand and these seminars continue to clear everything right up!

Pastor Mark mentions that he was confused about the Bible before becoming Christian and I'm so glad he said that. Being such a knowledgeable person who is reliable and inspiring I'm comforted that he "started out" like me. I believe if you're a "beginning" Christian, you definitely need to watch!

This week Pastor Mark discusses revelation and how it is separate from speculation because we do not need to speculate or guess, God tells us everything, gives us all of the answers through the Bible. General revelation and special revelation are the two types of revelations that people experience. General revelation is referring to all circumstances and how they reveal much but don't go into details. Our functions, how we heal ourselves when sick, nature, the seasons are all goodness of God. These are examples of God showing himself to us. I love his mention of creation being an external witness to God as we, you and I, are representative of God, we are his proof. A great example of an internal witness is our conscience. We feel right and wrong, there's a conscience there, there is God. Special Revelation is information about God that is clearer and shown to a limited amount of people. The teaching of the scriptures is a perfect example of detailed information that speaks to us. When Pastor Mark says that special revelation is only shown to a limited amount of people, he is referring to those that have been through a supernatural occurrence, he is referring to Jesus Christ as he is God the son, eternally God and literally the word of God. He states that we were taught and spoken to through Jesus. He is the fully revealed image of the invisible God. Last is scripture. As Pastor Mark puts it, scripture is breathed out by God or God breath, the Bible as a whole is God breath.

He then went on to discuss scriptures and how they are a collection of written documents that were divinely inspired by God. I'm glad he clears this up because I never understood the separations in the Bible but Pastor Mark states that the Bible is a collection of 66 books in order of genre of literature - law, prophets, poetic/psalms, gospels/biography and letters. I really needed to know this. I had no idea what the order of the Bible was or why people read the Bible in different ways and now I know exactly why. He gives a great analogy that scriptures are a light on a dark path that guide us. This is very true as I often look back on certain passages to help me through different situations and emotions. He also details that the authors of different documents are divinely inspired by God to give faithful records and how the Holy Spirit enabled apostles to remember and record faithfully without error. I used to think that maybe, long ago, the information was passed down and recorded and Christians were just expected to believe what is in the Bible but now it is clear that God directly spoke to these authors and gave them the ability to record flawlessly and faithfully what he wanted them to document and as Christians we can trust this.

In closing he mentions that some things in the bible are difficult to understand not because people may find the information unclear but because many suppress the truth and are unwilling to repent - basically, some people don't like all or parts of the Bible and don't understand becoming Christian. It's ironic for anyone to feel this way since there are many aspects of life that some people do not enjoy - waking up early, doing the dishes, eating healthy foods - but must do and that is life. That's reality. You do things like shower each day because it is beneficial and crucial to your life. I believe the Bible should be seen in the same way. There will always be things in life we don't agree with but are mandatory and the Bible is the same, you have to be willing to accept all of what is said in scripture.

Pastor Mark gave a fantastic quote of Mark Twain's, "It's not the parts of the Bible that I read and don't understand which bother me, it's the parts of the Bible which I do read and do understand which bother me." As I said in my Week 1 discussion, it is hard accept beliefs that are new but the first step is knowing that the Bible is God's word, the truth. As soon as I put my faith in all of His teachings it was absolutely easy for me to accept any new beliefs because I can always trust God.

He said something that really struck me in the end while discussing how becoming a Christian changed him. Pastor Mark said that when you become Christian your sins are taken away and your relationships are restored. Just sounds beautiful, becoming Christian is a harmony in a way - everything just becomes good and right and just.

Today's Promise From God

When you're worried in about the future ...

"I know the plan I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
Jeremiah 29:11

Today's Promise From God

When you want to be used by God to accomplish his work ...

The Godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted to the Lord's own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green.
Psalm 92:12-14

PROJECT 18 - DONATIONS

Hello everyone! Just wanted to remind any of those who may not be aware .. to your right you'll see a 'blurp' of words. These are keywords that you can click to find coinciding posts. If you click 'project 18' you'll be able to view posts relative to our charity work. There you can see a list of items we are able to send as well as details into how it all works. None of this will be possible without your financial assistance, though. When you click the "Chip In" box it is very simple to enter your debit or credit information and donate any amount. $1 can truly go a long way if enough of you decide you have time to do so. After your donation you have the option to retrieve a receipt as well. There is no requirement to register for anything. If you have an existing PayPal account you may use that as well. Please think about helping our cause. Thank you!

Today's Promise From God

When you're feeling trapped in a sinful way of life...

I will say to the prisoners, "Come out in freedom."
Isaiah 49:9

Today's Promise From God

When you're seeking God's forgiveness...

If we confess our sings to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
1 John 1:9

K Love Christian Music Station

Good morning everyone. This weekend, my daughter and I were able to visit Anna and her daughter for a few hours. It was such a great time! While we were there I talked to Anna Lisa about the Christian Music radio station, K Love. It is available all over the nation, which is perfect for road trips; if you scan long enough you will find it! I love the music on that station. It is contemporary, but the words to the songs are uplifting and about the Lord. You never have to worry about what lyrics your children are picking up. In fact, you want them to sing the words. And when they do, it is a blessing for sure. My almost four-year-old daughter loves the song, By Your Side, by Tenth Avenue North: "I'll be by your side whenever you fall, in the dead of night whenever you call, and please don't fight these hands that are holding you. My hands are holding you." Keep on singing Lola! I can't believe the words to some songs kids are listening to today. Sure the beat is catchy, but it has to be more than that. So, that's my pitch for K-Love. Oh yeah, one more funny story. When Lola was about 2 1/2, we watched the movie Cars. I said to her, "Lola, wouldn't it be funny if Mommy's car could talk?" She said, "Your car does talk!" Me: "Oh, really?" Lola "Yes, it says 'More music K-Love!" Hehehe. That is the jingle for K Love. I love kids. :)

Today's Promise From God

When your worst fears come true ...

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.
Isaiah 43:2

Today's Promise From God

When you question God's faithfulness ...

God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?
Numbers 23:19

PROJECT 18 - Donations

I thank everyone who has come to check out this blog. For anyone interested in making a money donation you can click the Chip In button to the right and truly, if you can give $1 that is $1 closer to our goal. You can use credit and/or debit. This would help so much and we would greatly appreciate it. If you would feel better donating with a check or money order feel free to leave your email address in the comments and I will email you my address. Anything helps!

A special thanks to my 'Christians Like Me' friends who have been sharing this blog and bringing in readers. Thank you all!

Today's Promise From God

When you're wondering what to have faith in ...

Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.
Acts 16:31

Today's Promise From God

When you've messed up ...

The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by hand.
Psalm 37:23-24

PROJECT 18 - UPDATE

PROJECT 18 is an effort to provide the people of Pangasinan with clothing, medical supplies, information pamphlets on childcare and breastfeeding, school supplies, towels, footwear, toys and small luxuries like jewelry, watches, etc. Cargo Plus will send 1.5' by 2.5' boxes to Pangasinan for $95, $85 if they're having a sale and for possibly less as this is a charity. We've set our goal for $95 for one box and with continued donations we can increase shipments. This is a flat fee so the weight of the package does not matter. Please help us in raising this money. We've received $5 as you can see from our Chip In box. If we could have 90 people to give $1 we'd meet our goal!! Please join our effort!! Even better, the more people donate the more boxes we can send over!

Items Needed :

TSHIRTS - men, women, children
LONG SLEEVE SHIRTS - thin cloth, for men, women, children
PANTS/SHORTS - men, women, children
SHOES/SANDALS/SNEAKERS/SLIPPERS - men, women, children
CHILDREN'S TOYS
SCHOOL SUPPLIES - pencils, paper, notebooks, folders
MEDICAL SUPPLIES - medicine, medical equipment, gauze, tape, etc (expired items as well)
TOWELS - bath towels, hand towels, washcloths
UNDERWEAR/BOXERS - men, women, children
SOCKS - men, women, children
OTHER - jewelry(obviously not a necessity but something that would be greatly appreciated), watches

Doctrine Week 2 Revelation : God Speaks

Our Deadline : February 13, 2011

(for some reason when I hit play the first time the video does not work but when I refresh the page and click again it works fine, just a tip!)

For those just tuning in - We are watching seminars whenever possible. Each seminar will be posted with "our deadline" which means we, Suze and I, will have watched by or on the deadline date and will post our feedback shortly after. Feel free to post your thoughts or any discussions as comments to this post or our feedback posts! hope to hear from you!

Today's Promise From God

When you doubt there is life after death ...

We have this assurance: Those who die in the Lord will live; their bodies will rise again! Those who sleep in the earth will rise up and sing for joy! For your life-giving light will fall like dew on your people in the place of the dead!
Isaiah 26:19

CHRISTmas

I was fishing around Facebook the other day and came across this fantastic statement a woman made on her profile info, "Keep Christ in Christmas, Who's with me?" It really grabbed me because we often forget in the hoopla of red, green, gold, blue, Santas, Elves, parades, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and so on that we are celebrating the birth of Christ. Don't get me wrong, I have fond memories of receiving gifts from Santa and Mrs. Clause (I still do get gifts from them!) and I couldn't wait to race downstairs to see if he, in fact, had eaten the cookies I left out or drank the milk .. ( there were always some crumbles left over and some milk in the glass). I would like for Addison to also have those experiences but seeing that quote was a reminder to provide her with memories of not only Santa and his gifts but of Christ, the Nativity and more. I should say, we had a beautiful Nativity and my Grandma Betty did as well. I loved looking at both and imagining being there in that time period. We did receive a Nativity Advent Calendar as a gift which is a great start.
As Addison gets bigger we can talk each day about Jesus and the Nativity Scene when she goes to open the little door to each day of December. I certainly look forward to doing that with her!

~Al

For Once in My Life

As if she hasn't given me enough fantastic recommendations, my mother in law suggested I catch this on PBS!

Watch the full episode. See more Independent Lens.

This is truly beautiful and inspiring. I was so glad that I found it to watch just shortly after she suggested it to me. Watching this reminded me of a band called Flame. They are also a band made up of those with disabilities.

Talk about literally seeing heart when you watch these bands perform. You can see the blood, sweat, tears and passion poured into each note as they each do their part. My dad was fortunate enough to see Flame perform and I can only hope I get a chance to as well one day. I know Flame tours so definitely check them out and for those from Upstate NY, they are as well!! As for the documentary on Spirit of Goodwill, they show a glimpse into each band member's life which is a reminder of how special they are and what a privilege it is for them to have this opportunity to do what they all love.

~Al

Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.
Mark 10:27

Today's Promise From God

When you're feeling discouraged ...

Let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up.
Galatians 6:9

Today's Promise From God

When you're feeling uncertain about God ...

Blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
Jeremiah 17:7

Christians Like Me

There is a fantastic new social network out there. I saw an ad on Facebook and clicked it which brought me to Christians Like Me which is basically a facebook for Christians. I've already had a very positive experience with the page since it has a very similar interface as facebook and I've met a few very kind people there. It just launched a few weeks ago (end of January) so I'm sure there are to be many changes. I'm hoping they do a search filter where I can find friends by location. I'd love to meet other Christians in Glens Falls. If you have time, check it out! The best part is you do not have to register, you can sign in with your facebook account or many other account options!

Today's Promise From God

When you're seeking the things that God wants for you ...

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires. Commit everything you to do the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.
Psalm 37:4-5

Today's Promise From God

When your circumstances seem hopeless ...

I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety ... You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.
Psalm 16:8-11