Sweet Aroma

Though I prefer the seasons spring and summer over fall and winter, I do love the warm colors and the smells associated with this cooler weather. Welcoming in the fall weather means breaking out the vanilla, cinnamon, and pumpkin scented candles. I love these smells. It also means apple pies, warm apple cider and peanut butter cookies, treats that are created in the kitchen and yet fill your entire home with a sweet and warm aroma. Cooler weather also means more indoor gatherings with a cup of coffee in each hand. So as you gather together with friends and loved ones this season I would like to encourage YOU to be the sweet aroma of Christ's love. Let your presence fill each room with his grace and knowledge of Him. Take advantage of each gathering, for Heaven is real and I wouldn't want anyone to be missed.


2 Corinthians 14-15
"But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ's triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing."




Don't want to waste your money on those expensive candles? Here's an alternative that I LOVE using: in a coffee mug fill with warm water and mix in 2 tbs of vanilla extract and 2 tbs of allspice. Put the coffee mug on a cookie sheet and place in the oven at 300 degrees F for one hour. This sweet aroma will fill your entire home for a fraction of the cost. 


God Bless!

Law and Grace

I have heard this analogy used by pastors and musicians before. I love it, and every time I am convicted. It gets me thinking about how just our God is, how loving our Savor Jesus Christ is, and just how much we are in need of His grace. I just had to share this with friends.

Imagine for a moment that a crime has been committed, a crime worthy of death. All of the evidence is there and the accused admits  that she is guilty. She tells the judge she's real sorry, tells him she'll never do it again and asks to be let go. Would you see that judge as being just if he just dismisses the law for her and lets her go free? Or would you see him as a fool? Yet we expect and ask the same thing from our God with our sins. So the judge justly and righteously sentences her to death.


"For the wages of sin is death..." ~ Romans 6:23

Now imagine again with me that a man walks into that same court room, a man innocent of all crimes. He stands before the judge and the woman and he says to them, I will serve this woman's time, I will die in her place. This man is the judge's son. With a broken heart the judge allows this amazing act of grace to take place, and the son took on the death penalty in place of the guilty. That is what Jesus did for us. Can any of us truly even imagine that kind of love? Like it or not we are all on trial and one day we will be judged for our sins. We too can be given this amazing grace if we turn from our ways and truly put our hope and faith in Jesus Christ. 

This is the good news my friends!

"...but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." ~ Romans 6:23



Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law. ~ Romans 3:31


What is the law?

There is only One God

Worship only God, not your money, your TV, your computer, or your cars.

Do not use the Lord's name in vain (OMG?)

Remember the Sabbath. Use Sunday to honor God

Respect your mother and your father

Do not commit murder

Do not commit adultery or lust after another other than your spouse

Do not steal

Do not lie

Be happy with what you have

and finally and most importantly: Love your God with all your heart, mind, and soul, and love people.



I'm linked up with:

Women Bold For Christ

Are you bold for Christ? Can other people really tell the difference between you and a non-Christian? Recently I have been studying some women of the bible and I have noticed that in both the Old and New Testament women are being bold. Women taking on bravery that actually surprised me considering their time, all for the love of God.

Comparing myself to these women I notice that I do not have as near as many trials as these women had, in fact compared to them I have no trials at all. So why is it that I find it so hard to be bold for Christ? He died for me and provided me with grace, grace not for me to keep but to give away. So shouldn't I be living my life in away that is a reflection of Him, sharing His love with others? Being bold for Christ?


Here are just a few examples of women being bold.


Two unsuspecting women were the first to hear of the coming of Jesus. Mary and Elizabeth (Luke 1:26-33 and Luke 1:39-45). Can you imagine in the time of Mary's life her having to explain to people that she a 

virgin, is pregnant and not with her soon to be husband's baby? This took boldness to tell anyone that her baby was the Christ. She risked being thrown away by her future husband, cast out by her parents, and possibly even stoned to death, but because of her faithfulness and obedience she is called blessed to this very day.

And then there is the woman at the well who tells of Jesus

John 4:28-30

Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?" They came out of the town and made their way toward him."

This woman of a poor reputation avoided other women by going to the well in the afternoon while the others went in the mornings. She threw aside any feelings of being uncomfortable and went and proclaimed to the town that she had spoken with the Messiah and because of her others gathered to Jesus.  

Mary Magdalene was an amazing example to women on how to be bold for Christ. Did you know that she was the first evangelist telling people the good news that Jesus Christ has risen?( Mark 16:9-11 and John 20:1-2) What an amazing, devoted and brave woman she was. She was one of Jesus' followers and with boldness she and a group of other female disciples supported Jesus out of their own pocket and went about proclaiming the good news of God's kingdom (Luke 8:1-3). Mary followed Jesus to the end of His life, even while His male disciples scattered. It was she who was brave enough to stay with Him until the end, she was even there by the cross when He died and she was the one who was brave enough to go to the guarded tomb of Jesus, and it was she who first encountered the risen Christ. She ran to Jesus' men and proclaimed the good news that Christ had risen from the dead. With Mary as our example, we too can fearlessly follow Christ leading others to Him spreading the good news.

In Acts 18 and in Romans 16:3-4 we find Priscilla the teacher along with her husband committed to Christ. They were kicked out of their hometown for being Jews, but together they were bold and risked their lives 

teaching others about Christ. Priscilla was even hospitable inviting others into her home to talk about Jesus.

I think for a lot women, and people in general they feel nervous or uncomfortable when it comes to witnessing. Our fear may be that we think others will be uncomfortable with us, they may reject us, or its just not the popular thing to do. But looking over the lives of the women above how can we use feeling uncomfortable with a reason that holds us back? It is time for us to get over that, it is time for us to be bold for Christ and one simple way that we can start  is by asking a co-worker or a friend or neighbor "is there anything that I can pray for you about". I believe that is something simple and yet bold enough get started. After that start witnessing to them. Each person needs a customized way of seeing God's light. Some may need to just witness the way you live and know that they want that light in their lives too, while others are going to need to hear the scripture and know the facts, but no one is going to be won over by judgement. So be loving, be kind, be patient and be bold. Live your lives out loud for Christ in love, for we do have something to share and to be excited about!

Psalms 68:11 NIV 
"The Lord announces the word,

and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng:"

Proverbs 31:30 NIV

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."

Good Morning Girls

Number one on my bucket list is to read the bible in one year. This will take discipline and persistence. This morning I finished reading day 7 of my reading plan of reading through the bible chronologically. I have enjoyed my quiet times with God, for I desire to have a more intimate relationship with him. But I am not the best at disciplining myself. So I have decided to start a "Good Morning Girls" group. Its an idea that I got from one of my favorite blogs http://www.womenlivingwell-courtney.blogspot.com/ . This group is an accountability/encouragement group. I sent out an email to a few girlfriends last week saying we would start Tuesday the 4th, so just this past Tuesday. Immediately 13 ladies said they wanted to be apart of this. We have all committed to reading the bible everyday and just post what we have read. We have also offered each other prayer and encouragement. Everyday this week someone new wants to join! As of today there are 18 girls in this group! Praise God, right! I am so thankful for this group of ladies and for the journey we are taking together.

Hebrews 3:13 "But encourage one another DAILY, as longs as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."

(The picture above is a photo that I took of my view during my quiet time in Haiti last July)

Making My Words Matter

Encouragement!

I really enjoyed Sunday's sermon. The series we are on right now is about repairing relationships. Yesterday was on encouraging others. We talked about how important our words are and how even gossiping (which I am completely guilty of of!) can and IS hurting someone. And then how using our words to encourage someone call really heal and lift them up.

I have a bulletin with me with some notes that I took during service and I am basically going to type out word for word this bulletin along with my notes. This message was too influential for me to not be able to share.

Making My Words Matter

James 3:2 "We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check."

How do words affect every relationship in my life?

What I say can wound people I love.

Proverbs 12:18 "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."

( I know for me all it takes is hearing one harmful word to ruin my day. But to hear a compliment will put me on cloud nine. How can I help put someone on cloud nine?)

Psalms 52:4 "You love every harmful word, O you deceitful tongue!"

(How true is that verse above! Especially with me! It is so easy to give into gossip, or to even initiate it! But why? Why would I do or say such harmful things about other people when I know that I too commit sins. I would be hurt deeply if someone said something against me.)

Proverbs 15:1 "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."

(I haven't always found that verse above to be true, but it doesn't mean that I shouldn't still apply it!)

What I say can bless people.

Ephesians 4:29 "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths. But only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

Psalms 19:14 "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD my Rock and my Redeemer."

(Above verse is an awesome prayer to pray.)

What I say has the power to control

James 3:3-4 "When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.

What I say has the power to destroy

James 3:5-8 "Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. IT corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is its set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame his tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison."

(Who knew our tongue was so dangerous.)

What I say reveals who I am

James 3:9-12 "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My bothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water."

(Its the same concept of tell me that you love me and then with the same tongue you bad mouth my husband. If you loved me you wouldn't insult me by insulting my husband.)

My problem is not with my tongue its is in my heart

How do we change our words:

1. Start with the heart

Matthew 12:34 "You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks."

2. Ask God for help

Psalms 141:3 "Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips."

(Prayer with the right motivation in mind does work!)

3. Think Before you speak

(How many times have I heard that before LOL)

James 1:19 "My dear brothers, take a note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry."

(If we all only took this above verse to heart, how much more peaceful would our lives be?)

*A special thanks to my husband for encouraging me!*