THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY...korean worship dance

Here is another one of my favorite blog meme's to participate in. Every Saturday we have an opportunity to share a song or music video with others. I always enjoy looking at what everyone posts on these videos, the wide range of music is so varied but the awesome thing about THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY is that all of the music brings us back to one familiar factor....WORSHIP TO OUR LORD!

With the upcoming departure to Korea that my son will be embarking on later this summer, I find myself acquainting myself with facts and information about the new culture he will be a part of. I came across this video of some Korean youth sharing their worship in dance and song. I continue to be amazed at the fact that cultures can change and the language can change BUT Jesus Christ is the SAME yesterday, today and forever.

(BE SURE TO MUTE MY BLOG MUSIC ON THE SIDE BAR SO YOU CAN HEAR THE VIDEO!!)

To view other THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY videos, visit AMY over HERE!


Keep a heart of worship....



Blessings, Laurie

THANKFUL THURSDAY....His outstretched arms

This past week my daughter has had some hard stuff to embrace. First, her Mamaw passed away (not her real mamaw, but a lady in our church that treated my daughter as one of her own since my daughter was born); then later in the week her oldest brother moved to another state and thirdly, one of her favorite people in the world (her youth pastor) announced a change in direction for ministry and is moving away.

For a twelve year old, this might seem like alot in one week. Face it fellow bloggers, that would be alot for you and me to face in a weeks time. The best thing that I could do for my daughter this past week, is open my arms and offer her a big hug when she felt sad. Sometimes, life causes us so much pain and sorrow that all we want to do is crawl up in God's lap and feel His embrace! Just like a child who looks to a parent for comfort and peace...that is what God's outstretched arms offer us! My daughter wrote a poem that helped her this week, and with her permission I want to share it with you:

LIFE.... by A. Adams

PAIN is alot to handle

SORROW is alot to handle

GRIEF is alot of weight

ALL of these in one is a big burden

ONE ANSWER

PRAY and trust God

NO ONE understands why God takes our loved ones

BUT it's part of life

ONE wise person once told me

that God puts us through trials to test our faith

PAIN, SORROW, and GRIEF

is part of life

Thank you Sissy! So, after a exhausting and emotional week...I am THANKFUL today for God's outstretched arms! It is there that I find:

- PEACE -

- SECURITY -

- JOY -

- STRENGTH -

- LOVE -

- COMFORT -

HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE YOU CRAWLED UP INTO YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER'S LAP AND FELT HIS LOVING ARMS?

Thank you Iris for hosting THANKFUL THURSDAY'S, visit her site to view other thankful hearts!

Blessings, Laurie

RUNAWAY CAR...a piece of my heart

A PIECE OF MY HEART

The other day I was driving down a main avenue in our city. I have traveled this familiar road many times as it is on my way to my house. On this particular day, I noticed a car backing out of the driveway at an accelerating speed. It caught my attention because it appeared the "driver" was out of control. The car pulled out, right in front of me, without even slowing down. I slowed down until I could figure out what this driver's problem was!! It didn't take me long to figure out what the problem was. A woman came running after the car. Chasing it. Stopping the car just as it rolled up a curb and barely missing a big oak tree. The woman was chasing a runaway car!

The woman was clearly shook up. I rolled my window down to see if she was alright. It was not until then that I saw why she was chasing that car so frantically...there was a small child in the front seat! The fear and the adrenaline was all over that ladies face. She was not hurt, (shaken up), but relieved she was able to stop the car with no injuries!

The woman and her RUNAWAY CAR reminded me of how often we find ourselves out of control in our spiritual walk with the Lord.

HOW MANY TIMES DO WE TAKE GOD OUT OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND WE TRY TO MAKE THE TWISTS AND TURNS OF LIFE WITHOUT HIM?

Watching that woman chase that runaway car to save her child is EXACTLY what God does for us.

- He is running after us -

He will never leave us nor forsake us!

- He is Chasing us -

No matter how far we run - God will chase us until we are safe in His arms!

- He is Protecting us -

From the snares and traps set by the enemy - God will protect and fight for His children like a warrior !

JOB 16:14b "He runs at me like a warrior"

Does it feel like God has left you?

HE IS ALWAYS RUNNING AFTER YOU!

Does it seem like God has left the driver's seat?

HE IS STILL THERE...THE ONLY ONE WHO SWITCHED SEATS WAS YOU!

It is my prayer that today you will accept God's love, protection and security. Your safety lies within His arms!

and that's a piece of my heart today!

Blessings, Laurie

WHERE DID I COME FROM? weekly devotion

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THIS WEEKS DEVOTION. IT IS MY PRAYER THAT YOUR HEART WILL BE CHALLENGED AND CHANGED AS YOU MEDITATE UPON THE WORD OF GOD!

I heard a story of a young girl who went up to her mother and asked, "Where did I come from?" The Mother feared this question for some time now, but had been preparing for it. She got out all the books she had been collecting for this "talk" and for the next hour she poured her heart out to her daughter of God's plan for marriage and children. When she finished, she looked at her daughter and said, "Now, does that answer your question?" The young daughter shrugged her shoulders and said, "Not exactly. Billy's mother said he came from Boston and I just wanted to know where I came from?

Sometimes a question has several answers! Last week in the YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL, I polled the blog readers the following question..."Which Nationalities are included in your ancestry?" The following were the top 3 answers:

1. 68% of the readers polled said they were ENGLISH, IRISH OR SCOTTISH

2. 43% voted that they were EUROPEAN-FRENCH, GERMAN OR SWISS

3. 37% polled said they were NATIVE AMERICAN

For many of us, we can not narrow down who we are to one nationality. If you have done any kind of family tree investigation, you might have a good idea, but, do you really know who are you?

Jesus knew the ULTIMATE answers to some important questions about who He was.

JOHN 13:2-5

"Now by the time of supper, the Devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, Simon Iscariot's son, to betray Him. (3) Jesus knew the Father had given everything into His hands, that He had come from God, and that He was going back to God. (4) So He got up from supper, laid aside His robe, took a towel and tied it around Himself. (5) Next, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples feet and dry them with the towel tied around Him.

This scripture tells us...

- Jesus knew where He had come from (FROM GOD)

- Jesus knew where He was going (BACK TO GOD)

- Jesus knew what God had given Him (THE FATHER HAD GIVEN EVERYTHING INTO HIS HANDS)

Because Jesus knew the answers to these 3 important questions about Himself, He had a self-assurance that many of us do not have as His followers. Many times when we, as Christians, do not have this self-assurance, we feel we have to expend a lot of energy proving ourselves and our worth. Jesus did not need to do that; and because He didn't need to that, He was free to serve!

Considering this task of Jesus washing His disciples feet, I am reminded that normally it was the task of the servant of the household to lay aside his robe or outer garment, and take a towel and wash the dirty, smelly feet of visitors who had come in from their long travels. This was not a pleasant task, and without having self assurance a person considering performing this task might think, "People will think I am just a worthless slave! They will never again be able to feel like I am equal!"

NONE OF THAT SEEMED TO CONCERN CHRIST, BECAUSE HE KNEW WHO HE WAS!

The bookstores are loaded with self help books that are suppose to help us learn to live with more self assurance. But for Christians, a simplier and more reliable approach is to look at the example of Jesus Christ. Christ's servant leadership started with knowing who He was and that is a great place for you and me to start...

1. KNOW WHO YOU ARE
Self-assurance comes from knowing who we are. The most important key to knowing who we are is knowing WHOSE we are! Jesus knew. He knew He had come from God and was going back to God. He didn’t say He had come from Joseph and Mary or their home in Nazareth; or that He was going to Jerusalem to die. Those were His earthly perimeters. The most important thing He knew was that He had His origin and destination in God. That is true for us as well. In Christ we can know and understand that we do indeed have a Father who loves us and believes in us.

1 JOHN 3:1-2 “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. (2) Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”

2. KNOW WHAT GOD HAS PUT INTO YOUR HANDS

Part of the self-assurance that God can give us is recognizing that He has called us into ministry and we have all been given gifts through the Holy Spirit.

1 CORINTHIANS 12:7

“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.”

The Holy Spirit has given each of us gifts or talents to be used to minister to others. Some of us have more self-assurance than others. This does not mean that those with less self-assurance do not have a ministry or mission to accomplish.

Paul refers to this in verses 15 and 16 of 1 Corinthians:
“If the foot should say. ‘because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,’ in spite of this it still belongs to the body. And if the ear should say, ‘because I am not an eye, I don’t belong to the body.’ In spite of this it still belongs to the body.”

Paul was equating church members to body parts; to those that questioned their importance to the body Paul said that every part and every member has a role and a gifting from the Holy Spirit. So, true self assurance is knowing God has called us to a purpose or knowing what He has put into our hands!

3. DARE TO SERVE
The example that Jesus sets is first of all; we are called to serve God and secondly; we have a call to serve our brothers and sisters. Jesus humbled Himself to wash the feet of His disciples. To allow the Son of God to wash Peter’s dirty smelly feet must have brought a feeling of unworthiness to Peter. But the essence of the servant love that Jesus was showing was the WILLINGNESS to do the most humbling of tasks in order to serve and love people.

What task of servanthood have you been willing to do this week?

Do you have the self-assurance of whose you are?

It is my prayer that you will have a humble spirit as you strive to love and serve others this week!

Blessings, Laurie

*Please take time to vote in this weeks poll "as a young child, when your parent(s) had dinner guests, where did you have to sit?" Cast your vote on the sidebar of this blog. THANK YOU.

MEMORIAL DAY...thank you for the sacrifice!

TODAY IS MEMORIAL DAY...

thank you to all who have served our country and who have given their lives for our freedom.

A remarkable story about a marine who gave so sacrificially while serving our country was recently told on MSNBC. Sgt. Merlin German was burned over 97% of his body while serving over in Iraq. We hear about stories like this and stand in awe, but we don't realize that there are many stories like this one that we DO NOT hear about. To get a better understanding of the number of those who have given their lives recently, view this list of FALLEN. CLICK HERE

A SOLDIER IS WHAT HE WAS....

A SACRIFICE IS WHAT HE GAVE!

read Sgt. Merlin German's story

AND THEN PAUSE A MOMENT TODAY TO GIVE THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES AND THEN TAKE TIME TO SAY A SPECIAL PRAYER OF PROTECTION OVER THOSE WHO ARE CURRENTLY SERVING OUR COUNTRY.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!

Blessings, Laurie

*the weekly devotion will be posted on tuesday this week. Please check back tomorrow for it.

THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY...dedication to pastor's wives

It has been a while since I have done a THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY post. But recently I came across a video that I am dying to share with all of you.

If you are married to a Pastor...you will be able to relate to this video.

If you are married to any church leader...you will be able to relate to this video.

If you are a woman...you will be able to relate to this video.

If you are a man, a Pastor, or a male church leader...well...enjoy the video anyway!

My video isn't inspirational this week, but you can find more INSPIRATIONAL videos and songs by visiting Amy at THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAYS.

Blessings on this Saturday!

Love, Laurie

THANKFUL THURSDAY...children are a gift

This week on THANKFUL THURSDAY I want to honor and give thanks to God for the wonderful blessings of being a Mother. Truly a blessing and honor that God bestowed on me 25 years ago. God gave me the privelege of tending and caring and loving for (4) of His precious children.

As I have watched each of these four beautiful children grow into fine, young Christians; my heart is so full of love, adoration and thankfulness! Three of the four are spreading their wings and finding their own way now, I watch them with tears in my eyes but yet at the same time, a cry of joy in my heart as they seek the path God has chosen for them.

PSALMS 127:3 "Behold, children are a gift of the Lord"

THANK YOU GOD for DAVID....a beautiful boy who came into the world with physical difficulties but as I have watched you grow into a fine young man these past 25 years, I have seen a determination and a hope to overcome the physical things that were meant to slow you down. Your faith, your determination and your hope has inspired me so much. I am so proud to see you follow your heart and your passion as you step out in faith this week. You will leave my side today as you leave to go to live in Baltimore, but forever you will be in my heart and in my prayers. THANK YOU FOR CALLING ME MOM!

THANK YOU GOD for JEREMY....a miracle baby. The doctors said "impossible" but God had the last word! I have watched you over the past 23 years as you tried to figure life out in many different ways, but you never lost sight of where your faith is and what it is based upon. I always believed you would take the world by the tail, and never in my wildest dreams would I have thought you would make me a proud Mom of a military soldier. The path I thought you would take was a far different path God had already chosen for you. I am so proud of the choices you are making and that God is number one in your life. You will leave my side in August as you leave to serve your one year duty in Korea, but forever you will be in my heart and in my prayers. THANK YOU FOR CALLING ME MOM!

THANK YOU GOD for JORDAN...what a blessing you are to me. I never dreamed I would say "My 3 Sons" but God already knew what a blessing 3 rowdy and wrestling little boys would be to this momma. I have never been so proud than when you played football. and when you played baseball. and when you scored big on your ACT. and when you left for prom in your tuxedo. and when you showed up at your sisters baseball game to cheer her on. and when you got your drivers license. and when you made that beautiful "family" sign for me on Mothers Day. and when you said you wanted to marry me when you were four years old. and when you said "I love you Mom". and when you walked across the field last week and recieved your high school diploma. All those things and more make me proud to be your momma, but nothing makes me more proud than to see you pursuing Gods will for your life. You will leave my side soon as you venture out into the world, but forever you will be in my heart and in my prayers. THANK YOU FOR CALLING ME MOM!

THANK YOU GOD for ANNA MARIE...a beautiful little girl...FINALLY. You cannot even imagine the joy and love that you have brought into my life. You truly are an example of how God wants to give us the desires of our hearts. You have taken me from BOYS, spiders and baseball to GIRLS with ponytails, barbies, dolls, lace, (and shoe shopping) and back to baseball (girls softball!) These past 12 years have been glorious.... spoiling you. loving you. appreciating you. I know you get tired of me telling you how beautiful you are everyday...but your beauty is inward also...as I watch you worship and seek God. You are a princess! Not just my princess but you are a princess of the King! As you enter junior high this next Fall, my heart is full of sadness and full of joy at the same time as you embark on the most molding years of your life. I am so proud to be your momma and I thank God daily for you! As you enter your teen years, you may not always be by my side, but forever you will be in my heart and in my prayers. THANK YOU FOR CALLING ME MOM!

Have you thanked GOD for the heritage of children today?

Have you thanked your CHILDREN for being who they are today?

Visit IRIS for more THANKFUL THURSDAYS.

Blessings, Laurie

LABEL READER... a piece of my heart

A PIECE OF MY HEART

LABEL READER
Not too long ago my family completed a 21 day Daniel Fast, (a fast that consists of eating nothing but fruits and vegetables for 21 days). It was not so bad, if you LIKE fruits and vegetables. (and I do!) We went on this fast as a family, because we wanted to grow closer to God but also grow closer to one another. I think we all walked away from this commitment with several changes in our habits. One of the things that I changed is reading labels.

Are you a LABEL READER?

I never was before this 21 day fast. It is amazing to me what we are willing to put into our bodies without knowing what it contains. Have you ever considered the amount of sugar that is in a box of cereal? Hint: if the first ingredient is sugar (or anything that rhymes with gross …) it is probably loaded with more sugar than you can imagine.

And what exactly is thiamin mononitrate?

Or pyridoxine hydrochloride?

How about sodium ascorbate?

(I’m not sure these ingredients are even good for us!)

During the 21 days on the Daniel Fast, I found myself affixed on reading labels on everything! If it contained one thing that was even close to sugar or cornstarch, I refused to buy it or eat it.
I was thinking about the newfound hobby I had acquired in label reading and how the grocery store is not the only place that we find people reading labels. Many times, Christians put labels on people.

Does this sound familiar?
Someone who seems to do nothing wrong spiritually
LABEL: super spiritual

People with a big heart to say "yes" and hard time to say "no"
LABEL: Overloaded people who serve

People that we hold up high on a pedestal
LABEL: people with talent

Someone who may turn others away from Christ
LABEL: self righteous

Someone who never gives but always willing to take
LABEL: takers

People who find it hard to accept new Christians/or refuse to reach out to them
LABEL: excluders

Labels do not accurately describe what may be inside. If you are reading a label on a box of cocoa pebbles…the ingredients may sound terrible, but once you open the box and taste of it…YUM!!

The labels that we place on people based on their actions, their talents, or even their attitudes do not always reveal what is inside that person. Everyone (yes even the one who appears self- righteous) has something GOOD inside of him or her.

MATTHEW 7:1,2 "Do not judge lest you be judged. (2) For in the way you judge,you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you."

When it comes to the food I eat, I need to be sure to read labels and WATCH OUT for the bad stuff that my body needs to avoid. However, when it comes to people; I need to AVOID placing labels on them. I need to look for the GOOD STUFF that is just waiting to be opened.

ARE YOU A LABEL READER?

and that's a piece of my heart today!

Blessings, Laurie

SEABISCUIT... a weekly devotion

In the movie SEABISCUIT, one of the most memorable lines describes both the horse and the people who cared for it.: "You don't just throw a life away because it's banged up a bit." That line in the movie voices not only the central theme of the movie but also a central theme of scripture.

WHAT DO WE DO WITH BANGED UP LIVES?

In the movie...Seabiscuit is a race horse going nowhere. He has been beaten and whipped. Eventually he turned lame. But several of the characters see this horse as a metaphor for themselves and for others who have "banged up" lives in the midst of the Great Depression. After tender care and meticulous training, Seabiscuit turns into one of the greatest race horses of all times. Another great line from the movie said this..."We all thought we were saving him, but in the end, he saved us."

We can read in Isaiah, chapter 53 of another story of one who was whipped and beaten, but who in the end saved us!

ISAIAH 53:4,5 "Yet He Himself bore our sicknessess, and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God and afflicted. (5) But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds."

Jesus Christ was whipped and beaten and crucified; but God used His pain to bring redemption from sin. Isaiah 53 is the most complete prophecy of what Christ's mission became. It also serves as a reminder to Christians of how we can understand our own suffering as we seek to be servant leaders following after Christ.

The molding years of rejection often times happen around junior high age. This is the time that hormones are kicking in and being accepted and liked by our peers is the most important thing on our "to do" list.

Last week I polled the blog readers "In junior high, what part of your appearance did you feel might make people reject you?" The top three answers...

72% of those polled said they feared their WEIGHT would bring rejection

9% voted ACNE or CROOKED TEETH would cause their peers to reject them

9% also voted that their HAIR would bring rejection in junior high

Everyone experiences times of rejection. The question is WHAT DO WE DO WHEN WE FEEL REJECTED? If you read Isaiah 53, you can see that Christ knew what it was like to be rejected: (verse 3) "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sufferings who knew what sickness was. He was like one people turned away from; He was despised, and we didn't value Him."

The greatest tragedy of history came when the Son of God entered the world and humankind rejected and crucified Him instead of welcoming Him.

JOHN 1:10:11 "He was in the world, and the world was created through Him, yet the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him."

Because Jesus experienced this kind of rejection, He can understand when we are rejected. Rejection does not just happen in junior high, for most of us, we will experience rejection of some kind throughout our lifetime on earth.

JESUS CHRIST - "If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me before it hate you. If you were of the world, the world would love (you as) its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, this is why the world hates you. Remember the word I spoke to you: 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecute Me, they will persecute you."

HAVE YOU BEEN REJECTED BECAUSE OF YOUR FAITH?

* by your family?

* by your friends?

* by your co-workers?

When our personal faith causes us to face rejection, we cannot take it personally. A servant leader takes on the life perspective "It's not about me". Life as a whole is not about us; but about Christ. Likewise, rejection is not about us; it is about the world's rejection of Christ.

I encourage you, even in a state of rejection, keep on sharing the Good News, Keep on sharing God's love and keep on praying for your unsaved loved ones! "You don't throw away a life just because it is banged up a bit." Jesus died for all, even those that are rejecting you and rejecting Him.

DEAR LORD, HELP US TO NOT GIVE UP ON THOSE WHO ARE LOST!

Thank you for joining me in this week's devotion. It is my prayer that it has challenged your heart to seek more of Him this week!

Blessings, Laurie

ACHIEVEMENT...a piece of my heart

A PIECE OF MY HEART

WOW! What a week for our family. Tuesday, my husband was ordained with the Assemblies of God and Friday, son#3 graduated from High School.

JESUS CHRIST " Train up a child and he will not depart from it."

Even though certifcates have been earned by both of these fine young men....learning has just begun. Life is all about learning, but thankfully Jesus has left us the manuel to get through it.

CLAYTON

ORDAINED ASSEMBLIES OF GOD MINISTER

"THE CHARGE OF MINISTRY"

"THE PRAYER" "THE TEARS"

"THE JOY"Rev. Clayton Adams and Laurie with AR A/G Superintendent Larry Moore

JORDAN

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE

"THE ANTICIPATION""THE LINE OF WAITING""THE FINAL WALK

ACROSS THE FIELD""13 YEARS WRAPPED IN ONE MOMENT"

"JORDAN AND GIRLFRIEND ANNA"

"JORDAN WITH PROUD MOM AND DAD"

I am proud of BOTH of you for your accomplishments. God is just now opening doors of opportunity and His ways are higher than ours. Trust in the Lord all the days of your life!


and that's a piece of my heart today;





blessings, Laurie

THANKFUL THURSDAY...peace that passes all understanding

Today is THANKFUL THURSDAY and today I am giving thanks for the PEACE that passes all understanding! This kind of peace can only come from the Lord.

Have you ever encountered a problem that seemed over your head and there seemed no way to overcome it?

Recently, my family faced an incredible financial burden. There was no way in the human eye that we could see an end to this debt, but once we placed it in God's hands, the strangest thing happened...a peace swept over us. This kind of peace does not come from the bank but can only come from the Lord.

THANKFUL THURSDAY....PEACE

* I AM THANKFUL for the peace in troubled times

* I AM THANKFUL for the peace in health problems

* I AM THANKFUL for the peace of safety during war

* I AM THANKFUL for the peace of what may lie ahead that is unknown

* I AM THANKFUL for the PRINCE OF PEACE who gives us PEACE!

Do you need peace today?

PHILIPPIANS 4:7 "and the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Visit IRIS at THANKFUL THURSDAY for other thankful posts!

Blessings, Laurie

CALLED...a piece of my heart

A PIECE OF MY HEART...
I wanted to share another piece of my heart this week as my heart is so full this morning! Yesterday I shared with you that we are at district council and last night my husband became officially ordained with the Assemblies of God!

WHAT A POWERFUL NIGHT!

There were 18 all together becoming ordained. And since the lineup was alphabetically, we were the first ones to lead the line out. From the time the entrance door opened up for us to go into the service...I felt an overwhelming power of the Holy Spirit! As we walked in the sanctuary in front of over 1000 people all I could do is smile from ear to ear. SUCH JOY OF THE LORD!

Our District Superintendent, Larry Moore, did such an awesome job as he ushered us into proclaiming the call on our lives as ministers. His sermon wasn't about Job, it wasn't about Joshua, it wasn't about Moses....it was about those who have been called in the state of Arkansas who are laboring for the kingdom of God. Brother Moore shared numerous reports from Pastors in our area that are toiling and planting. Most of these churches started small with only 5 in attendance, but what a blessing to hear our District Superintendent report how 5 turned into 10 and then 30 and now 75! SUCH JOY OF THE LORD!

As I stood in that ordination service with my husband, I was humbled and moved by the power of God. The call that God had placed on our hearts and in our spirits many years ago was coming to fruition, God's stamp of approval was placed upon our heads.

Romans 8:28 reminds me that He has a good plan for our lives!
Luke 1:79 tells us He is guiding our steps toward peace!
Psalm 103:5 promises us that He will bless us with good things!

As we came forward to be prayed over, what a blessing to be prayed over by an Executive Presbyter that we have been acquinted with for years. Bro. Wayne Gore. God's presence was so heavy at that moment that all I could do is pray in my heavenly language. Later Clayton told me that he was so humbled and emotional he could not even pray. Clayton was moved to tears. I was moved to tears. And Brother Gore was moved to tears. SUCH JOY OF THE LORD!

We are humbled and honored to be CALLED His children.
We are humbled and honored to be CALLED to serve.
We are humbled and honored to be CALLED!

It is not something we take lightly. There is SUCH JOY serving our Lord!

What have you been CALLED to do for the kingdom? Receive the JOY OF THE LORD and don't give up on your dreams. It is His desire to give you the desires of your heart!

and that's a piece of my heart today;

Blessings, Laurie

A huge THANK YOU to all of our church family who drove the hour and half drive to share this special moment with us. Your love, your prayers and your support means more to us then you will ever know. We love all of you so much and thank the Lord for each of you!!

THE CLOUD...a piece of my heart

This morning we are in Little Rock at the Arkansas District Council. We arrived yesterday. Tonight is a VERY special night for our family, as my husband will be ordained in the annual ordination ceremony. This is a personal goal and dream coming to fruition after many years. God is faithful! At last nights service, the message was about not only seeking God's will for your life and for your ministry but remaining in God's will. I would like to share some thoughts I came away with after hearing the message last night:

God puts a cover of cloud over his children. Meaning that He goes before you, He will protect you, He will guide you, He wants the best for you! Just like a parent who wants nothing but the best for their children. I, as a Mother would do anything for my children especially to enable them to pursue their dreams and abilities and their God given talents. As much as I would do for my children, God will do even more than that for His children!

There is PEACE in being in God's will!
There is COMFORT in being in God's will!
There is OBEDIENCE in being in God's will!
There is POWER in being in God's will!

So if God puts a cloud over His children, what happens when the cloud moves? Sometimes we can be moving right along, happier than a pig in mud (so to speak) and God can move our direction. What do we do?

Is God asking you to start a new ministry?
Is it time to give up teaching your sunday school class to teach a Bible Study?
Is God calling you into fulltime ministry?
Has God burdened you to switch careers?
Is it time for you to plant a church? become a missionary?

Even when the cloud moves, God is still in it. Will you be obedient and follow the cloud (follow God's will)? There is ever so much JOY in being in God's will.

Seek the cloud today.

and that's a piece of my heart today!
blessings, Laurie

GRAND ENTRY...this weeks devotion

Thank you for joining me today for this weeks devotion. It is my prayer that your heart will be challenged and stirred by God's Word!

Do you remember the Star Wars movie, "The Empire Strikes Back"? In this movie, Luke Skywalker is sent to be trained as a Jedi Knight by a Jedi master. The one to whom he is sent has the reputation of being a great warrior and perhaps the only one who can prepare Skywalker to face Darth Vader. We are made to wonder what this great warrior will look like. Will he tower over those around him as Darth Vader does? Will his muscles ripple as he moves and will he speak with a commanding authority which pulls others to him in obedience? Of course, if you are familiar with this movie, the one we finally encounter on the screen is short, pudgy, and wrinkled and walks with a waddle.

The surprise that moviegoers had in meeting Yoda was probably not unlike the surprise of some who had encountered the latest candidate for Messiah over two thousand years ago. Jesus came into Jerusalem with plenty of fanfare, but surprisingly He came in on a donkey rather that a war horse.

A conquering king or one seeking an earthly kingdom or prestige would have ridden on a war horse. Horses are "parade" animals and they can prance down the road with dignity and elegance. A donkey is a servant animal, or a "beast of burden". Common people used donkeys to carry their loads. They clunked down the road with tiny little strides, bouncing around whoever was riding. In comparision to a war horse, it was like entering in an old VW minibus instead of a modern luxury SUV.

MATTHEW 21:1-11 "When they approached Jerasulem and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, Jesus then sent two disciples, telling them, 'Go into the village ahead of you. At once you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. (3) If anyone says anything to you, you should say that the Lord needs them, and immediately he will send them.' (4)This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled (5)Tell Daughter Zion, 'See, your king is coming to you, gentle and mounted on a donkey, even a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.' (6)The disciples went and did just as Jesus directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their robes on them, and He sat on them. (8) A very large crowd spread their robes on the road; others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. (9)Then the crowds who went before Him and those who followed kept shouting: HOSANNA TO THE SON OF DAVD! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD! HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST HEAVEN! (10) When He entered Jerusalem, the whole city was shaken, saying, 'Who is this?' (11) and the crowds kept saying, 'This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee!"

Many of the people who had gathered were hoping that Jesus had come to fullfill the "Son of David" prophecy (Zech.12:6,8-9) which had spoken of another military hero. But the Messiah who had entered on a donkey made no claim to this military power they were seeking. He was simply not what they had expected.

In the movies, Yoda showed that he had far more power than he appeared to have. Jesus Christ eventully manifested His great and awesome power. It was a different kind of power than what was expected, instead of a power to change governments, it was a power to change lives!

Are you leading others?

What are people looking for and expecting in your leadership?

Do others see servanthood in your heart and in your actions?

Most people would see the term "powerful servant" as a oxymoron. Servants are weak and subject to the ones they serve. But Jesus came into this world to turn everything upside down and make it so the "first will be last and the last first" (Matt. 19:30). When Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, He was serving notice that the power structures of the world were changing. Now the greatest servant of all would be the most powerful king of all.

So...what can we learn from Jesus' example and how do we follow His footsteps? Obviously, riding down the freeway on donkey is not a viable option! Nor are many of us likely to become the center of attention in a parade. However, what happened on Palm Sunday shoud say some things to us about what kind of leaders we should aim to become. Here are some essentials:

1. CHRISTIAN LEADERS SHOULD FOCUS ON BEING HUMBLE SERVANTS

We may not ride on a donkey, but we should aim for having the same spirit in all that we do.

2. WE SHOULD NOT THRIVE ON POWER, BUT KEEP OUR FOCUS ON THE RIGHT GOALS

Power is not to dominate others or to enhance our own ego. Power in itself is not bad, how it is used is what determines if it is good or bad. We should use our power in our leading as Jesus did...to change lives.

3. CHRISTIAN LEADERS SHOULD NOT SO MUCH SEEK TO BE WHAT OTHERS EXPECT THEM TO BE ...BUT WHAT GOD CALLS THEM TO BE

The people of Christ's day did not expect Him to be the kind of Messiah He was, but He was the kind of Messiah that God called Him to be. Remember this when people in your realm of influence pressures you to "do it like it has always been done."

In last weeks YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL, I asked the question, "what are likely to do when making an entrance at a party or gathering." The top 3 results are:

1. 50% voted that they "arrive early and help with the work".

2. 28% of those polled said they "slip in when no one is looking."

3. 21% voted that they "scout out who is there before making their move."

I conclude this weeks devotion with this...when entering a crowd of people, (whether it is a party or a gathering or a dinner) what is your focus?

Is it to be the center of attention

or is it to serve others like Christ did?

Would you arrive on a war horse or a donkey?

My prayer is that this week as you have influence on those around you, (those you work with, those in your family, those in your church, and even those that are strangers that you rub shoulders with) that you will speak Gods love and truth in the power that God has given you.

Have a blessed week!

Laurie

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY...a piece of my heart

A PIECE OF MY HEART...

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

I would like to wish all of you precious ladies a very HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! A special greeting I would like to send to two special ladies:

To my Mother....

* who raised me, along with my two brothers as a single Mom. Bless you!

* who brought me to church and introduced me to the message of Christ. Bless you!

* who always believed I could be anything I wanted to be. Bless you!

To my 2nd Mother...

* who raised my husband in a Christian home, instilling good character and a love for God. Bless you!

* who taught my husband to love and cherish his family by living the example in front of him. Bless you!

* Who always believed that God had great plans for my husbands life. Bless you!

"My mother said to me, "If you become a soldier you'll be a general; if you become a monk you'll end up as the pope." Instead, I became a painter and wound up as Picasso."- Pablo Picasso

We are who we are because of your example!

Because of your love!

and Because of your prayers!

HAVE A BLESSED MOTHER'S DAY!

Blessings, Laurie

THANKFUL THURSDAY....teachers

GIVING THANKS TO

THOSE WHO TEACH...

It is coming to an end ...ANOTHER SCHOOL YEAR. This is a special year for our family as we have another child embarking on that remarkable avenue of High School Graduation. Jordan, son #3 signs out of school today, and will walk the aisle next week to recieve his diploma that he has studied and worked so hard for during the past 12 years.

As I thought about what I could offer up thanks for this Thursday, I recalled the many "teachers" that have come across my path that I am very grateful for. So here is my THANKFUL THURSDAY this week:

TEACHERS

1. I AM THANKFUL for women in my life, such as my Grandmother, my Mom, my Aunt and later in my life...my Mother in law...who all invested in me and taught me how to cook, bake, clean, and be a godly woman.

- I am who I am partly because of your example!

2. I AM THANKFUL for the teachers who taught me the 4 R's in school. Reading, wRiting, aRithemetic. and fourthly... Red shoes! Yes, you heard me right....in 7th grade I had the most awesome teacher who believed in having shoes that matched your outfit. It was not just black shoes or brown shoes, but no matter what color the outfit...the shoes matched!!

- I am the shoe fanatic that I am partly because of your influence!

3. I AM THANKFUL for my children who have taught me so many life lessons.

• Like what happens to your plumbing if a two year old shoves a magnifying glass down the commode?
• Or how fast can you stop a city bus driving by if your toddler runs outside buck naked?
• How many stitches does a face require if you allow a baseball bat to hit it?
• What would happen if you and your friends hold out a baby robin to your beagle dog?

-If it hadn't been for your adventures, I would still be a brunette instead of gray haired covered up with beauty shop magic...HAIR COLOR!

4. I AM THANKFUL for the greatest Sunday School Teacher in the world! (I might be partial because he is my husband) His insight and encouragement to dig into Gods Word deeper and learn it in a way that I could turn around and teach it has caused me to read differently, learn differently and study differently.

-I learn in a new way because of your encouragement!

5. I AM THANKFUL for the greatest Teacher that ever lived on earth. I have not come face to face with Him yet, but our hearts are intertwined and His spirit lives within me. He has left me the greatest book of instructions for living my life and it has taught me so much ....it is the Bible.

-I walk, talk and think differently because of You! You are the love of my life... and the air I breathe ...and the reason I give thanks. Thank you for not just teaching love but living love!

PROVERBS 22:6

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."

EVERYDAY WE ARE LEARNING!

EVERYDAY WE ARE TEACHING!

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED TODAY THAT YOU CAN TURN

AROUND AND TEACH SOMEONE ELSE?

This is today's THANKFUL THURSDAY, for other thankful hearts...check out IRIS and the other thankful thursday postings!

Blessings, Laurie