You Are Holy

This is a song that Brother John introduced to our congregation a couple weeks ago and everytime I hear it or sing it I feel like I have been to revival. Love it!

God is so Good!

Check out my wonderful Church!

www.providencebaptistfellowship.com

Who are these people?

Now that's a crazy title. I know you are thinking where is she going with this. Bear with me here for just a moment. At first this is going to sound like I was a self-centered person. Yes, probably self-centered but it wasn't because I wanted to be but because I had become so comfortable in my surroundings. Believe it or not I am not very outgoing until you get to know me...then you can't shut me up.

If you have read here long you know about this past year and all of the struggles that me, my family and my church has gone through. If not here is the short of it...member for 10 yrs, new pastor, a lot of turmoil, big vote, split of church I love, new beginning, new church that I love, pastor leaves, another new beginning. A whole lot of life over the past six months. A whole lot of tears, joy, pain, more tears, more pain and more joy.

Now to my title "Who are these people?" I am embarrassed to write this but I think that it is a great lesson for all of us. I had gone to the same church for 10 years. I was one of those folks that every time the church doors opened I was there. I loved my church. Now here comes the part I hate to admit. I thought I knew everyone. When the church split in July there was around 260 people that went to PBF. This is an amazing start to a new church. As I sat in the service the first Sunday I realized that the group that I normally ran with was not there. Yes there was a lot of friends but not many that I knew very well. Me, being me, kinda panicked. God had put me in a place that was way outside my comfort zone.

As I look back with a smile on my face I now know that this is where I am suppose to be. My new church is amazing and the people are so loving and kind. I am so ashamed that I never realized this before. This has been a good lesson for me. Never assume and never take others words for truth. Get out of your comfort zone and find out for yourself. You will probably be pleasantly surprised and disappointed that you didn't do it earlier. (I was) I am so thankful for the friendships I have at Providence. They are what has kept me sane through all of this.

Who are these people? They are my shoulder to cry on, my smile as I come through the door, they are the ones that help me teach, the ones that help me sweep, the ones that write a sweet note to cheer me up, the ones we gather with for fellowship, the ones that I pray for and pray for me, the ones I can't wait to see on Sunday, the ones I laugh with and the ones that look out for my kids. Who are these people? They are my FRIENDS. My friends who have come together in Christian love and made this year a year I will never forget. Not because it was a bad year but because of all of the BLESSINGS!




God is so Good!

Proverbs 31 Woman

I have been keeping up with Lois' blog Walking on Sunshine. She is doing a study of "The Proverbs 31 Woman." I don't think I can ever hear this enough. Check it out. Good stuff!

God is so Good!

Look Through the Frame

This has been a long week. I just needed some music to start my busy Friday. Every time I hear this song I cry. It gives me chills to think that one day I will walk with Jesus! Wow! I don't think we can actually imagine how amazing this is going to be. But I can try!!

God is sooooo Gooooood!

Just a proud mom...

Yesterday my daughter Alycia let met read her "25 Random Things" and let me tell you, I cried. The struggles we have had with her OCD's over the years have been intense. From third grade up until I guess about 2 yrs ago every day was a challenge. We went to the University of Florida a couple of years ago and that changed her life. Praise to God for leading us there. No more medication and a totally changed child. I am not saying that she is cured but they gave her the tools that she needed to cope with everyday life. You would be amazed at what she went through and I am so PROUD of her. Alycia is strong in her faith and has an amazing attitude. Here are four of her comments.

1. i love God
14. i have ocd's like crazy
15. when i was 14 i went to the University of Florida to a doctor that specialized in ocd's for 3 weeks
16. i blink a lot. and don't care what people say or think about it. cause i can't help it.

I am so proud of how strong my girl has become. She put God first on her list. I am still getting choked up as I type this today.

All of us have struggles in life and God provides us with the tools to cope. Amen!!!!


God is so Good!

25 Random Things

Two weeks ago one of my friends (Kelley) tagged me in 25 Random Things on facebook. I wrote it out and low and behold I pressed the wrong button and lost it in cyber world. I was so frustrated that I just quit until another friend (Niki) tagged me. I have truly enjoyed reading about all of my friends on facebook. So today I am going to tag you. You might be surprised what you find out about your friends and what they find out about you.

25 Random Things

1. I was born in Chitose Japan.
2. I was a flower girl in an Ethiopian wedding.
3. I climbed the Leaning Tower of Pisa with my dad. It was one of the most exciting and scary things I have ever done.
4. I loved the story about Anne Frank and when I was in 4th grade I got to go to her house.
5. I visited the Eagles Nest where Hitler lived in Austria.
6. I had gone to 7 schools by the time I finished 8th grade.
7. I went to kindergarten twice. No, it wasn't because I failed. I was to young to go to first grade. 8. I was an Army Brat and proud of it. That explains the places above.
9. At the end of my eighth grade year my dad got orders to move to Honolulu Hawaii. To my disappointment he turned them down. He wanted me to go to the same High School for four years and we were only going to be there 2 years. Instead he moved us back to Cumberland County. Ozone Tennessee. Population 200. Little did I know that the love of my life would be there. (Thanks Dad!)
10. I met Kenny in 9th grade in photography class. We dated in 10th and part of 11th grade.
11. I was a cheerleader in 10th, 11th and 12th grade. I was the co-captain my senior yr. I guess this is where Kacey gets the cheer leading bug.
12. The summer before my senior year I had a car wreck. I flipped my car, it threw me out and the car rolled over me. I landed in a mud puddle and I have always thought that God put that mud puddle there to save me. I spent 3 weeks in UT hospital.
13. I went to beauty school in Oakridge TN. During this time I had some really stupid hair cuts.
14. Kenny and I met up again in the fall of 86' it took us about 2 week to decide that we wanted to get married. We were married on November 15, 1986.
15. We ran a pool hall and game room.
16. I love Long Island, New York and New York City.
17. By 1991 we had gotten out of church and the Lord sent Kenny, me and his whole family to Hawaii to teach us a lesson. He put us in the most beautiful place in the world and made us miserable. Long story short there is only two Southern Baptist Churches in Hawaii and one of them was in walking distance of our house. Once we were back in church and following the Lord again He let us come back to Tennessee. Some great memories but I have never had the desire to go back to Hawaii.
18. We ran a tanning salon. Loved being brown, loved the people but hated the hours.
19. Don't tell my girls but they are a lot like me. I didn't want my mom to tell me that either. I am a lot like her.
20. I carried Alycia 3 weeks over and I had her in an emergency c-section.
21. I slept in a baby hospital bed for a week when Kacey had RSV.
22. I have the most amazing group of friends at my church. Godly good women.
23. I am a country music nut. We go to Fan Fair every year and act like tourists. If you see us that week please ignore the cowboy hats.
24. The older I get the more I know that it is not about the stuff you have...it is about family, friends and most importantly God.
25. I am crazy about my Lord and Savior Jesus!! I hope you are too. God is so Good!

Reading Blogs...Therapy

The first thing I want to do today is ask for prayer for my friend Niki. She is pregnant and there is some concerns of the baby having Downs Syndrome. She goes today to a Genetic Specialist. Pray for their precious baby, Niki, Bryan and the doctors.


I haven't posted in a couple of days. I have been reading blogs. Wow! You ladies are amazing. God has spoke to me daily through all of you. (check out the blogs I read and the ones they read) I have been struggling with so much and it seems like everything has been put in front of me this week. God is so Good! You know how sometimes He keeps telling you what you need to hear but you just don't get the message...Well He put it in writing this week. I couldn't ignore this it was in black and white. Well...black words with some beautiful backgrounds.

My wonderful, smart, sweet, Godly friend Kelley has been a lot of help to me this week. We are both members of the same church and have gone through a lot of the same struggles this past year. Her blog also sent me to engravedpalms.blogspot.com. Perspective! Wow! What a wonderful word. In 2009 I will BE the church!! God does not expect us to be perfect...He just expects us to BE!! Be out there growing his Kingdom!


Another blog that has stopped me and made me think is blessingsandjoy.blogspot.com. I want to be the wife God wants me to be and sometimes my stubborn SELF gets in the way. I am taking this challenge and putting it on my list of things to do this year. My list keeps getting longer.

God is so Good, God is so Good, God is so Good, HE is so Good to ME!!!!!!

Camping inside w/o a fire PRAISE GOD!

This past Wednesday my youngest Kacey wanted to build a tent and camp in the living room. Wednesday had been a long day and Kenny and I were both "No I don't think tonight is a good night for this." I just wanted to go to bed and be comfortable. Sleeping on the floor just made me ache all over.

Thursday evening came and once again everyone was at home and Kacey wanted to build a tent and camp. Kenny grinned real big and said, "Ok after we play clue we will build a tent." (I couldn't believe it...he had worked out in freezing weather all day.) After dinner we all sat down and started playing Clue. Kacey had set up the game and had everything ready. We had been playing for about 30 minutes when I realized I had messed up something on my clue sheet. So I started trying to figure it out. Well...about an hour and twenty minutes into the game (Kenny was asking, "is this game ever going to end?") I started realizing that I wasn't the one messing up... something wasn't right and I was thinking that there wasn't a weapon in the envelope. I opened the little envelope and sure enough there wasn't a weapon in the middle which made it impossible for anybody to win. We all laughed like crazy. This was truly the game that would of never ended.

We put the game up and to my surprise Alycia my oldest said that she thought she would camp with us but she didn't want to sleep on the floor. She was going to sleep on the couch. We set the tent up. The old fashioned way. The way I remember setting up a tent when I was a kid. We brought the dining room chairs into the living room and pulled out all of the blankets we could find. We covered the chairs and made our tent and with the rest of the blankets we made us a bed to sleep on. I remember the bed being a whole lot softer when I was a kid.

Kacey and Wags in the tent. If you look closely you can see the back of Alycia's head. She is laying on the couch on the computer.

Kenny and Kacey played in the tent for a while then he fell asleep. Kacey laid down and read for awhile, Alycia caught up with friends on the computer and I watched the news. When we were about ready to go to bed I let Wags out and started turning the lights off. All of a sudden I started smelling something hot. It was really cold so at first I thought the emergency heat had kicked on but the longer I stood there I knew this was not the case. As I walked toward the door to let Wags in a flame shot up from the back of the couch. Immediately I realized that the computer cord was on fire. I jerked the cord out of the wall and out of the computer all the while trying to put the flame out. Praise God nothing but the cord was on fire and there was no damage or injuries.

This morning as Kenny and I were talking about the events of last night I told him how I felt that God had taken care of us last night. I am so sure of this because normally Alycia would of gone to her bedroom with the computer. She would of probably fell asleep while on the computer and the fire would of started in her room. I am so thankful that God put us all in the same room last night. It makes me sick to think what could of happened. I have praised God all day for protecting my family.

God is sooooo Goooooood! AMEN!

Keep your fork...

Today as I was praying and cleaning house. I found a piece of paper. It was a Bible Study that Kenny had ran off for a nursing home ministry that he used to do. It was real appropriate for what I had been praying about. This past week we had three families in our church have members of their family go on to be with the Lord. A Grandmother, a father and a mother. Such a sad and glorious week. All of them were Christians so the families were comforted in the fact that they are now with Jesus.


The Bible Study started out telling of a woman who had just been diagnosed with terminal cancer and only had 3 months to live. The doctor suggested that she get all of her personal things in order.


Basically all of her things were in order. She called her pastor and had him come to her house to discuss her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what she wanted to be wearing. She also told the pastor she wanted to be buried with her favorite Bible. Everything was in order and the pastor got up to leave when she said, "There's one more thing." "What's that?" replied the pastor. "I would like to be buried with a fork in my right hand." The pastor stood with a puzzled look on his face. She explained, "In all of my years attending church functions and socials where there was food involved my favorite part was when they said 'keep your fork.' When they said fork I knew that it was something with substance it wasn't jell-0 or pudding it was going to be cake or pie.


I want people to see me laying in my casket with my fork in my right hand. I want them to ask, "What is the fork for?" Then I want you to tell them, "Something better is coming so keep your fork."


This week three wonderful christian people got to kneel at the feet of Jesus and praise and worship with Him face to face. Yes!! There is something better to come! Amen!!



God is so Good!

Overload!!!! to JOY!!!

Have you ever wanted to go to Church, sit in a pew, sing to the top of your lungs, listen to the special music, enjoy the sermon of the day, shake hands and fellowship when it is finished and then go home and not think about Church again until the next week? Hmmm...could I do it...well after the past couple of months I am going to say...possibly.

I have been asking for prayer over the past couple of weeks. This is one of the requests that is HIGH on the list. I am beginning to think that I am having Church emotions overload. If it was just (I say just like our issues are not enough to stress me out) our church. I am still having issues with gossip that is told about PBF. I wish folks would ask me when they hear something. Are we so interesting that they can't get enough of us? I don't think so...we are just like every other church. All churches have problems and I can't understand why anybody would ever want to relish in the pain.

I want to talk about all of the great stuff that is going on...We are less than 6 months old and have a very strong base church started, We are out in the community every chance we get, we are having some amazing bibles studies (at church, in homes, and restaurants), we have three pastors that are dedicated to teaching and preaching Biblical truths, God has planted the seeds of excitement in our leaders and committees, our committees are dedicated to our church but most importantly God, we are prayer warriors, we are friends, we are there at the drop of a hat, we set up and tear down with a smile and laughter, we are an encouraging group of people and even in the worst of situations we are smiling and know God has a plan. (please tell this to all of your friends. :))

God has a plan for my amazing church family that has been through so much over the past year. GOD HAS A PLAN!!!! God is preparing us and making us even stronger through all of the struggles.

A pew sitter??? I know that is not for me. We have to pick ourselves up by our bootstraps and most importantly our trusted Bible and move forward. We have to look to the future and put the past in the past. We have to FOCUS on what is important! We have to let the little aggravations slide off our backs. I am praying for a hedge of protection that is so thick and prickly that our joy will not be able to be touched. JOY in our Lord and Savior!!! Wow! Now that makes me smile!

God is so Good!

www.providencebaptistfellowship.com

Dance for Jesus

I want to be able to dance for Jesus!!! I have felt so burdened here lately that I can not seem to feel the joy that I know that Jesus has waiting for me. This past week has been another struggle. I have struggled this week with an overwhelming amount of mixed feelings. One moment I am saying "Thank you God!" and the next I am asking "Why God?"

This past Thursday Bro. John asked Kacey to sing a song. He wanted her to sing a solo but said that if she couldn't do it he would find her a partner. So we started practicing the song below anticipating that she would be singing a duet. Every time she went over this the tears came. I had never heard this song. It was like God had sent me another song to praise Him. Kacey practiced the whole song because she didn't know what part she would be singing. Every time she sang it my heart felt better. Her sweet voice was so comforting. When we arrived at church Sunday we found out that he couldn't find her a partner so she sang the first and last verse and the praise team sang the rest with her. Kacey was so relieved. I was thankful that we didn't find out what she was singing until Sunday. If I had known that she was singing only the first and last verse I would of never been blessed by her singing all the verses to me. I would of never been blessed by this beautiful song. God is so Good!!!

I didn't post the song with all of the pretty pictures. I put the one with the words so If you haven't heard this song you can sing along. Sing along God will lift your spirits.

Sing for Jesus!

While I'm Waiting...

Sometimes a song can do more for my attitude than a fire and brimstone sermon. Here lately I am listening to a lot of music and just praising Jesus. The music sets the mood and prepares me for my morning bible study. I am probably the only one out there that has not seen the movie Fireproof and I had never heard this song until yesterday. Since yesterday every time I get on my computer I listen to this song. It reminds me that I just can't stop doing and wait on Gods answers I must keep moving forward and God will get back to me in His time. Once again I am praising Jesus in my PJ's!!!!

God is so Good!

That time of year...

I have been contemplating a DIET. Heavy emphasis on contemplating. That word is so scary to me. It seems like I do it every year at this time. I obviously have no self control or this wouldn't be a yearly problem. I was blog surfing and I think I found the answer to my problems and maybe yours.

I think I could get used to this exercise routine if the scale is not too heavy!! Haha!!

You Are My All in All

Praising Jesus in My PJ's

Turn off my music at the bottom. Enjoy!!

God is so Good!

Think about it???

What if His people prayed?

Well as of today my resolution is going very well. I am reading my Bible regularly and I am reading and trying to apply Romans 12 to my daily life. There is one more thing that I am going to try to be dedicated to this year. PRAYER! I was listening to the song by Casting Crowns "What if His people prayed?" and a light bulb just came on in my head. As much as I pray...I know that I don't pray enough. As much as I pray...I know that the time I spend praying is not always just praying. As much as I pray...I need to dedicate a specific time just for prayer. You are probably thinking why doesn't she do this already...Well life seems to always get in the way. I am one of those moms that is praying while I am cooking, praying while I am cleaning, praying while I am folding, praying while I am pulling weeds and praying while I am driving down the road going seventy. Praying while...well I think...no I don't think it I know praying like my time is more important than HIS. How self involved am I? I know it is fine to be praying all through the day but I think God would love to have some one on one time with each of us daily.

Think about the song and how amazing our days would be if ALL OF HIS PEOPLE PRAYED. Prayed with the passion that we have at ballgames. Prayed with that kind of volume and intensity. (like at a UT football game) I know that I can't be praying for hours at a time every day but I think that it should be easy for me to have a quiet time each morning to start my day with the most faithful and loving person I know...God.

God is so Good!

New Years Blahhhh!

Well...I have taken down all of the decorations, put all of the boxes away, cleaned up after the kids New Years Eve party, caught up on all of the laundry, started reading my Bible daily, read my Bible resolution verse daily and for some reason I still have a blah feeling. I thought the New Year is suppose to bring a renewal, a sense of joy, a peace and a calmness to everyone. Why not this year??? Well I know why...but I just can't make myself say it right now. Nothing life threatening...so no concerns there. There have been so many changes this past year and the upcoming year is going to bring more. Kenny and I have been praying daily in hopes that God will guide us and that we won't take the reigns and try to guide ourselves. You know how sometimes you think that God is taking too long and you'll just take care of it for Him...We must be patient and pray. Keep us in your prayers the next couple of weeks.



God is so Good!

Romans 12

Bible Verse Resolution

Well, after many days of going through my Bible and looking for a verse or group of verses I have finally made my decision. It was not easy. There were many to choose from and many that I need to apply to my life. It has been a little stressing and overwhelming. I did not realize how messed up I am and how much work I have to do this year. (Well there is one to work on immediately...lying...I know how messed up I am I just didn't want to admit it.) Isn't it funny how bible study can open up your eyes. The Chapter I picked is in Romans. I hope I can use this chapter as a guide for me over the next year.

Romans 12
A Living Sacrifice
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Gifts of Grace
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Marks of the True Christian
9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." 20 To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

One more thing that I would like to try to do this year is read my Chronological Study Bible that Kenny got me for my birthday. I may not be able to get through it in one year but I am sure going to try.

I am praying that everyone has a very BLESSED 09'!!!

God is so Good!

New Years Eve!!

PARTY!!!

This is the annual New Years Eve Party at the Nolands. Alycia and Kacey both invite their friends. Alycia has been doing this with the same girls since 4th grade...she is now 17. This is Kacey's third year. I always look forward to this night and I love, love, love to hear them all laugh and carry on way into the night...or should I say morning.

Have a BLESSED New Year!!!