Let's All Be Brave

Jumped over here today in hopes of reading another good book by blogger and author AnnieDowns

http://www.incourage.me/2014/10/a-lets-all-be-brave-giveaway.html

The Gospel Unites Us!

Hoping to read this book that I just read a blog post and 

watched a video about over here:

http://www.incourage.me/2014/04/united-in-sisterhood-and-a-book-giveaway.html

be sure and check it out...

the number 7 caught my eye

 

 

I approached the door of Lifeway Christian Store to go in quickly and pick up a wedding shower gift as I knew exactly what I would purchase but … I know now that it was no mistake that in March, just after our Pastor had preached regarding our Rich in Generosity ministry focus that my eyes landed down a shelf or two to a book with the number 7 on the front of it.

I was intrigued as I had not seen a book title named with a number. As I often do I looked at the back cover, front cover and the table of contents. I sat down even though this was to be a quick trip to the store to buy a gift and paged through the pages. Oh my!, I found myself not setting the book down other than on the counter at the register to purchase. I went home and began to read.

The entire book has radically changed my thinking regarding stuff but the chapter that impacted my life significantly was Month Seven stress. It’s funny ‘cause generally I do not consider myself a stressful person. In fact most of the time I am fairly relaxed, with a blood pressure lower than normal. What was significant about this chapter is that even though it was titled stress it was more about rest; intentional resting.

I am a person who takes the Sabbath seriously or as some of my kids would say religiously. I don’t shop, go to movies, do laundry, clean the house etc. on Sundays. Rather most Sundays I take an intentional rest much of what I follow is from the book For God’s Sake Rest. What I loved about chapter seven was the seven daily pauses.

I read the book in the Spring of 2012 but I waited until this summer to try the seven daily pauses. I decided at the beginning of June to set my alarm on my phone for the seven pauses. Because I do not teach in the summer I felt this would be a good time to practice the pauses. I then took the chapter suggested readings from the Psalms and figured out beneficial times for me to practice the seven pauses. I wrote the times and readings down on a 3 x 5 card and placed the card in my small Bible that fits in my purse. The times I set my alarm were 5 am (which is usually when I wake up), 10 am, 12 noon, 4:30, 7 pm, 9:30, and I usually do not put the 12 midnight time in my phone. Even though I did not want to wake up on a regular basis at 12 midnight I did set the alarm on my phone for this timeframe for the first couple of days so I would get the full impact of the pauses. I loved the fact that I could stop and pick up my Bible and read and reread the Psalms that Jen had written in the book.

This exercise was life changing. You see, I am a person who has a daily quiet time each morning. But after my morning time I often do not look at the word throughout the day. This practice began a new habit of opening the word and reading it often throughout my day. I loved the practice and fully intend to go back to this chapter often along with the others. I recommend that you not let this chapter be read without practicing the pauses, without stopping to let the Word wash over you, without changing your habits of midnight, dawn, midmorning, noon, midafternoon, early evening and bedtime!

Linking up here tonight:
http://www.incourage.me/category/bloom
 

I am pretty sure I came up with this saying first ... but does that really matter?

I am pretty sure I came up with this saying first .... It was 2002 when I thought to myself the children need to know this too ... you may be wondering what the children need to know. I had been a part of the adult intercessor's team at CEFC from 2000-2002 and had been learning so much about prayer ....

I had learned what prayer is and how it's done. I had participated in prayer meetings that had a beginning time but no ending time. My experience with prayer prior to being a part of this team was, prayer is private, confidential. I had grown up in a religious home where my father prayed before meals but as for praying at other times, or publicly that just did not happen in our home.

When I was asked by my good friend Donna if I wanted to come to a prayer meeting with much hesitation I said, "Sure, but I won't have to pray aloud will I?" For weeks I attended with my friend and listened to others pray without saying a word. I realized after listening in on others as they prayed that it was not about religion, it's about a relationship. I could tell that those who prayed knew personally the God they were praying to. They had a relationship with Him; they talked like they were talking to a good friend across the table. I decided that I needed to step out of my comfort zone of not saying a word and take a risk in praying aloud. At first, I was uncomfortable. I thought I needed to have the right words. Others were listening in and I wanted to know I was doing it correctly. It wasn't long when I realized it was not about doing or saying the right thing but it was about having a right relationship.

I began to practice praying alone and continued to go to prayer meetings and pray aloud with others. When I prayed with others I found myself agreeing with them as they prayed and I was moved to pray in the Spirit about things others were praying. It became easier and easier, One night after an adult prayer meeting, with my friend Donna, I leaned over and said, "The children need to learn this".

I thought if I had learned to pray as a child it would have been so much easier to go and pray aloud with other adults. I said to Donna, "someone needs to teach the children." She agreed and stated that she believed I was the one that should teach the children.

I remember saying to her, "no, not me, but someone needs to."

In October of 2002 I stepped out in faith, and with the support of our children's pastor and the adult intercessor team and began the NHC Children's prayer team. We sent out a letter to all the 4th-6th grade parents and invited them to consider signing up their children for prayer team. There was no curriculum per say and I was stepping into territory that had not been covered before in the history of our church. I knew we did not need material or curriculum but we did need to gather to pray. Two boys signed up and they began to pray and then two girls joined and by January there were seven students desiring to learn to pray. I had 3 main things I taught the children in 2002, and this year 2012, a team of teachers and myself, will continue to teach the team these same 3 things:

1. it’s not about religion, it's about relationship

2. It's not about having devotions, it's about being devoted

3. P stands for Praise

    R stands for Repent

    A stands for Ask

    Y stands for Yield

Last year was our ninth year of the children's prayer team at New Hope Church http://www.newhopechurchmn.org/ . We have grown from a team of 7 in 2002 to a team of 28 in 2012. When Dayspring was asking for product reviews that could be a part of a life story I knew I could not resist reviewing this product.

 

 

 

I don't have children going back to school but I am a teacher going back to school both in a public school and at our church. I am excited to have all my notes for prayer team this year in my new notebook with a line that has become a part of the curriculum it's not about religion, it's about relationship.

I am also excited to start once again teaching school and being a part of a community of parents, students, and teachers where I will use my other products to share about my faith.

Having these tools gives me an opportunity to be bold about my faith. Thank you Dayspring for the opportunity to share my story that began nine years ago. (long before you maybe you even thought of putting these words on notebooks and folders!)

 

Pastor Greg Braly and I planning out the new year for

HopeWatchers, the children's prayer team at New Hope Church, New Hope, MN

 

Feel free to get your products here:

http://www.incourage.me/category/deals

 

 

(*disclaimer* I was given this products at no cost from Dayspring in exchange for my story about their product. All stories and opinions are mine and mine alone!) 

 

Redeemed - I Am His Jewelry Set

During a week of "falling" for the lies of the enemy, coming through the words others were saying to me, and my interperation such as "you're not good enough, you can't do anything right, why did you do what you do?" I was very grateful to have on this neclace and bracelet sent to me by Dayspring.

When those words and thoughts were coming at me I just looked down at my necklace and read the words engraved  on the back and remembered that "I am His."

I am redeemed is what the R stands for on the bracelet and such a worthy reminder it was for me personally this past week.

Dayspring describes it this way:

Engraved with messages of hope, this beautiful jewelry set encourages your heart, while enhancing outfits of every fashion.  It's a wonderful way of expressing your faith, and sharing with others the life-changing message of the Gospel. 

So, if you are in need of giving the gift of encouragement to a friend or family member, or in need of some encouragement yourself, check our the (in)spired deals link below and purchase either or both products. On the back of each piece also engraved is 2 Thesslonians 2:13

"But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord,

because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying

work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth."

enhancing my work day outfit with the necklace and braclet from Dayspring

(*disclaimer* I was given this products at no cost from Dayspring in exchange for my honest

opinion about their product. All opinions are mine and mine alone!)

Love knowing and believing that I am already amazing!

I have had the privilege of receiving a copy of You’re Already Amazing  byHolley Gerth from Revell Publishing Company for review. In this book Holley begins by saying, “Imagine I ask you to have coffee with me—which is exactly what I do with my dearest friends.” This is Holley’s style of writing. She writes, just as if she was sitting right across the table from you in your local coffee shop.

As I read chapter two, Who am I really? I found that Holley was great at dispelling the lies that we sometimes believe as women and replacing them with truth. On page thirty nine she begins with a sentence that has come to my mind a time or two and maybe yours … “You, (Beth) are not enough …. But she pauses and hears God finish the sentence with …in Me you are more than enough. I love this! I want God to finish those negative thoughts that come into my mind often with these words.

She continues with truth as she writes:

o   We are much more than pretty … we are wonderfully made.

o   We are much more than likeable … we are deeply loved.

o   We are much more than okay … we are daughters of the King

Each chapter has questions we can ask ourselves as women to go deeper in our thoughts and actions; questions that can make us more intentional about how we are living life, what we  are thinking, saying, and doing! In fact, reading and reviewing this book, during a time in my life when my thoughts have been at times discouraging, has been transforming.

It’s good to hear you look amazing, wouldn’t you agree? But it’s even better to hear from the One who knows you the best, your Maker, “(Beth), you are Amazing!” Holley says that “no matter what renews us, the source is ultimately the same … Jesus”. She continues, to point us, over and over again to the source.

I believe You’re Already Amazing, Embracing Who you are, Becoming All God Created you to Be, is a must read for women of all ages.

Go ahead, grab a cup of coffee, and go on over to:  www.(in)courage.com and join in the bloom book club and hear Holley and her friends tell you You’re Already Amazing!

Better yet, feel free to sit right down with Holley, at her blog here: http://www.holleygerth.com/

What are you doing in April?

What are you doing in April?

Do you blog?

Why not join me in a blogging beach party

through the community of (in)courage?

Find out more about it through the link above!

So Excited to Host in our Home...

I was so excited to have guests in our home this last night. You see, we have been attending the same church for 23 years and years ago the church began an evening before Thanksgiving tradition of having a time of open mic where the people of the New Hope Church would be given a chance to give praise and thanksgiving publicly at the mic to the rest of the body of Christ. After this time all the attenders would bring a pie to share and we would enjoy a pie social after the service.

Several years later there was a decision to keep the service going but to not include the pie time. It was at this time that my husband and I choose to invite a few families to our home for pie and since then we have enjoyed the pie social time in our home.

It works well for us because we generally are not the ones to host Thanksgiving the next day. This year when we had family and friends over for pie I was able to set the table with this amazing silverware caddy thanks to Dayspring.

I also found that when not in use for company I could use this caddy for my colored markers, pens, and pencils that I use each morning at my kitchen table when I meet with the Lord.

Dayspring is graciously giving away a coupon code for $20 off their products to one reader of Conversations.

To Enter:
Visit Dayspring, come back here and let me know what product you would love to have: I will keep you posted on the winner in the very near future!

What Women Fear

I am kind of excited to begin another Bloom Book Club book. The first book I read with this online book club opportunity was One Thousand Gifts and I am still counting.

Then this summer I read The Fitting Room. I love this opportunity for a number of reasons. The book club involves viedos with the authors and other women, the books have been great in helping me grow spiritually and finally I love that I can listen to the videos at my own pace morning, noon or even midnight in the comfort of my own home.

Now I will join in and read What Women Fear by Angie Smith. Want to come along for the read? Just click below!

Back to School

This spiral notebook, with its inspirational message and modern design, is great for school, the office, church or to keep in your vehicle for last minute notes or reminders. It also provides an outstanding opportunity to share your faith!

What do you think of when you hear back to school? Do you think, school supplies? Target sale on notebooks paper and pencils, gotta check it out?

When I hear back to school I think that it is time for me to check out the new things in the school supply aisle.

You see, pens, pencils, different notebooks can be a financial shopping downfall for me 'cause I love school supplies, office supplies, and new sayings on notebooks. You can imagine how excited I was to receive Daysprings new line of school supplies in exchange for my thoughts on the product.

I don’t actually have any children at home any more to take school shopping but since I am a teacher, I still find a need to know what’s new and current. And I love these products that allow me to take a stand for Christ by the written word on the 3 ring binders, folders and notebooks.

You may want to go here: http://www.incourage.me/category/deals yourself ...

...  and check it out. Dayspring has new folders, notebooks, and 3 ring binders with a message.  A message of faith that will tell your classmates, teachers, and co-workers just who is important to you.

OK you may be saying, but I don't need a school supplies. That's OK because whatever gift you may need or want that sends the message of faith to those you love you will want to get at Dayspring. And if you are a reader and love good books you will find them at (in)courage as well.

I love their products so much you can find my link to therm by hitting the

great gifts tab on my blog anytime, day or night.

(*disclaimer* I was given this products at no cost from Dayspring in exchange for my honest

opinion about their product. All opinions are mine and mine alone!)

       Check out even more deals here ,,,         

Drum Roll ... the winner is ....

Ladies, (you know who you are)

Thanks for visiting and entering the give-away!

I have to say that I love the way each of you is serving the Lord! You are bringing important, vital encouragement to those around you each and every day. You have brought encouragement to me through sharing how you are serving the Lord.

Now, drum roll please .... the winner of the Dayspring give-away is:

 Heather at High Heels and Scuffed Sneakers

You can visit her here, but I acutally loved this older post of hers and took the liberate to copy it here 'cause it was such a powerful post .... Congratulations Heather!

http://highheelsandscuffedsneakers.blogspot.com/

but I acutally loved this older post of hers and took the liberate to copy it here 'cause it was such a powerful post .... Congratulations Heather!


Saturday, December 5, 2009

Dawn

I went to see the movie, The Blind Side. I was greatly impacted because it reminded me of a personal story. The story is about a young man that receives unconditional love from an unsuspecting family. The young man, Michael, did nothing to deserve the love from the family... but most importantly the family did nothing to deserve the love from Michael. To know more about the movie, you'll have to watch (or you can read the book if you'd like). The movie impacted me differently than a regular viewer.... I would suspect that you may watch and hope that you had the opportunity to love someone like Michael or that your circumstances would allow your family to help others in a bigger way. However, for me, I have had the opportunity to give and receive love like the family in The Blind Side.

Here's my story:
When I was in the sixth grade, the Lord brought a homeless disabled woman in our lives. My mother was the first one to realize the magnitude of love that could be given by Dawn. After recently suffering from a miscarriage and realizing that God had called her to mother another child, my mama was open to the idea of helping someone in need. With an aching heart, my courageous mama invited Dawn into our home. The length of Dawn's stay with our family was unknown but mama was determined to keep her until she was safe.

When Dawn entered our home I did not know much about her past or her current situation. What I did know was that Dawn had suffered from a brain injury and had to take a lot of medicine. As a sixth grader, I also knew that my parents moved me out of my bedroom and made a make shift room in the garage of our home for me. When Dawn entered our home, we did not realize that we would have the pleasure of watching her develop into something that the doctors deemed impossible.

Since our time with Dawn, her medications have reduced significantly, her memory has improved and she has easily transitioned into part of our family. It has not always been the easiest road; financially, emotionally and mentally... but it's been the road that has been the most rewarding. Dawn has had many ups and downs-financially our family struggled to make sure that we were able to meet all of her needs. However, I will never regret the road we travelled to have her. Dawn is something so special!

Dawn calls me "Sissy". Actually, almost all of Dawn's friends call me "Sissy" now too. Dawn has the ability to make my heart smile like no one I have ever known. She does the funniest things. Her quirks make her special and make me love her more. Dawn's resilience is inspiring and her laugher is contagious. God gave my family a gift when they blessed us with Dawn.

After watching the movie The Blind Side and thinking about my own life experiences, I was reminded how special life can become when you reach out to others. I know that my family has done a great deal for Dawn by providing her with a life that she otherwise my not have had... However, I never fail to remember the things that Dawn has done for our family. She has molded us into the individuals that we are today. She has shaped the woman I am and taught me to love others not based on where they come from, what they look like or how they act. I have been shown that you truly can love people for what's on the inside... Try it sometime and see how you feel!

It's a Sale You Won't Want to MIss!

It's May and I'm talking sale ladies! Yep, that's what I said sale! Now I know you are like me when you hear the word sale you want the skinny  ...  Here it is.....just click... 
http://www.incourage.me/category/deals

This is where you can check out all the amazing gifts available for purchase this month, May Only ...

DaySpring’s beautiful wood carved wall hangings are on sale.
and the Ichthys hanging is just $29.99.

In addition, an ornate metal collection featuring a cross is on sale. You can get the pressed tin cross for $7.79, the cross serving tray for $17.99, the cross napkin holder for $11.99, the cross trivet for $6.59 and a set of coasters for $11.99.

Really, I'm serious, you are going to want to check it out.!I can tell you that I received a package at my front door last week and I was so excited that I took this picture ...

Then I opened this box and found that my product from Dayspring for review was inside. Go ahead, ask me "what's inside that box?" Gee whiz, I thought you would never ask. It was this ornate, beautiful, solid serving tray with a cross that says, "I love the Lord and how can I serve you all over it". Really, I must be honest the tray did not physically say those words, but  It's what I thought as I sat at my kitchen table and just enjoyed looking at my new gift. Then I decided that I could not just look at the tray I must get it ready for use.

Once the tray was prepared with some necessary
items  I was ready  to practice hospitality on
"the golfer" and serve up a bit of tea.














Again, I must be honest, I did not take this picture the golfer shot this photo and those tulips, my daughter gave them to me for Mom's Day and I thought they were a great addition to the tray. Oh, and you may notice that there is no tea in those cups yet ...

... did I already say that this beautifully decorated, ornate, serving tray is available to you for the low, low, sale price of $17.99 here ....?

OK you may be saying, but I don't need a serving tray. That's OK but whatever gift you may need or want that sends the message of faith to those you love you will want to get at Dayspring. And if you are a reader and love good books you will find them at (in)courage as well. I love their products so much you can find my link to therm by hitting the great gifts tab on my blog anytime, day or night.

(*disclaimer* I was given this frame at no cost from Dayspring in exchange for my honest opinion about their product. All opinions are mine and mine alone!)

One more thing .... You can purchase your own Great Gift from Dayspring using the coupon for $20 I will be giving away. In order to qualify for the coupon please leave a comment
1) telling me about ways you have served the Lord lately
2) telling me how you would spend the $20 gift certificate in the DaySpring Store (shipping and handling costs still apply)
3) make sure you leave your e-mail address so I can contact you. The winner will be selected and notified on Monday, May 23.