Winner Announcement!

I've got a winner!!! Marissa is our winner of the Big Rim Tumbler. I'll contact you later today to get details for your tumbler.



I wanted to share my favorite thing about fall. I love the crisp morning air that fall brings BUT my all time favorite thing is seeing the mountain skylines around town and all the different shades of colored leaves mingled in. It's absolutely beautiful. It just makes me smile. Knowing that God knew what color each tree's green leaves would turn when the weather started changing, and He just sprinkled them all over the mountainside to create a perfect masterpiece. I think that's pretty incredible!



"In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." Revelation 22:2

Last Day

Today is last day to leave a comment for September's Giveaway!! Go leave a comment!! Will post winner September 27th!!

A Lesson Learned from Jonah!

Jonah was a prophet to Isreal, but God spoke to him and told him to go on a mission trip to Ninnevah. Not wanting to exactly go that route, Jonah went in the opposite direction. We all have heard how he made another detour and ended up in the whale's belly. The Bible study Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted, is all about having your life interrupted by something or someone. Jonah had his life interrupted when God called him to go to Ninnevah. I, definitely can relate to having your life interrupted. However, this study has shown me that it's all in how you view the interruption. Priscilla Shirer gives these two equations :



Insignificant Person + Insignificant Task = Interruption

VS.

Significant Person + Significant Task = Divine Intervention



To me, that second equation is so profound and hit me like a ton of bricks. It made me realize that my life has not been interrupted. Although it may appear to everyone else looking in -- They see a fulltime practicing attorney quit her job because of the economy. But I hear God saying "quit your job" and trust me. (and finally after months of disobedience, I obeyed.)

Until this study, I felt interrupted. However, I now see my life as having a divine intervention!! How exciting is that? I'm getting to do the things I love, yet fulfilling God's calling on my life right now.



Bottom line --- the next time you feel that your life has been interrupted, stop and consider the significant person and significant task at hand. You may have an opportunity to find your own divine intervention!



"...for it is God who works in you to will and act according to his good purpose." Phil. 2:13

I blogged recently about the World Outreach Jubilee that my church held. Our ladies'ministry wanted to honor the missionaries and pastors' wives that were with us, and I was asked to paint each lady a personalized name platter. I was so honored to be asked to help out in this way. I was a little nervous because I didn't have much time, and there was eight platters to be painted. Looking back, it was all a God Thing!! He did the planning and painting on this job. I got all eight platters, sketched out, and painted in one day. Each lady that received them seemed to really like her platter. I think that they were some of my best work.

Speaking of missionaries, I've been working through the new Bible study Jonah by Priscilla Shirer. Most everyone has heard the typical Sunday school lesson on Jonah & the whale , however, this study can goes to the heart of the matter and really gets in your business (if you know what I mean!!! Check back here tomorrow, I want to share something I've learned from the Bible study on Jonah!

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." Matthew 28:19-2

"Year of Jubilee"

Our church recently had a World Outreach Jubilee, focusing on missions. Our main goal was to raise $12,000 for a soup kitchen in Haiti. All week long we were so blessed by outstanding men of God, each of whom had a heart for missions. The preaching & music were incredible. The missionaries that spoke were eye opening. The familiar faces from past jubilee days were present and hearts were once again reconnected. I had flashbacks from previous jubilees. Those memories are priceless. I was delighted that my kids were too getting to experience the late nights at church and then rising early the next day to go to school!!!

This Jubilee was the vision of one lady in our church. There was many weeks of prayer, planning and sacrifices made. However, all the man hours invested into this Jubilee could not of accomplished what actually happened in those 5 days. Only God. What seemed like a huge goal of $12,000 (considering the times we are living in), was met. However, it just wasn't met. God showed up and showed out and with his moving, we raised a total of $34,000!! Twenty-eight Thousand will go directly to the soup kitchen in Haiti!!! (Jubilee expenses for the rest).

Pretty Incredible, uh???


Just goes to show you & me, we serve a BIG God and he thinks big too. Referring back to my August 23rd post, I confess that I had put God in a box for the amount to be raised. I didn't think we'd make the goal of $12K, I thought that we might come close, but I just didn't know if we could pull that one off. HA!!!! Thank you God for showing me (once again) how BIG you are.
Blessings.

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,...." Matthew 28:19

National Encouragement Day

Did you know that today is National Encouragement Day?? Well, it is and to be honest with you -- not only did I not know, I didn't even know there was such a day! However, once I found out, I thought it was a great idea. Why not be someone's encouragement today? We all probably know someone that needs an uplifting word today. Why not call, text, email or send a card to that person. You may never know what a kind & caring word may mean to someone.

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." Hebrews 10:24

Trick or Treat???

It won't be too much longer before Halloween arrives with all of the little ones dressed up in adorable costumes. why not be ready this year with your very own Halloween Candy Bowl made with your favorite little peoples' hand and foot prints. You'll be the envy of all your neighbors!!! Check out these bowls.

Call & Make an appointment to get your bowl today. Take $5 off today through September 15th on all candy bowls. Be sure to mention the blog to receive discount.

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12

Give Away Time!!!

It's that time again!! this month I'm giving away a personalized tumbler. (You pick name or initials and colors) All you have to do is leave a comment about your favorite thing about Autumn. Please be sure to put your name and email address so I can contact the winner!!! Comments close on September 26th. I will randomly draw and post winner on September 27th. Here are some tumblers I've done in the past.

I'm also including a picture of last month's give away. Tisha won the square frame and had it personalized for her daughter!

Now, go leave a comment and maybe you'll be this month's winner!!!

"Do not nelgect the gift that is in you..." I Timothy 4:14a

He's done it again!!!!

Who??? God.
What?? Been Faithful.
How?? Providing once again!


Yep, that's right. Once again, He's proven himself faithful in our lives. A few weeks ago I received a phone call asking could I teach a real estate class at the local community college. I was like sure can!!! Didn't have to pray about that one because I already had been and that was the answer to my prayers.


Originally, I thought I might get to teach this fall at the community college. I had done all of the preparations of getting my application completed, transcripts and recommendations sent in. However, during the summer, I talked to the lady in charge of the teaching schedules for the classes I could teach. From that conversation, I gathered it just wasn't going to work out for this upcoming semester. Well, I had really been counting on that job. However, I decided I was going to do the opposite of what I normally would have done. So what did I decide to do??? Not WORRY or FEAR. I simply prayed to God and told him that if he wanted to work that one out, that would be great, but if he chose not to, I still new that he'd provide for our needs.


To be honest, He knew all along that I would be teaching there this fall semester!! I think he had that sense of humor thing going on!!! He must like seeing me in a tizzy -- studying and trying to get my stuff together down to the wire. I must be good entertainment to him!!! ``He probably also knew that I'd be depending on his strength to help me get it done.


I know he's always been present in my life working things out, but I don't always recognize that it's Him. (Probably because I was taking credit for it). However, when you are totally dependant on him to provide, you see him working and providing for you EVEN in the small things. The end result is that you continue to trust him more and more because you know he's faithful!


So, the best advice I can give you is .... if there's some area in your life that you struggle to trust him completely with, give it to him. He's faithful.


"In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us." Titus 2:7-8