No Complaining!!!

I want to tell you about God talking or revealing us things He wants us to do. Sometimes all we need is confirmation; the key is to just listen! Yesterday I was on my way home from work & was going over today’s e-mail in my head. I had a Christian radio station playing in the background & had come to a point where I couldn’t think of anything else. (Writer’s block kinda) So I started to pray God please just give me something more to help these ladies relate to what I’m trying to say. Well He answered!! Have you ever had that happen? It’s the best thing ever. I’ll get to what He said later…

I know we’ve all been there on Sunday mornings where we’re just too tired, the kids are misbehaving, you have “nothing” to wear, or we just need a break from Sundays. I’ve done it too many times! I was thinking about the thousands of people who traveled from all over, miles & miles to hear Jesus speak, to see His face, to touch His garment, or to be healed. (see below verses) Then here I am
complaining about getting in my car w/ AC & driving less than 10 minutes up
the road to hear His word. This is when He spoke…The newscaster on the radio was talking about the thousands of people who stood 7 plus hours in line for the new iPhone4. Hmmm…Thank you Jesus!! Can you imagine? I mean I personally have stood in line for Black Friday shopping but nowhere near 7 hours. So why is it that we wait hours in line to get these gadgets but complain about getting up & going to spend some time getting to know our Jesus? That’s all He’s asked of us! John 6:29 Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.” So I pray that we get back to the basics & remember why we’re really here on this earth. To love, serve, & spread the Good News of the Gospel. I hope you enjoyed this & it humbles you, as it did me. I love you & Remember to Praise God Always!!!

Luke 6:17 He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, 18who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil^a spirits were cured, 19and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.

Happy Father's Day!!

Good Morning Ladies!!! I hope you've had a wonderful week. It's Father's Day Weekend!!! What an amazing holiday this is!


Dad, Daddy, Father, Papa….These are all words we’ve used to call our…well Dad. Now what does Dad or any of the other names mean to you? My Dad is a jokester, he’s loveable, gives good hugs, & can be hard-headed at times but I wouldn’t trade him for anything. Some of you may have fathers that have been a positive influence in your life & have a great relationship w/ him. Some of you may have fathers that have caused you pain & hardship or you may not even know your father. Webster’s dictionary says that the 1st definition of Father means male parent and the 4th definition means God. :0) I love that! What Webster doesn’t tell us is that there are many different types of fathers or father-figures. He may be your real father, your uncle, your pastor, or he could be your grandfather. Regardless of your circumstances you know that we are all daughters of our Heavenly Father & He has always, is always, & will always be with us, even when we feel like we’re all alone…Below I’ve included a couple verses from Romans explaining that when we are born again in Christ, He adopts us as His own. I can only imagine the love & security of crawling up in His lap one day with His arms wrapped around me. What a day that will be!! So this Sunday I ask you to honor you Father’s memories or give him a call or hug to let him know you love him. Don’t forget to thank our ultimate Father for all He’s done for us! I love you & remember to Praise God at all times!

Your Sister-in-Christ,

Amanda



Romans 8:14-16 (New Living Translation)

14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children[a] of God.

15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.[b] Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”[c] 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.

Procrastination<-------------yucky word

Every Friday I send out a encouraging e-mail to some friends & family. This weeks was an eyeopener for me. I hope it humbles you as it did me. Also if you would like these weekly e-mails please message me your e-mail address on facebook.

Good Morning Ladies! I hope you’ve all had a wonderful week. It’s Friday!!!! Woo-Hoo…So this morning’s e-mail is a result of my procrastination. (I don’t like this word or its effects, by the way) This has been a short week for me as I was off Monday for Memorial Day & I took a day off Wednesday. Hadley, my 2 year old, has been away every night to Vacation Bible School @ our church till about 9 pm also. So you would think that I had ample opportunity to have this wonderful message prepared for you. Well your wrong….& I apologize. But don’t be discouraged.

This morning I was running around slinging kids on my hip, tripping over toys, spilling coffee, all the while asking God “Hello, why haven’t you given me anything for this week’s e-mail.” As soon as I said it, I was stopped in my tracks b/c truth is I had all this “FREE TIME” to pray, study, & prepare for today. Instead, I have a clean kitchen & I’m caught up on ALL my laundry. I don’t believe God is too impressed with my accomplishments this week. The bible warns us about “idle hands”, although I wasn’t idle physically w/ all the chores I got done, I think the following verse is also talking about an idle spirit. We are supposed to be the “hands & feet” of Christ, sharing His word with others. It’s also saying the result of your work is nothing if you’re not pleasing to God. It’s better to be still & listen to Christ than to chase after self pleasure. Blah Blah Blah…I’m stepping on my own toes this morning, but what better message than one told from firsthand experience. So, once again I apologize for my procrastination but at the same time I hope you think twice before putting something off. I love you & hope you have a wonderful weekend. Remember to Praise God Always!!


Ecclesiastes 4:4-6 (New Living Translation)
4 Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind.

5 “Fools fold their idle hands,
leading them to ruin.”

6 And yet,

“Better to have one handful with quietness
than two handfuls with hard work
and chasing the wind.”

Shining Light!!!

 The other day I was scrounging around in my underoo drawer & came across anew bra that I had completely forgotten about. Well, naturally I was very excited at my new discovery I quickly swapped my scraggly old brafor my new one. It was like instant shot of confidence knowing “my girls” were right where they were supposed to be all along. I felt like I could conquer the world, me & my new bra. Throughout my day I was more outgoing & content with myself to the point where people werestarting to notice. Isn’t this similar to how our lights shine for Jesus? He gives us our “new found confidence” to go out into the world to show & tell people of His everlasting love. Some people see our mysterious joy & want what we have in their lives. I’m not saying that my life is peachy but because I have Christ in my heart, I know for a fact that I’m never alone in life’s challenges. Now, by no means am I comparing God to my new bra! This is just a parable, per say; although they do both have the power & strength to move mountains. :0) The verse below explains that our confidence comes from God & isn’t man made. 2Corinthians is full of confidence boosting verses if you get a chance to read through them. As you go about your day I ask you to mentally put onyour “new bras” & reignite your little lights for Christ. Let them shine in everything you do today! I love you & pray you have a wonderful day. Remember to Praise God Always!

2 Corinthians 3:3-5 (New International Version)3You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of ourministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God,not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 4Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. 5Not thatwe are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but ourcompetence comes from God.

We're All Ducks

 I’m gonna get straight to the point today! What does the word prejudice mean to you? Do you think of someone of a different race or social status? I have to admit this happens to me more often than none. I see a lot of homeless people in Baton Rouge everyday & I automatically have the ugliest
thoughts, “Poor thing, is addicted to drugs & now has nothing.” Whether this person is or not is not my place to cast judgments. I am shamed by these thoughts b/c I have no clue what they’ve been though in life or their current situation. But my prejudice eyes sometimes overpower the truth & what I know as right. Below is a common saying we’ve all heard that I looked up in Wikipedia (online encyclopedia) along with an explanation of the phrase. <><><><><><><>

“

If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.

”

*The test implies that a person can identify an unknown subject by observing that subject's habitual
characteristics. It is sometimes used to counter abstruse arguments that something is not what it
appears to be.
           I’ve attached a verse below that is very straight forward & to the point. To me it’s saying some people’s sins are obvious while others aren’t, seen or not they’re still sin.      ²³For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; also comes to mind. I want to leave you with this challenge. When you see someone that intimidates you or looks different, STOP, & put yourself in their shoes; imagine what they’re thinking when they see you. Do you look like you just sucked a lemon? Remember, God loves everyone equally & wants us to be like Him. I hope this humbles you & opens your eyes as to how we see others. I hope you have a great weekend! I love you & remember to Praise God Always! 
 1 Timothy 5:24-25 (NIV)²⁴The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of
judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. ²⁵In the same way, good deeds are
obvious, and even those that are not cannot be hidden.

Fleeting Beauty

How long did it take you to get ready this morning for work or school? Like fully dressed, hair & makeup, shoes & accessories, purses or whatever else you need? (Not including those who have kids b/c that alone is another hour) Why does it take so long to primp & get all “prettied” up? Most of the time when I get where I’m going I wished I had worn something else or different shoes. Let me ask you this….Have you ever been somewhere that you’ve felt out of place? Maybe you didn’t have the “right” clothes or shoes, or your makeup wasn’t just so…This is something I struggle with. After a while your self-worth & confidence are obsolete b/c “We’re our worst critic”. The thing is in God’s eyes we’re always beautiful, loved & most importantly accepted with open arms.

The following verse gets straight to the point…Don’t take it lightly; I want you to
think about this verse when you’re stressing over your clothes or makeup, etc.
or when you feel out of place.  

1 Peter 3-4Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. ⁴Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which
is of great worth in God's sight. 

I read this yesterday & found a lot of inspiration in it!  “Don’t apologize or cower away from your authentic self. “ EMBRACE IT!  I hope this brought some encouragement to you today! Remember to Praise God Always!!! In conclusion, I’m leaving this final verse with you today! 

Proverbs 31:30 ³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Week to Weak

So I’ve struggled all week about this Friday’s encouragement. I couldn’t figure out what I should talk about….The thing is it’s not my word its God’s word & I’ve been slacking on study & prayer w/ Him. Have you ever been there, where you’re physically & emotionally tired?

 Jeremy just got back from his “GUY TURKEY TRIP”. They were gone for 5 ½ days so you can
imagine my physical exhaustion thus leading little to no time w/ God. (We’ve all tried using this excuse) The thing is when we stray for any amount of time we become sluggish. I love the saying “7 days w/out Christ makes one weak” How true this is! In Luke 5, the Bible talks about Jesus calling
the first disciples & Him healing the leprosy man. As the good news spread, more & more people came for healing. Just imagine how loud & chaotic that probably was. I’d feel like I was being pulled from all directions & needed some peace & quiet. Well read Luke 5:16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. When I leave church, bible study, or finish praying I always feel “lighter” (unfortunately not lighter in pounds *S*), refreshed, & overall happier knowing that I’ve
just been recharged in Christ. This in turn makes me a more pleasant person to be around. I have more patience w/ my husband & children & I feel like I an roll w/ life’s struggles easier.  So I pray today for you some quiet time w/ our Lord. Take 5 minutes & pray or read a Bible study, be
still & let God’s love embrace & comfort you.  I hope you have a wonderful weekend & Happy Mother’s Day. Remember to Praise God always!  I love ya!!!

James 5:13, 16b ¹³Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise…. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and
effective.