Many Names

Anyhow I just feel like I should just stop & praise God. He's done so much in my life & has
brought me out of some deep valleys. He is almighty & His love is undeserving & infinite! He is my Father, Comforter, Healer, Protector, & leader just to name a few. I have attached Isaiah 42:10 as it describes everyone & everything praising Him. It gives us a peek into God's character & tolerance for His enemies. He puts His foot down & it's beautiful knowing He'll never leave those who are faithful to Him. I hope this has brought you some kind of encouragement today! I love you & hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Isaiah 42:10 Sing to God a brand-new song, sing his praises all over the world! Let the sea and its fish give a round of applause, with all the far-flung islands joining in. Let the desert and its camps raise a tune, calling the Kedar nomads to join in. Let the villagers in Sela round up a choir and perform from the tops of the mountains. Make God's glory resound; echo his praises from coast to coast. God steps out like he means business. You can see he's primed for action. He shouts, announcing his
arrival; he takes charge and his enemies fall into line: "I've been quiet long enough. I've held back, biting my tongue. But now I'm letting loose, letting go, like a woman who's having a baby— Stripping the hills bare, withering the wildflowers, Drying up the rivers, turning lakes into mudflats. But I'll take
the hand of those who don't know the way, who can't see where they're going. I'll be a personal guide to them, directing them through unknown country. I'll be right there to show them what roads to take, make sure they don't fall into the ditch. These are the things I'll be doing for them— sticking with them, not leaving them for a minute."

Looking through the chaos

It’s Friday!!! WooHoo! I hope you’ve all had a wonderful week! This week has brought much chaos in my life. My job is flaky, my house is a mess, my sweet 2 year old’s middle name is chaos, & my brain is just completely frazzled. It’s been one of those weeks where I wasn’t sure what was gonna happen next. I just felt like if I could just go to a quiet desolate place & get some peace. Have you ever felt like you were surrounded by chaos? With everything changing & throwing me for a loop I have been longing for a consistent refuge. I have to tell you that there were numerous times when I would just pray for Jesus to clear my head so I can see Him through all of the craziness & I clung to Him throughout my day. I’ve attached 2 Samuel 22:2 as it describes that God is our rescuing knight & deliverer of safety. I pray this has brought you some encouragement & hope you have a good weekend.


2 Samuel 22:2

God is bedrock under my feet, the castle in which I live, my rescuing knight. My God—the high crag where I run for dear life, hiding behind the boulders, safe in the granite hideout; My mountaintop refuge, he saves me from ruthless men.

Finding Purpose

It’s Friday!! WooHoo!!! I hope you’ve all had a wonderful week! Have you ever felt the spirit of God or felt His conviction? What an indescribable & overwhelming feeling, His presence leaves on our hearts!


This past week I was scrambling around trying to get my 2 year old ready for daycare & out the door on time. Let me just say her independence is driving me crazy! Here’s how our conversation went while we both were trying to put her socks & shoes on. Me “Hadley, why are you being so difficult?” She’s kicking & screaming because she put her socks on upside down & I’m desperately hanging on the patience I have left. Me “Just let me help you!” I’ve said these statements numerous times but never have they stopped me in my tracks like they did at that moment.

I’ve been praying for purpose & guidance a lot lately! I can feel His presence so close I know that He’s orchestrating something grand in my life. Way too many opportunities & doors have opened for it to be anything other than God’s work. As humans we try to run the show instead of letting God direct our lives. So in the moment of me fussing at my child I felt Him saying the same thing to me! Why are you being so difficult? Why won’t you just let me help you? Isn’t that what He wants from us? Below I’ve attached Ephesians 1:3-14 as it explains that God has a purpose for everyone one of us. We just have to let Him lead! If you have time I encourage you to read all of Ephesians 1 in The Message bible because it’s just too good not to! :0) I pray this has humbled you & brought you some encouragement! I love you & hope you have a great weekend! Remember to Praise God Always!

Ephesians 1:3-14 The God of Glory (The Message)

3-6 How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.

7-10 Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.

11-12 It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.

13-14 It's in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what's coming, a reminder that we'll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life.

Growing Numb

I have a couple questions for you this morning. Have you ever been talking with someone but you
weren’t really listening & after the conversation you were clueless as to what was said? What about when you hear the same thing over & over it becomes a routine or loses its value? How about when we sweep problems under the rug so we don’t have to face them? Out of sight; out of mind, right? I’d have to say these things happen more than I’d like to admit. When I see starving children on TV from 3^rd world countries, I change the channel because I don’t want to see their saddened faces.

Has God ever convicted you of something & you run the opposite direction instead of seeking Him for forgiveness & guidance? Matthew 13:14-16 explains that our hearts can become calloused, our eyes blinded, & our ears deaf to what God’s trying to reveal to us. Even then He reminds us of His grace & forgiveness. Thank you Jesus!!! What has God been dealing with you about; & better yet how long have you been running away? Below I’ve attached Matthew 13:1-17 (The Message) because it’s just so good, but I also want you to read your normal version as well. I pray you find some encouragement in this & want to thank the sweet lady that brought this to my attention. :0) I love you & hope you have a wonderful weekend! Remember to Praise God Always!!!

Matthew 13 At about that same time Jesus left the house and sat on the beach. In no time at
all a crowd gathered along the shoreline, forcing him to get into a boat. Using the boat as a pulpit, he addressed his congregation, telling stories. ^3-8"What do you make of this? A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds. Some fell
on good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams. ⁹"Are
you listening to this? Really listening?" ¹⁰The disciples came up and asked, "Why do you tell stories?"  ^11-15 He replied, "You've been given insight into God's kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn't been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears. That's why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward receptive insight. In their present state they can stare till doomsday
and not see it, listen till they're blue in the face and not get it. I don't want Isaiah's forecast repeated all over again: Your ears are open but you don't hear a thing. Your eyes are awake but you don't see a thing. The people are blockheads! They stick their fingers in their ears so they won't have to listen; They screw their eyes shut so they won't have to look, so they won't have to deal with me face-to-face, and let me heal them. ^16-17"But you have God-blessed eyes—eyes that see! And God-blessed ears—ears that hear! A lot of people, prophets and humble believers among them, would have given anything to see what you are seeing, to hear what you are hearing, but never had the chance.

I am NOT Ashamed!

 I want to tell you what I saw on my way to work yesterday. I work in Baton Rouge
& sometimes people there aren’t the nicest; especially in traffic. So in the slow lane ahead of me I see a white corvette, top down with a man driving. What caught my eyes was that he was holding one hand up. My first thought is “What in the world is he doing?” As I got closer I realized he was singing & praising God! He had to have been! He was singing to the top of his lungs & his arm seemed to have been extended all the way to the clouds. It was a beautiful sight! What a testimony!!! It made me think “would you do the same?” There have been times when I’m  loving God w/ song & praise & I
hesitate lifting my arms for fear of what people will think. I’m very ashamed that I let the world come between me & my Father. I’ve attached the verse below as an example that I want to start with everyday! I pray this brings some encouragement to you today! I love you & hope you have a wonderful weekend! Remember to praise God Always!

Psalm 71:17(The Message)You got me when I was an unformed youth, God, and taught me everything I know. Now I'm telling the world your wonders; I'll keep at it until I'm old and gray. God, don't walk off and leave me until I get out the news Of your strong right arm to this world, news of your power to the world yet to come, Your famous and righteous ways, O God. God, you've done it all! Who is quite like you? You, who made me stare trouble in the face, Turn me
around; Now let me look life in the face. I've been to the bottom; Bring me up, streaming with honors; turn to me, be tender to me, And I'll take up the lute and thank you to the tune of your faithfulness, God. I'll make music for you on a harp, Holy One of Israel. When I open up in song to you, I let out lungsful of praise, my rescued life a song. All day long I'm chanting about you and your righteous ways, While those who tried to do me in slink off looking ashamed.

Testimony in Short

On the Christian radio station this week they’ve been asking listeners what Jesus has saved them from. This got me thinking about my own life & what Jesus has saved me from. I’m gonna tell you a little about my past & what Jesus saved me from. This is a struggle for me b/c for the most part I’m a private person. I had a wonderful childhood with parents who loved me unconditionally. I was raised in church & was taught the difference between right & wrong. Here comes the tough stuff.  As a small child I was raped by a local teen in our neighborhood. During & after high school I partied constantly. This consisted of drugs, alcohol, & promiscuity. I got engaged young; this ultimately ended up being a 2 year physical/verbal abusive relationship. I was a rebel & didn’t care who I affected!! I got tattoos, piercings, & could cuss like a sailor. I knew God existed but didn’t care to know Him. Looking back I was living a very scary life. Thank God I found my husband, got engaged, married, have 2 precious babies & a wonderful circle of friends. God definitely had His hand over me & led me to my husband. Thank you Jesus! Long story short, Jesus saved me from the world. I want you to take time & really think, what has Jesus saved you from? If you want to share feel free to do so. I have attached 2 Samuel 22:32 from The Message version, as it assures me that God is our salvation & He will always be my side. I love you & hope you have a wonderful weekend. Remember to praise God always.

2 Samuel 22:32  Is there any god like God? Are we not at bedrock? Is not this the God who armed me well, then aimed me in the right direction? Now I run like a deer; I'm king of the mountain. He shows me how to fight; I can bend a bronze bow! You protect me with salvation-armor; you touch me and I feel ten feet tall. You cleared the ground under me so my footing was firm. When I chased my enemies I caught them; I didn't let go till they were dead men. I nailed them; they were down for good; then I walked all over them. You armed me well for this fight; you smashed
the upstarts. You made my enemies turn tail, and I wiped out the haters. They cried "uncle" but Uncle didn't come; They yelled for God and got no for an answer. I ground them to dust; they gusted in the wind. I threw them out, like garbage in the gutter. You rescued me from squabbling people; you made me a leader of nations. People I'd never heard of served me; the moment they got wind of me they submitted. They gave up; they came trembling from their hideouts.

Remembering the Good Ole' Days...

I’ve been reminiscing a lot lately about my childhood & growing up in south Alabama. As most of you know I was born & raised in the small town of Opp, AL. I say small but that doesn’t describe the heart of the town. I grew up fairly poor but I wouldn’t have changed a thing about how I was raised. I was taught to work hard & enjoy the simple things in life. My Mom & Dad showed me that the value of a person wasn’t measured by their clothes or belongings. They also taught me to be open-minded & to not let other people’s opinions affect my outlook on things.
My headstrong Nana would drag us grandkids to church every Sunday to sing & learn the Gospel of Jesus. I can remember watching her from the back seat, pluck away at stray unsightly hairs on her chin, all the while singing that mornings hymns , driving, & telling us to keep our feet off the back of her seat. I’m so glad she did “make” me go to church with her EVERY SUNDAY! She always had such a joyful spirit but was quick to put you in your place if needed. To say she was a penny pincher would be an understatement. There were many times she would haul us grandkids behind what used to be the Piggly Wiggly to go “dumpster diving”. Too embarrassed to be seen, we would either stay in the car or play in the pine trees behind the store.

I can remember riding with my Papa on his red International tractor till it rocked me to sleep. That was our time. Although it was too loud for conversation, just spending that time together was more valuable to me than anything. To this day he is a man of little words but when he does speak; his words are full of wisdom. I will always cherish the many stories he’s told me about his life experiences. I hope to add to this from time to time when I get a chance.