Toilet Paper, Milk and give them to her...

In June my family had gathered at my parents house for lunch one afternoon. The kids were cooking, Gene and Mom were resting, Dad was playing with the babies and my sister Michelle was on the phone. I could tell from the way she answered the call that it was someone she hadn't spoken with in awhile and she walked around the house talking and smiling.




A few minutes later I glanced out to the living room and she was still on the phone, but instead of smiling, she was crying. When she hung up she looked stunned. I asked her what was wrong. "Shannon is dead", she barely got out.




Shannon was a friend from high school and they remained very close up until six years ago. Shannon's husband Bill is who Michelle was talking to and he explained that at the beginning of June Shannon had become very sick and finally after much persuasion, went to her doctor.




At just 36 years old she would find out that her body was completely filled with cancer and the only thing they could do for her was make her comfortable. While my daughter was on the 4th floor, having a baby girl on June 3rd, little did we know that Shannon was two floors up waiting to die.




Two weeks after finding out about the cancer, she was buried on a her 37th birthday and Bill had a party with balloons and cake to celebrate her short life. They never had kids, but did have a dog. Her parents had passed away also from cancer and she had no siblings as she was an only child. Bill was all she had and now he was a widow.




Shannon's life was shorter than she imagined.
She very quickly lost a battle with cancer she didn't even get a chance to fight.
Not promised tomorrow.
Not one of us.

So when we aren't promised our tomorrow, how do we live our today?

I really have to ask myself if I'm living my fullest for God and if I want to answer with truth I would say no. I mean, if I speak Christianese, I say the right things.
I know Christ died for me on the cross, He rose again and He is coming back for me.
I know I was created to have a relationship with Him which He gives me the choice to pursue or not.
I know the 10 commandments and what a good Christian girl should look like.
BUT am I living my life completely FOR Him?


Or is Jesus one of those friends I know I can rely on to pick me up during my time in the valley? Is He my in-case-of-an-emergency God?
What exactly is the role I've allowed Christ to have in my life?
The life that James describes as a vapor?
Here today, gone tomorrow kind of life.

James 4:14

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.

What is your life?

You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

What is your life?


That is a hard question to ask myself...Lelia, what IS your life?


At the Beth Moore simulcast a few weeks ago she encouraged us to not put God on a priority list. She said how He doesn't want to be on a list, but that He wants to be our life.
"Make Him your life Girls. Make Him your life," she said.
That just stuck with me and now James is asking me...what is your life?




I want to say without any hesitation...Jesus.
But that would be my Christianese voice speaking up.
Asking myself these hard questions though makes me think.
Really makes me think of what I place value on in my life.




Last night Alyssa and I took my sister to a movie for her birthday. Afterwards, we went to the grocery store for a few things. When we were checking out the cashier told me that she really liked my earrings. Instantly I felt the Holy Spirit impress on me to "give them to her". Instead, I just thanked her and I did mention I got them at Kohl's. You know, in case she wanted to get herself a pair.




Now, I heard that voice inside me loud and strong. But I was able to walk out the door without the cashier, my sister or daughter knowing what I chose to ignore. See, these are my favorite earrings. Really, I love them. And I was going to go home with them regardless of what God wanted me to do.




When we got out to the car I remembered I forgot to get milk and toilet paper and since we were on our last roll, I figured I better go back inside. Michelle and Alyssa wanted to wait in the car, but told me to hurry. So back inside I went quickly picking up my forgotten items. And back through the same cashier's line I went as she was the only line open. And back came that voice again telling me to "give them to her".




And this time when she turned around to push some buttons on her register, I slid my most favorite dangly, silver and black earrings out of my lobes and when she turned and handed me the receipt, I placed the earrings in her hand.




She thanked me and I smiled as she said, "These will go perfect with my work outfit".
As I left that store without my earrings, I knew it was more about putting a smile on this late night cashier's face.
I didn't walk out of that store the same way I entered.
No flashy earrings swayed as I walked.
My sister or daughter didn't notice that my earrings were gone.
Nobody noticed but God.
I smiled and silently thanked God and right then if James were to ask me Lelia, what is your life?
I could honestly say at that moment...
Jesus, James. It's Jesus.




I'm not sharing this with you to get a pat on my back or anything like that. If you know me, I 'm not that kind of person at all. I am not one to attempt to share in God's glory.
I'm just sharing with you to say there is a girl in Nebraska that has the desire to go deeper with Jesus Christ.
A girl who has a history with the father of the world that makes her Heavenly Father love her even more.
A girl who writes in her journal, prayers begging God to help her with surrendering her life to Him.
A girl who adores a God that doesn't ignore her cries.


I'm sharing this with you to let you know that there is a God in a girl in Nebraska that is willing to take her deeper.
A God who starts by asking her to let go of what He knows is her favorite pair of earrings.

He heard my prayers and He started my journey of going deeper with simple.



A simple pair of ten dollar on sale at Kohl's earrings.
No big deal, right?
Wrong.
God gave me a 2nd chance to give those away by forgetting the two main items I entered that store to get.
My response to "give them to her" was important enough to Him for me to be given another opportunity.




And the 2nd time around I got it.
If I can let go of what I love for Who I love where is He going to take me?
I have no idea what God has for me.
But I do know that I want Him to be my life.

If you are interested in going deeper with God, then join me on

Tuesday, October 6th

for the fall YES to GOD study of the new book,

Becoming More than a Good Bible Study Girl

by the beloved Lysa TerKeurst.

Details on the right side of my blog.

Get your book today and have chapter 1 ready to discuss on October 6th right here.

All welcome...bloggers and non-bloggers.

I encourage you today to ask...

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE?

Love,

If an 8 year old girl ran the country...

Recently in school, Alivia and her classmates learned about the U.S. Constitution.

Then they had a worksheet...

THINK 'N WRITE! Imagine you are helping to set up a constitution for your classroom. Write 2 rules you think would make your classroom a better place to be.

1.) No tapping pencil because it's disputive. (disruptive?)

2.) No pinching cause it's hurtful.

THINK 'N WRITE! Would you want to be President someday?

No. I would not want to be President because you have to run a hole 50 states.

But if I did I would make everything free.

She has my vote!

With that kind of constitution, I'm thinking she even has a really good health care plan.

But Livie-Girl, I wouldn't dare give the kid who has pinched you anything free!

Have a great weekend,

It's time to get dressed

Yesterday as I sat waiting for my son Aaron who is a sophomore to come out of school, out walked a young girl pushing her baby in a stroller. Then two young girls came out of the building each holding a baby in their arms followed by their friend who looks like she is due to have her baby any minute.

His school has a daycare in it.

The young parents of LHS even get a two page spread in the year book.

It's not anything for him to see pregnant girls in his classes.

Or for a young girl to tell him she wants to have his baby. It's his norm. 9 months out of his year.

This was by far one of the best posts I've read addressing the clothing some designers are making written by author Vicki Courtney titled Abercrombie & Fitch: YAWN.
Here are some of the t-shirts A&F tries to sell to our young men and women...




Many Christian moms pray over purity for their young ladies, but often it's that same praying Mom that buys her daughter the newest, tightest, shortest outfit in the store. I remember a very strong woman of God once defended the trashy way a teenage relative of hers dressed by saying, "it's all the stores are selling".
Whatever.
We can't pray for purity and justify provocative clothing in the same breath.
As a mom of a 15 year old boy with eyes in his head, it is not fair for him to have to see this junk.
Not at school, not in the movies and definitely not at church. And if I'm honest with myself, as much as I want to think that he looks away, I know he doesn't. Hopefully I'm wrong, but as we know, young and old men alike are very visual. Now don't think for one minute that I'm saying that your girl is responsible for what my boy looks at or thinks about what he sees. Not at all. Boys are responsible for where they choose to look as well as young ladies are responsible for what they give them to see.




This summer I went shorts shopping for my 8 year old daughter. Almost every pair of shorts I picked up had "short shorts" typed on the label. Even if I wanted to dress my daughter in them I knew her Daddy would've sent me back to the store. I had to really search, but eventually found shorts that didn't end right under her butt cheeks, but instead below the middle of her thighs.






About a month ago Aaron and I were in Wal-Mart and there was a teenage girl standing in line with her Mom. It looked like she just finished up with cheer practice and she was wearing a sports bra and the tiniest shorts I've ever seen. I stepped back and looked around and couldn't believe all the eyes looking at this young girl. Young men, married men and older men all obviously looking at her tan, in shape, uncovered body. And who could blame them? Everything she had was on display for all to view.






The devil is out to kill, steal and destroy. This is not a game he is playing. He wants our young ladies and our young men, for Satan knows, the younger they fall the harder it is for them to get up.
These young girls today are no different than I was when I chose to dress in a way that didn't please either my Heavenly Father or my earthly Dad. I had to wait until I was out of my parent's house to disrespect myself in the way I dressed, but I will never forget a comment I received from a man my Dad's age.
A few years after high school graduation I was already a young Mom. At 20 years old my body had no problem bouncing back to what I was before I got pregnant and I wanted to show off every curve. A friend of mine and I attended a basketball game at our high school. I wore a pair of jeans that I'm sure I had to paint on me and a long sleeve black shirt with black leather boots up to my knees with my jeans tucked into them. This father of a student that was not in my grade, but grades older, approached me to tell me how "nice" I looked.




Looking back, I know I had the body for the jeans, but nothing about how tight or sexy they looked brought pleasure to my King. Nothing. And by the look on this man's face, I knew I had made him stumble in his thought life and I walked away from him feeling so dirty. In all the years I attended school with his kids, he never spoke to me. Never one time did he tell me I did a good job after a volleyball match. He didn't feel the urge to talk to me until I dressed with a message. To this day the way he looked me up and down gives me the creeps. And I went to a Christian school.






Again, I had to wait until I was out from under my parents' roof to dress in clothes that my Dad would've thrown away. I grew up with a Mom that I never had to be embarrassed of how she carried herself or how she dressed. Never. The most skin she showed was when she mowed our lawn in her jeans and would roll up the sleeves on her t-shirt and show her shoulders. To this day my Mom dresses modestly and pleasing to the Lord. But by choice, in my twenties I lived a different lifestyle than what I was shown and taught and I dressed according to what I grew to believe about myself. Pure lies from the lips of Satan himself.






When the schools are having to put day cares in the building so the girls will stay in school and graduate, there is something not right here.
These young girls are searching.
They are seeking.
Time and time again advertisers claim that "sex sells". This Satan knows. He tries to convince our young girls that dressing sleezy or putting inviting messages on their shirts is what these guys want and he is just filling their minds with lies. My son had a class with a young lady his freshman year that in his words, "Mom she says she is a Christian and invites everyone to her youth group, but she dresses slutty and talks openly about what she is willing to do to guys. What I don't get is how can you say one thing and be the other?" I remember this conversation as it was yesterday because he initiated it more than once.




As Moms it is our responsibility to teach our girls to be mysterious.
To know they are worth the wait, respect and proper attention.
To dress as if a King is watching over them, because One is and there is no outfit He doesn't see her wear.






Trust me when I say that when a young lady doesn't pay attention to how she dresses, she will soon become undressed. And when your clothes fall to the floor so does your self respect and esteem. And there your daughters' clothes along with her self worth is left in a pile. "My daughter would never do that"...maybe not, but I guarantee you if she dressed inappropriately, she was undressed by eyes of whatever guy she paraded herself in front of throughout her day.






Let us be Moms who encourage our young ladies to not show too much leg or cleavage. To not buy clothing that causes confusion. When we attended a larger church years ago the way certain young ladies dressed was such a distraction to a friend of ours that he had to switch churches. We have to be wise and protective, not only our girls, but the guys they come in contact with each day.




There are two young sisters in our church family, Rebeccah and Hannah that each Sunday are dressed like girls of God. Rebeccah just turned 17 last Tuesday and I love the modesty she displays each week. I wouldn't have a problem setting any man behind her because she is covered where she needs to be and she offers no distraction away from her King. That is a godly young lady who respects herself and God.






Yesterday as I watched the young Moms exit high school, I did not sit there and cast judgement their way, but instead compassion. Having a gorgeous teen Mom under my wing, I am seeing that really the bottom line is she just wants to be loved and accepted. She never set out to become a Mom of two before turning 20, but Amiyah Elizabeth and Juliana Pearl are the result of her search.




These young ladies, whether they are a teen Mom or a virgin, they are searching.
Seeking.
Longing to fill the spaces in their lives.
If we don't point them to Jesus Christ in every area, including how they dress, then Satan will sneak into their lives and soon their search will be over because someone or something has found their way into their heart.
Being filled with anything but Jesus only brings emptiness and heartache.
Trust me, I know.




Dressing modest is important because a nice Christian girl with tight jeans on or short shorts on or a low cut blouse on isn't noticed for the Bible in her hands. Messages are spoken silently but loudly with how we as women cover or don't cover our bodies. Dress so that when you look in the mirror you can hear the words of Jesus say,
Well done good and faithful servant. Well done.






I hope you take the time to read Vicki's post mentioned above as her whole ministry is focused on young girls.
And for all ladies between the ages of 18-29 there is an incredible new website JUST FOR YOU called She Seeks. Headed up by our beautiful sister in Christ, Lisa Whittle, it is a website that is fun and hip and is a division of the beloved Proverbs 31 Ministries. There are giveaways, devotionals and places for you to express yourself.
It's a must go to website.
So click on the name She Seeks above or on the button on my sidebar and go check it out.

Dress for your King today ladies, young and older. He's watching us in a world where modesty and godliness has been shoved out of our closets. It's time to bring it back and let the Designer of your life dress you from head to toe. No more room for compromises. It's not fair to you or the young or older men around you.

It's simply time to get dressed.

I hear God's full armour described in Ephesians 6 is a pretty snazzy outfit.

~Many Blessings~

10 takes later, we have a winner

HI Ladies!

I hired a couple of actresses to announce the winner of Lysa TerKeurst's newest book,

Becoming More Than A Good Bible Study Girl

for the YES to GOD study starting Tuesday, October 6th.

I know, I have no money to buy books, but they were cheap help.

The smallest one wanted cheerios and the 8 year old worked for mint chip ice cream.

May have to adjust your volume a little bit for some reason it is a little hard to understand at the beginning when she is making introductions. Didn't help that the smallest was mimicking the older actress and not really cooperating with the director.

But after 10 takes, literally 10 times of saying action, I wasn't about to ask them to record one more time. Plus their demands would have went up, I'm sure.

So, without any more delay...I give you Alivia and her assistant Amiyah.

Just in case you didn't get that...congratulations Libby!

My oldest daughter was at the house and tried to draw a name, but Alivia was quick to let her know who my official name picker outer is for blog winners. Eventually, Alyssa backed down and let her draw your name out of the basket. E-mail me at chealey5@yahoo.com and I'll get your book in the mail this weekend. Oh, and don't worry, that wasn't your copy Amiyah was licking. That would be mine.

For some reason the video cut off, but again they were done working. At the end Alivia gave "best wishes to you for the Bible study".

And then the video cut off Amiyah opening the book and reading to you in jibberish. Next time we'll start earlier and maybe I'll feed them first.

I can't wait until we get started ladies. If you don't have your book, get it now!

Invite a friend and buy her a book too if the Lord leads you to do so.

Grab the button on my sidebar and invite others to join in.

Have chapter 1 read by Tuesday October 6th and meet here

so we can discuss it together.

And let's all be praying with and for each other before and during this study.

God is so incredible.

He has brought us together for a reason.

Let's see what He has in store for us and believe that by the time we finish this book, we will be more than just a good Bible study girl!

Thank You Jesus!

We enter into this study with great expectation from a King Who doesn't know how to disappoint.

~Many Blessings~

YES to GOD blog study sign up AND a contest

Thanks to all who prayed for our blogging friend, Melanie's son Andrew yesterday....

Although their journey has just begun, click here to read an awesome report of God.

***************************

My entire education was spent in a Christian School.

I learned much about Jesus and Who He is and what He did on the cross for me.

I went to Bible class.

I went to church every Wednesday and Sunday.

I knew the real reasons of the Easter and Christmas seasons.

As I got older I signed up for every Beth Moore Bible study the church offered.

I grew up knowing about Jesus, loving Jesus and then walking away from Jesus.

Biggest mistake of my life.

So now that I've been back in His arms for quite sometime, I want more of Him.

I want our relationship to go to a different level.

But I can no longer be a woman that signs up for every Bible study in hopes that I have the look of a good Christian woman, whatever look that may be.

I want to...

Learn how to make a Bible passage come alive in my devotion time.

Replace doubt, regret, and envy with truth, confidence and praise.

Stop the unhealthy cycles of striving and truly learn to love who I am and what I've been given.

Discover how to have inner peace and security in any situation.

and

Sense God responding to my prayers.

You might be saying...Wow, Lelia go for it.

I will, but I hope you will join me in this new adventure.

All I just listed above is exactly what I want, but I copied those words from the back cover of the newest book from

the founder and President of

Proverbs 31 Ministries(P31)

Lysa TerKeurst

called

Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl

Tuesday, October 6th,

the fall study for YES to GOD Tuesday's will begin with Lysa's book!

If you have never participated in a YtoG study, then click here for more info.

I am always excited about participating in these studies, but I have to tell you why this one has an extra special meaning to me.

In my effort to become more than a good Bible study girl, I am trying to completely surrender

to Christ.

This is so hard for me.

In one of my many areas of struggle, I have been trying to let God have control of our finances. To help us with this, my husband and I are reading a book together called

Learning to Live Financially Free

by P31 speaker

Marybeth Whalen and her husband Curt.

It is an awesome book!

While reading this, I have come to admit that I am a book freak.

I love me some good reading.

Reading that pushes me closer to God, such as anything

by TerKeurst or Lisa Whittle.

Reading that will show me a different way to live.

So even though we are under some financial stress, I would daily treat myself to books.

Each week when I came home carrying more books, I could clearly see and yet ignore the stress in my husband's eyes.

When I showed him my unaffordable purchases, in my mind I would justify my buys with the fact that these books were about God.

Books that would guide me to become the Christian wife Gene deserves.

Gene P. Chealey needed these books.

But after deciding that I want God more than a library, I vowed to my Savior that I would not buy anymore books in 2009.

Not a long time, but when you love buying books like I do, it's an eternity.

I have put myself in the Christian bookstore twice since that promise was made and both times left empty handed. I haven't googled it yet, but I'm pretty sure the shakes I experienced in the car is a side effect of godly literary piece withdrawal.

I had told three people about my promise.

Gene, Kelley and Paula in Australia.

All three encouraged me to stay strong and not give in to my weakness.

It's not like I don't have books to read.

My bookshelf is packed and I have more downstairs, in my bedroom and in my book bag.

Since banning myself from bookstores, I have pulled out my library card.

But then, Lysa T. announced on her blog that her book was coming out this fall and you could even order it before it hit the stores.

"Oh Lord, this would be the perfect book for the fall study on my blog" and I clicked on the link to buy the book. I got to the payment part when I remembered my vow, so I emptied my P31 shopping cart.

A few days later she had a contest. All we had to do was give her some advice or write her a funny poem to take her mind off the mice that had become her unwanted house guests.

The winner of the contest would get a copy of her new book.

So, I entered.

And out of over 180 entries...Lysa chose my poem.

Can you believe God???

I love when He shows off in ways that only He can.

So, I am able to host the blog study this fall because God provided a book!

But this is where it gets even better.

Lysa and her friend/assistant Holly also included this for me to give away!

So, here's your chance to win her book.

All you have to do is sign up below to join me in the study.

That's it.

Come back on Tuesday, September 15th to see the name of the winner.

Excerpt from chapter 1

How might our lives look if we were so filled with God's truths we could let go of the pain of our past, not get tripped up by the troubles of today, or consumed by worries about tomorrow? Sound impossible? It is impossible when we try to make it happen on our own by doing more good Bible study girl things. Praying, reading the Bible, doing another Bible study, going to church, and being nice are wonderful and necessary.

But just going through the motions of these activities will not fill our souls.

They must be done with the great expectation and heart cry for God to lead us into a deeper and more life-changing connection with Him.

On Tuesday October 6th have CHAPTER 1 read and be ready to discuss.

If you want to post your own thoughts on the chapter on your blog then there will be a sign up so we can visit your blog.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A BLOGGER TO JOIN IN!

On past studies bloggers and non-bloggers have come together to discuss a book.

Hope you join us.

Get the book.

Invite friends...this is a great way to do a Bible study/book collectively with friends in different states or countries.

Pray and be ready and willing to let God take you where He wants.

During my book buying fast, knowing I wanted to do this new book on my blog study,

God provided.

He provided a book for me and in perfect God fashion, He also provided a copy for one of you.

He has left no room to doubt which book He wants us to do for the fall study.

Let's see what He has planned for us exhausted good Bible study girls.

After you sign up below, go bless Lysa and tell her that you'll be doing her book on the study this fall. She'd love to hear from you.

~Many Blessings~

I can't, but He can

Our 8 year old daughter Alivia e-mailed me this Friday afternoon...

Hi mommy how was your day? school is so boring i cant do school well bye mommy love you when you see this email me back okay love you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"I can't do school". I know what she means. After spending a weekend away,this morning I feel like... I can't do work I can't do grocery shopping I can't do bill paying I can't do dinner I can't do laundry I can't do work again at 11pm This past weekend we went to the Labor Day Family Camp at Timberlake Ranch Camps. This camp is a familiar place for me as my sister and I grew up spending one week out of our summers at this camp. Lots of wonderful memories were made at TRC. Our two oldest, Alyssa and Aaron have also been campers at Timberlake and both loved it. And years ago my parents took my sister and I to the Family Camp. We have a 30 year history with this Christian camp and the director is still the same guy. Last year was the first time Gene and I took our family. I loved the peace and quiet and the bonding that Aaron would never admit he did with Alivia. Being just the two of them, they had no choice but to bond with each other and they had a blast. This year we included our 16 month old granddaughter Amiyah and so it was a different peace and quiet. I kept telling her that I was so glad she came with us and she would take my face and give me kisses. The memories we all made together was so worth a little less quiet. I don't have my pictures downloaded off the camera yet, but here are a few off my cell phone. Here is her first canoe ride... WHAT is happening?

I think I like this...

Going back to the e-mail I received from our daughter, it was hard to come back to reality last night.

Driving home I thought, I can't do real life. I want to live at Timberlake forever.

Last night, Alivia and I were coming home to different realities.

Her list of responsibilities are on a different level of what mine are, but to her they are still huge. She has to keep her room clean, empty the bathroom garbage, empty the dishwasher and go to school. I have to pay bills, work so we can pay the bills, dirty the dishes from cooking and go to the grocery store so we can eat.

Different things we can slap "I can't" in front of, but all things that God wants us both to rely fully on Him to get us through. I can't, but the truth is that He can.

When we feel like we just can't do life, we need to rely on God to get us through everyday.

I'm slowly learning that He wants me to be leaning on Him not just for the emergencies in my life, but the everyday tasks that are before me. The laundry, bills, work...

When I try to rely on my own strength my life looks a lot like that first picture of Amiyah in the canoe. She looked worried, confused and even scared. Then she realized that her uncle Aaron was behind her rowing, someone she trusts, and before the dock was out of sight, she was relaxed and she enjoyed the ride. By the time we rowed up to our cabin, she had her shoes off and her feet over the edge of the canoe, splashing the water.

The days we feel like we just can't do life, we must choose to trust Jesus no matter what and the ride of life becomes a lot smoother and we look much like the 2nd picture of Amiyah.

Full of pure joy.

When we try to do this life on our own and leave Jesus out of the picture we just become plain exhausted like Amiyah was at the end of her first day of camp.

Does Jesus have your trust today?

~Many Blessings~

That's my King...do you know Him?

Please join Amy for more songs from bloggers souls this Saturday and be blessed!

Just click on her name to get to her wonderful blog Signs, Miracles and Wonders.

A friend of mine recently sent this to me and Gene and I just loved it.

My King

I love that I can say that about Him.

Have a blessed weekend.

We are heading out to Family Camp this morning like we did last year.

No laptops, cell phones, TV's, kids.

Oh wait, it's Family Camp.

Okay, the kids can go, but none of the other technology stuff.

Just a cabin on the river.

Lots of fishing, swimming, reading, relaxing, fishing, horseback riding...

If you never hear from me again it's because I've moved to Family Camp!

~Many Blessings~

Is that a Saturn? A Toyota? No! It's a Beemer!

Yesterday I saw a car in the parking lot.

There were a lot of different vehicles, but this car really stuck out.

Bless the soul that invented putting cameras in cell phones.

This wasn't anything unusual as all cars have their make branded on their backside.

But perhaps you were side by side at a stop light and didn't know what kind of car he was driving.

No worries.

He graciously put the name on all four door handles accompanied by fancy racing stripes.

Here's a closer view if you missed it...

And just in case you didn't see the manufacturers' small round BMW symbol on the trunk

or on all 4 door handles,

he put this on the rear windshield....

I continued walking through the parking lot after my photo session and here are the thoughts that ran through my mind.

Small.

Silver.

Four doors.

Definitely a BMW.

Not a car that would normally grab hold of my attention, but this car demanded it.

Not because of anything that the creator of the car did to it, but it was what the owner of the car put all over it that made your head turn.

You could tell he was proud of what he drives to and fro.

He wants people to know without a doubt what he is cruising around in with the unspoken word.

He has made it known on all sides of his car.

You don't drive by him and wonder if he is driving a Ford or Chevy.

You are assured that his car starts with a B and ends with a W.

The shape of the car and the little round manufacturers' symbol on the back and hood really is enough to let one know that his car is from Germany.

That it's considered a luxury vehicle.

But for the Impala drivers like myself that may not recognize that he is not driving an Impala,

he has plastered BMW on all 4 sides.

From every angle we know what kind of car he insures.

John 13:34 (NLT)

Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.

How do others know that you are a Christian?

Is your love for them alone enough to make them curious about what is different about you?

Or do you have to put the fish symbol on the back of your car and buy all your t-shirts at the Christian store hoping they don't miss your beliefs?

Now don't get me wrong here...if you have those things like I have before, I'm not saying anything is wrong with them, not at all.

But is that the only way that someone who is not saved knows you believe in Jesus Christ?

Can they tell from afar that you are a Christian or do they have to read the back of your shirt or see the fish symbol on the back of your car before they know you have faith?

As believers we can't just wear our message on our shirt or car with hopes that the lost get saved from reading our shirt or bumper when we walk or drive away from them.

This past weekend my friend Kim and I attended the Beth Moore simulcast.

It was beyond awesome.

One thing of many she said that got me was this:

Do you have God at the top of a priority list?

Is He #1 on your priority list of life?

We all have that list where He's at the top...

God

family

church

work.

Then she said this...

God doesn't want to be #1 on your priority list of your life.

God wants to BE your life.

Make Him your life Girls,

Make Him your life.

This on the back of our car can't be all the Jesus people see in us.

May we allow Jesus to be our life!

~Many Blessings~

Pilot of my life

The end of July our 8 year old daughter Alivia asked, "Mom, can I get baptized?"

My heart of course just wanted to explode with joy at the thought of her making this public statement of her commitment and love for Jesus at such a young age, but I wanted to make sure she knew the meaning of being baptized.


"Do you know what it means when you are baptized?" I asked her.

"Yes, it means that I want to live my life for Christ and that when I drown my sins in that water tub-thingy, I'm a new creature. And God will help me live my life for Him. "


"You know Jesus was baptized too Alivia. Do you know by who?"

"Yes, John the Baptist.
MOM.
I really want to get baptized, can I?
Please?"

Satisfied and surpised with her knowledge of what she was about to do I said,
"Yes, honey, I'll call the church and let them know. I'm so happy for you Liv."


"Thanks Mom, I'm soooooo excited!"




So, on Sunday August 9th...


Alivia E'Lise was asked by Pastor Solo to tell her church family what she had told him her reason was for wanting to get baptized.

"I want to get baptized because I want God to be the Pilot of my life.

I don't want to pilot my life anymore, I want GOD to pilot my life."

I had overheard her on the phone Saturday morning tell Pastor Solo this and when she hung up, I asked her, "Liv, where did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" she asked.

"That you want God to pilot your life and be the Pilot of your life?"
She looked at me and said, "Oh, no where Mom, I made it up.
I do...I want God to be the Pilot of my life."

Being prayed over.

Making her stand for Jesus public and yet so private...

Last night Alivia and I watched this video of Lysa TerKeurst's daughter Hope showing her recent missions trip in Ethiopia. A trip this young teenager begged her parents to let her go on. (Please take the time to read these posts)


I looked at Alivia when she said a sympathetic "Oh" at a picture of a crying baby and there were tears streaming down her face. I asked her why she was crying and she shrugged her shoulders and just leaned on me. Then she said, "It just makes me sad that we have so much and they don't. Can we watch it again?"
So we did and more tears fell down her precious brown face.

We prayed together and off to bed she went. It was way past her bedtime and so I really wanted her to go to sleep. She came out in the living room again, but before I could yell at her to go back to bed she asked,

"Mom, how old do you have to be to go on a missions trip?"
A little taken back I said, "I'm not sure, but older."
"Like ten-ish?"
I laughed and said, "No, older than that."
"Well, how old is Lysa's daughter?"
"I'm not sure, but I think she might be 16."

She then pointed at me and said, "That's. When I'm going."

And off to bed she went.

As I cried.

Thank you sweet Jesus for the heart this child has for You.

May it never stray, but instead remain in rhythm with only You.

And whatever seeds You used Hope TerKeurst to plant inside the heart of my little girl

may they bloom in Your timing.

~Many Blessings~