May 6, 2026

“I AM” Chapter 7 – Day 5: I AM…with Christ in Eternity!

August 23, 2013 by

I would like to invite you to listen to this video before reading today’s blog.  Close your eyes, if you will;  allow the Holy Spirit to surround you and speak to your heart.  (You will definitely want to turn up the volume!)

 

I can only imagine what it will be like when I walk by His side…I can only imagine what my eyes will see when His Face is before me…I can only imagine!  How about you?!?  Does your heart not yearn for our Lord’s return?  Do you not have your heart set on life eternally spent in the Presence of the Great I AM?  Can you hardly wait?!?

King Solomon, a man graced by God with more wisdom than any other man, wrote the following.

He has made everything beautiful in its time.  He has also set eternity in the human heart;
yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
Ecclesiastes 3:11

God did this!  He put a strong desire to dwell forever with the Great I AM in the human heart!  We understand this, don’t we?  I can only imagine….

In our final lesson today, Teresa shared with us that we have REASON, we have HOPE, and we have PROMISE to cling to.  (Please insert your name in the blanks.)

  • REASON:   (_______) needed a Savior—John 3:16 and 17
  • HOPE:         (_______) is awaiting the Lord’s return—Philippians 3:20
  • PROMISE: (_______) will have a new, perfect body—Philippians 3:21

Please personalize this, my friends!  When we recognize and believe that the Great I AM has made a way from the beginning for (______) to be saved and redeemed and bought back with a precious and costly price—the blood of Jesus—then, I can only imagine….

And check this out!  Here is another promise…we shall see Him; how AWESOME is this?

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.
1 Corinthians 13:12

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Matthew 5:8

Hope remains for God’s children (us! you and me!) We have these beautiful promises from our Faithful God—we SHALL SEE Jesus face-to-face.  I can only imagine….

Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared;
but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him,
because we shall see Him as He is.
1 John 3:2

From this glorious verse we are assured of THREE things:
—we know that He will appear;
—we know that we shall be like Him;
—we know we shall see Him.

To KNOW and be assured of these things gives such comfort and joy to our hearts, doesn’t it? This is TRUTH to speak to ourselves every day!  To remind ourselves that I AM God’s child, I AM going to be like Him (like HIM!!!  amazing!), I AM going to see the Lord.  The truth contained in the Scriptures is our standard, upon which we can stake our very lives because God has spoken it.   I can only imagine….

Jesus’ followers have always believed that He will come again.  He promised the apostles: “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” John 14:3.

Paul related the same promise: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness…” Titus 2:11-14.

The Church today believe this, too.  We wait for His return!  When Jesus was finishing giving Revelation to John, at the very end He says,

He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I AM coming soon.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Revelation 22:20

————————

Friends, this concludes our study of ‘I AM, Discovering the Character of God through the Revelation of the Scripture.’  Has this study been EVEN MORE than you had hoped?  It certainly has for us!  We pray that Teresa’s book, the accompanying blogs written over the past 7 weeks, and our group study has been a great blessing in your life.  God has certainly knit our hearts together as we have studied the truth of His Word together.  God bless you! <3

And, Teresa, we just would like to communicate our love for you and our thanks!  At the opening of your book, you invited your readers to dig in and ‘find ourselves’ in the pages of God’s Word.  Oh! My!  How amazingly that has happened!  We remain so very thankful for your obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit as He taught you…and you taught us!  We are so thankful to God for all that He has worked in your heart, Teresa.  May He continue to make Himself known as He leads you along this path He has placed you on!  We pray for you and your loved ones asking the Great I AM to continue to bless you, keep you and make His face to shine upon you…in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

_____________________

Ladies, may I pray for you?

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26

Lord, I thank You for each and every one of Your daughters who I have been privileged to journey with through this “I AM” study.   We have shared this journey—the growth, the challenges, the struggles, the peace, the joy—and grown closer together.  Thank You for that, Lord!  I pray for each of these dear hearts that You would continue to draw them close to Yourself.  I ask, Lord, that as You have worked in each of their hearts, they would continue to seek You and find You through the Scriptures.  Thank You, Lord, for their hearts, their lives, and their loved ones.  In Jesus our Lord’s name.

Amen.

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Homemade Ricotta

August 23, 2013 by

Homemade Ricotta Resized

When I was in high school, 25 years ago, I thought the funniest movies in the world were Monty Python movies.  Yes, I was one of those nerds who could rattle off quotes from all the movies (in the intervening years, my skills have gotten rusty, but I still have a few).  One of my favorite scenes in the movie “The Life of Brian” was when a group of people are listening to the Sermon on the Mount.  Unfortunately, they are way, way at the back of the crowd and can’t hear well. When Jesus says, “Blessed are the peacemakers,” the crowd in back misinterpret it as “Blessed are the cheese makers.”  So when I came across this recipe for Homemade Ricotta, I immediately started giggling.  I want to be a blessed cheese maker, and you can be too!

You already have the ingredients you need.  Use whole milk, or else the ricotta won’t set up.  One lemon, a little salt, and a tablespoon of white vinegar – what could be easier?  You’ll also need a thermometer.  I have a candy thermometer that clips to the side of the pan, but you could use a meat thermometer, or one of those fancy infrared ones too!  The only equipment you might need to buy is cheesecloth.  I found it at my regular grocery store, and have used it before in making Homemade Coconut Milk.

Ricotta is one of those amazing ingredients that can be used in either sweet or savory recipes.  In the following two weeks, I’ll have recipes that use fresh ricotta in a zucchini “lasagna” (with no noodles!), and in a dessert with fresh summer fruit.  Until then, you can serve fresh ricotta as an appetizer, spread on thin slices of bread, with either cracked pepper and minced herbs, or with a light drizzle of honey and crushed walnuts.  Ready?  Let’s make some cheese!

Homemade Ricotta  (Makes one cup of ricotta)

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar (you may need more, but I didn’t)

Directions:

  1. In a pot, heat milk and salt over medium-high heat.  Stir occasionally to make sure it’s not burning on the bottom.
  2. Prepare your utensils:  Line a mesh sieve with a double-layer of cheesecloth.  If you want to save the whey, place the sieve over a large bowl.  (I saved my whey – next week I’ll show you how I used it.)
  3. When the temperature of the milk reaches 185*F, turn off the heat and pour in the lemon juice and vinegar.  Stir gently.  You just made what Little Bo Peep was eating – curds and whey!  Let it sit for about ten minutes, and stir again.  If you see any milk in your pot that hasn’t curdled, you can add another teaspoon of vinegar, stir, and let sit another ten minutes.  Mine didn’t need any extra and separated easily.
  4. Pour the curds and whey into the cheesecloth-lined sieve.  The whey, the yellowish liquid, will end up in the bowl.  Let cool and refrigerate for later use.  Let the cheese curds, aka your lovely homemade ricotta, drain in the cheesecloth.  If you want it soft and moist, let it drain for about ten minutes.  This is good for spreading on bread, or in dessert applications.  I let mine drain for much longer – about half an hour – because I was baking it in a “lasagna” and didn’t want extra water in the casserole.
  5. This keeps for about 5 days, refrigerated.  I challenge you to make it last more than a few hours!

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

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Glorious Living w/ Coach Megan: Financial Freedom {part 2}

August 23, 2013 by

GL header

Last week, we began talking about how to begin to have financial freedom in your life. If you haven’t read it yet, you can find the post here.  The questions that we are discussing in regard to finances are:

How do you master money when you feel like money has actually mastered you?

How do I get in the black with my finances when I am always in the red?

How do I get out of debt?

…and today we will be working through the five principles for wise money management that the Bible lays out for us to help guide us as we work to get out of debt.  I pray this will be a blessing to you!

The Law of Contentment

  • Remember…God owns everything! {Psalm 50:12}
  • Recognize that God is our mighty source. He provides all that you possess. {Deuteronomy 8:17-18}
  • Realize that God wants you to be content with what you have. {Philippians 4:12}
  • Take a few moments and review what money means to you… (Security? Significance? Self-worth? Status? Power? Independence? A means to helping others? Other______?)
  • Once you discover all of the needs you expect money to fill, call Philippians 4:19 to mind…especially when you are tempted to spend needlessly.
  • Be sure to rest in God’s presence no matter what your financial circumstances.

Hebrews 13:5

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have,

because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

The Law of Self-Control

  • Start by transferring ownership of everything to God…mentally and emotionally. {Haggai 2:8}
  • Then you must separate yourself from the sin of greed.  You must repent and confess if your trust is in money.  Remind yourself of the consequences of financial bondage. {Luke 12:15}
  • Set a NEW goal for managing your finances.  Get counsel from someone with financial self-control and commit to staying on course with God’s plan for your finances.  {2 Corinthians 5:9}
  • Keep away from temptation by controlling your thoughts. Avoid thinking you can occasionally indulge yourself and avoid thinking that you can do whatever you want, self-sufficiently.

1 Corinthians 10:13

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.

But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

The Law of Stewardship

  • You must recognize your accountability to God for how you spend money.  What does accountability mean?  It means…. Knowing exactly what comes in, knowing exactly what goes out, knowing exactly where it goes (budgeting), knowing how to save (regardless of your income), knowing how to put your money to work for you (safe investment planning), and knowing when and where to give money to God and to others.
  • Return the first tenth of your earnings to God…this must be a commitment!  Many assume that tithing was taught only in the Old Testament.  However, Jesus gave full endorsement to the principle of tithing. {Luke 11:42}
  • Reserve an amount of your earnings for saving.  A wise steward plans ahead by establishing a habit of saving. {Proverbs 13:22}
  • Be sure to respond to the needs of others. When you allow God’s heart to have freedom in your heart, your attitude toward giving will change so that He will use your giving in the lives of others. {Proverbs 19:17}
  • Resolve to live by a monthly budget.  {We will talk more about this next week!}

The Law of Giving

  • Give confidently to God that which He has commanded.  {Malachi 3:10}
  • Give regularly to the work of the Lord.  {1 Corinthians 16:2}
  • Give sacrificially by giving up some of your own desires. {2 Corinthians 8:3}
  • Give cheerfully–not reluctantly or under pressure.  {2 Corinthians 9:7}
  • Give generously to the poor.  {Deuteronomy 15:11}
  • Give compassionately to those in need.  {Romans 12:13}
  • Give secretly without letting others know.  {Matthew 6:1}

The Law of Petition… How to Pray for Your Needs

The following are some conditions on which successful prayer depends:

  • Is your request within the will of God? {1 John 5:14}
  • Have you confessed and repented of any known sin in your life?  {Psalm 66:18-19}
  • Instead of desiring your own will, are you willing to accept God’s will with a submissive heart?  {Mark 14:36, Philippians 4:6-7}

Blessings to you,

Coach Megan 🙂

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“I AM” Chapter 7 – Day 4: I AM…The Root and Offspring of David

August 22, 2013 by

2Samuel7_IAMI am where I am because of my family.  Faith in Jesus and a strong relationship with Him is a legacy that has passed down from generation to generation.  I am so blessed to have known Him all my life.  My grandparents on both sides were faithful Jesus followers.  My parents made sure that above all else, my salvation and my relationship with Jesus trumped all.  I want to make sure that my children know Him and will spend eternity with Him.  To follow only Him and to faithfully see His word.  It’s true that we cannot choose our family, but God did choose them for us.

Have you ever looked at Jesus’s family? Did you know James was His half-brother? Did you know that James did not believe in Jesus until after the resurrection? The Book of James is written as a letter addressing many issues about how faith in Jesus needs to affect the way we act. It also addresses some misunderstandings about the relationship between salvation by faith in Jesus and the need for believers to live a godly life.  James 1:2-4 says “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.  So let it grow for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

The scripture from today’s lesson is Hebrews 11.  It has been called the “Hall of Faith” because it mentions a long list of people who were used by the Great I AM because of their faith.  No doubt the author of Hebrews confused the readers by calling it this.  These mighty Jewish people, heroes if you will, never received all that God had promised them because they died before Jesus came.  In God’s plan, they would be rewarded together for enduring much testing.  Old Testament faith was also a heartfelt trust in a personal God.  Many before us faced difficult times and persevered by faith.  Notice that in every illustration in this chapter, it starts with “It was by faith that….”

Hebrews 12 begins “Since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run the race that God has set before us….”

Maybe the weight that slows us down is our past or maybe it is what we are dealing with right now.  You and I both have had the awesome privilege of meeting Jesus and have formed a real relationship with Him.  Now, what are you going to do with Him? Don’t you love this question that Teresa asks in this book?

It is God’s will for us to win this race we call life, for us to lay down our recurring sin that weighs us down sometimes. There will be pain from exertion, but we are told to pace ourselves and bear the pain with grace and with patience. And remember that others, who have run the same race and finished, will be cheering us on!

*****

Let’s Pray:

Dearest Lord,

Thank You so much for all those who went before us to show us that all Your promises do come true and if we trust You we will be rewarded.  What a day that will be when we see Abraham, Isaac, David, Mary, Martha, Peter, Noah (and the list goes on and on), rejoicing when we cross the finish line all together.  You are our great reward and You are worth it.  I end with a prayer from 2 Samuel 7:25-26, “And now, O Lord God, I am Your servant: do as you have promised concerning me and my family.”  In Jesus’ Name I pray.

AMEN

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Our Words and Meditations

August 22, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogo

A redeemer is someone who frees or delivers another from difficulty, danger or bondage, usually by the payment of a ransom price. A rock is a foundation, support or refuge. With these definitions alone I can understand why David wrote,

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sights, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19:14

A desire to please God comes naturally when you begin to seek His face.  When we begin to seek God, we grow.  I think our words and the meditations of our hearts are good indicators of areas that need God’s life-giving truth.

In Luke 6:45, Jesus said, “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart.  For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”  The heart is one’s innermost character, feelings, or inclinations.  Our hearts are the core of who we are.  Our hearts are what God is concerned with changing.  The junk inside our core did not appear overnight.  No, the junk that is at our core grew over time.   How?

For as a man thinks, so he is.
Proverbs 23:7a

We let the junk in one thought at a time.  This is why we are called to renew our minds!  We need to pay attention to the thoughts that bounce around in our minds.

In Mark 4:24, Jesus said, “Be careful what you are hearing.  The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you- and more [besides] will be given to you who hear.”

At one point in my life, I had tons of thoughts racing through my mind…every waking second of every day.  You could ask me what I was thinking and I could not always tell you because, if I focused on my thoughts too hard, I’d often get nosebleeds.  I can remember sleepless nights due to the fact that my mind just wouldn’t be quiet.  That was a miserable time for me.

The Lord has shown me the power of my thoughts and given me new thoughts to think.  He has shown me that I can choose what I will think and He has shown me what is pleasing to Him.  This is a joyful time for me.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Phillippans 4:8

Don’t let negative thoughts consume you; you choose!  So, what are you thinking?

* * * * *

Thank You, Lord, for giving us Your word to overcome the negativity of this world.  May the meditations of our hearts be pleasing to You.  Amen.

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What IS homeschooling, anyway?

August 22, 2013 by

www.girlfriendscoffeehour.com What IS homeschooling, anyway? #homeschool

Now that you know my story, and how our family came to homeschooling, you may be asking yourself this question.

What IS homeschooling, anyway?

Trust me, anyone who has ever considered taking this faith leap has asked themselves that question! The answer can be simple or quite complicated, and it depends on many things.

Are you new to homeschooling?

How many children are you homeschooling?

In which state are you living?

Is this a permanent decision, year-by-year, or definitely temporary?

What is your teaching and learning style?

What is your child’s learning style?

Does your child have a great interest in a certain topic or activity?

The definition

Are you ready for the basic, simple definition of homeschooling?

Homeschooling is the educating of a child by his or her parents.

Ready for the more complicated answer?

Homeschooling is:

Reading, baking, singing, playing, writing, building, creating, resting, thinking, gardening, swinging, digging, swimming, changing, committing, adjusting, listening, praying, following, obeying….to name just a few verbs. Notice how it is an active, living thing?

I posed this question in a couple Facebook groups of which I’m a part, as well. Below are some of the answers I received from mamas who are currently in the trenches of homeschooling!

“A learning lifestyle” ~ Inger from Hiding the Peas

“taking personal responsibility for their [your child’s] educational outcome” ~ Amber from Adventure Hollow

“Living and learning WITH your children.” ~ Heather from Upside Down Homeschooling

“We think of homeschooling as learning together as a family, doing our best to equip and prepare our children for what God calls them to in career, family, and Great Commission.” ~ Tauna Meyer from Proverbial Homemaker

“Homeschooling is a lifestyle. It is not school at home, but rather a way we choose to live our life.” ~ Stephanie from Multi Taskin’ Mom

It is simply choosing to raise our children ourselves.” Cindy from Get Along Home

“It’s doing life together! Pouring the love of Jesus into them every moment and making him the center of all we do! “~ Jennifer from Godly Glimpses

“Homeschooling is the gift of nurturing relationships with your children, crafting learning opportunities to meet their needs, and blending life and learning together. ~ Anne from learning table

An opportunity for parents to be at the helm of providing intellectual, moral, social and spiritual instruction to their children by choosing to guide them through learning outside of traditional public, private and charter schools. ~ Martianne from Training Happy Hearts

“Homeschooling is about discipling our children the same way Jesus discipled his apostles — by being with them every day, talking with them, teaching, training, and setting the example.” ~ Marcy from Ben and Me

Here are some quotes from a few unschoolers, too:

“….my definition of homeschooling has grown over the years. I believe it is the original design for families. Children learn naturally from their parents through daily interaction, guidance, participation in the community in meaningful ways, and working through issues.” ~ Aadel from These Temporary Tents

“For our family, homeschooling is not defined as what we do. It’s just that we keep our kids home from school. I actually had a “Yes!” moment recently as I was flipping through David Guterson’s “Family Matters” and that he had written something very similar to the above sentiment. I had finally found something that made sense. What unites all homeschoolers, regardless of their educational philosophy, is that they have traded in the ideal of public education to keep their kids home and to educate them in a way that seems natural and makes sense to them. Homeschooling is about choosing something different for your family.” ~ Rebecca from Raven Threads

“I believe that parents owe it to our children to step out of that world and seek first, God and then seek freedom. Freedom to think for themselves without fear of rejection, freedom to learn the world outside the textbooks, freedom to feel the world…not just read about it. Freedom to become discovers again! ~ Margret

Tabitha, over at Meet Penny, also helped me out by polling her readers. Here are some of the answers she received:

“A method of educating the whole child.”

“Homeschooling is a lifestyle.”

“Homeschooling is providing my children with the best education I can for them to become happy, intelligent adults.”

“I am heart-schooling!”

Personally, I love that last one.

I may need to begin describing our homeschool that way. After all, it is the reason I began homeschooling. To capture their hearts, direct them toward Him!

Did these quotes give you a good picture of what homeschooling is? Of what it can be?

I look forward to digging deeper next week with Why would ANYONE choose to homeschool? I hope you’ll join me!

 

 

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“I AM” Chapter 7 – Day 3: I AM..the LIVING ONE

August 21, 2013 by

2Chron7_14_IAM

What a wonderful way to close out this study knowing that our God is the “Living One.”

 Our Living God from A – Z

A- AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH (HEBREWS 12:2)

B- BREAD OF LIFE (JOHN 6:35)

C- CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD (ROMANS 8:39)

D- DELIVERER (ROMANS 11:26)

E- ETERNAL LIFE (1 JOHN 5:20)

F- FAITHFUL AND TRUE (REVELATION 19:11)

G- GREAT HIGH PRIEST (HEBREWS 4:14)

H- HEAD OF THE CHURCH (EPHESIANS 5:23)

I- I AM (JOHN 8:58)

J- JESUS (MATTHEW 1:21)

K- KING OF KINGS (REVELATION 17:14)

L- LIGHT OF THE WORLD (JOHN 8:12)

M- MEDIATOR (1 TIMOTHY 2:5)

N- NAZARENE (MATTHEW 2:23)

O- OUR PASSOVER (1 CORINTHIANS 5:7)

P- PRINCE (ACTS 5:31)

Q- QUINTESSENCE – THE MOST PERFECT EMBODIMENT OF SOMETHING (REVELATION 1:8)

R- REDEEMER (JOB 19:25)

S- SAVIOR (LUKE 2:11)

T- TEACHER (JOHN 3:2)

U- UNMATCHABLE – NO ONE IS EQUAL TO HIM (ISAIAH 40:28)

V- VINE (JOHN 15:1)

W- WORD (JOHN 1:1)

X- EXCELLENT (PSALM 8:9)

Y- YOURS – HE IS FREE TO YOU IF YOU BELIEVE (ROMANS 10:9)

Z- ZION, KING OF (PSALM 9:11)

Revelation 1:18  I am the living one.  I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever!  And I hold the keys of death and the grave.

WOW!  God’s Word speaks for itself to show us Life (living life-Himself)

People go around asking all kinds of questions daily.  Some of the many questions we have heard are: Who made the trees?  The flowers?  The birds?  The animals?  The earth?  The rocks?  The stars, sun, moon, ocean, mountains?  Who made you and me?  And the answer is:   Someone who is greater, more intelligent than all, made them!

That Someone is the only true and living God. He is invisible to our eyes, because He is a Spirit.  He lives in heaven.  He is eternal.  He has always existed and He always will.  We know Him because we see the things He has made and because He has given us His book called the Bible in which He reveals Himself to us.  We don’t find His bones in a grave, like other gods who have died, because our God lives!

Do you know the only true and living God?  If not, would you like to?  Do you want to be free from your daily burdens of sin and have a sweet assurance of “living” with the “Living One”?

If you are ready to meet the “I AM” and “live” with the “Living One” for eternity then all you have to do is ask Him.

“Dear Lord Jesus, 
I know that I am a sinner, I believe Jesus died on the cross and shed His blood for my sins, was buried and rose from the grave.  I ask You now, Lord Jesus, to come into my heart, and take away my sins, and save my soul.  Change my heart and life, Lord, to be what You want me to be!  I thank You, Lord for the forgiveness of my sins, Your gift of salvation and everlasting life, because of Your mercy and grace!  AMEN.

Oh what a precious journey you will have as you will get to know the “I AM” – the “Living One” now that you have accepted Him as Christ your Savior.  I may not ever get to meet you personally here on this earth, but know, my friend, that I will be praying for you as you begin your new life with Him, and on the day He returns I will meet you in heaven!  Hallelujah!

**********

Let’s Pray:

Dear God,

I thank You for these past seven weeks that we have been able to dig in Your Word together, Lord, and truly get to know Who You Are and who we are in You.   I thank You for any that have received You as Savior and I ask that You help them to continue to dig in Your Word and become the beautiful creation that You intended for them to be and help them to spread this wonderful news of salvation with the world.  In Your name, I pray.

Amen!

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Ten Ways to Stick to an Exercise Program – #6 Get Results in Your Program

August 21, 2013 by

AskCrystal.jpg

Like most people, myself included, you probably want to quit when you do not get results from exercise.  I have heard women say, “I go to the gym every day” or “I have been trying really hard and nothing is working.”  If you have felt this way, it could be because you are not following a program that is right for you. Everyone has different goals, schedules, and fitness levels; and cannot follow the same plan.  To avoid frustration before you get started, develop an exercise program that gets results.  It will help you stay focused and able to stick with it longer.

Take a few minutes when writing out your workout schedule and determine the following:

  • Type: What do you want to achieve? Is it weight loss, strength, or flexibility? It is important to choose the right type of exercise (walking, jogging, yoga, strength training, etc.) to meet YOUR goals. Don’t forget the type should also be something that you enjoy.
  • Intensity:  This refers to how hard you are working. Are you working at your target heart rate, burning enough calories during your cardio exercise or lifting the right amount of weight to see changes in your muscle tone?
  • Duration: Once you determine your intensity, next set the appropriate length of time for your workout such as 20, 30, or 45 minutes. .
  • Frequency: Decide how many days a week you can commit to.  If you are just starting, don’t set yourself up for failure by trying to do 5-7 days a week. Start with 1-2, gradually working your way up to 3-5.

I have seen so many women become frustrated when they do not see any benefits from their work.  If you have felt that way, it could be that you are not following the right program.  A few small changes in your type, intensity, duration, and frequency may be all you need to see results.

If you are not getting the results you want or unsure of how to get started, it may be helpful to consult with a professional.  I would love to help you. Learn more at http://www.yourfitnessdesigner.com/Services.html  and email me to set up a time for a consultation.  Avoid feeling like you are roaming around aimlessly wondering what you should be doing.  Start with the exercise plan that will get results in your program.

In Good Health,

Crystal

Filed Under: Coaching w/ Crystal Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Place the Bible in my Hands

August 21, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogo

God’s Word is a precious gift.  If ever our Bibles become dusty due to lack of use, let’s cry out to God to forgive us.  Within its pages are God’s great messages and truths..stories of His love, hope, forgiveness, and His Presence as Lord and Savior unfold there.  From God’s Word you gain wisdom, knowledge, and insight into how God wants you to live.

With my Bible in my hands, I sat on my comfy couch and read all of Psalm 19 to soak up all God wanted me to gain from David’s words in this chapter.  David writes,

The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever.
The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.
They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.
Psalms 19:7-10

Let it be written and let it be proclaimed: God’s Word trumps ANYTHING that any mere man could ever say.  Why?  It is inspired by God, and it is this:

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12

Never let dust gather there.  Open God’s Word!  Read it, absorb it, and live it!!!  It continues to be a precious gift, as it—through the power of the Holy Spirit—teaches, encourages, convicts, and reveals the plan of salvation through Jesus.  It will remain as truth for all times! 

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.
Isaiah 40:8

Contemplate:

Imagine you have to be on a deserted island by yourself for one year.  You are told you will have bread, water, and shelter.  But you have to make an important choice.
First option:  Each day you can have a cup of the best-tasting honey ever and gaze into a huge cave filled with bars of pure gold, which you can have at the end of the year. —OR–  Second option: You can have a Bible with you to read daily.

What do you choose?    Place the Bible in my hands!!!

*****

Dear Lord,  let us treasure Your Word!  Allow the Holy Spirit to penetrate its truths deep into our hearts so that our desire is to live it and, only by Your grace, bring You great glory in our lives.  Daily, we desperately need You!  Please may we all desire to read Your Word every day!!!  In Jesus’ Precious Name,  Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Random Do It Yourself Tips

August 21, 2013 by

One day this week I felt like I had a complete do-it-yourself day.  I’m a single mom of two boys ages 11 and 1. I’ve had to learn to do a lot of things on my own that normally I would have gotten help with.

Today started out with us going shopping.  I’m a guru about finding stuff on sale. I found sunblock for $3, and a bathing suit top for $5.00. Remember to shop the clearance items to save money.  I also did a complete balancing act with a sleepy baby trying to check out.  It’s amazing the things a mom can do with one hand.

After I picked up my son from school, I had to go home and mow the yard.  Thankfully, my son and my nephew helped babysit the baby while I did this.  For two days now, I have been trying to start the lawn mower and it would not start no matter what I did.  I remembered one time my neighbor sprayed some starter fluid into my lawn mower engine and it started right up.  So while I was at Walmart, I bought some engine starter fluid for $3.  I sprayed the starter fluid where the air filter went down into the carburetor and I was amazed all it took was 2-3 seconds of  spraying and it started right up.  You have to remove the air filter and replace it after spraying.  I was able to mow the yard and not have to ask someone for help or not have to take the lawn mower in to get it fixed.  I have to say it was pretty amazing that I was able to fix an engine.

My oldest son had gone camping with his dad over the weekend and he got chiggers.  His little legs are broken out very badly.  I have used a home remedy before on myself and it definitely works.  I used clear fingernail polish to cover every chigger bite. The nail polish will suffocate the chiggers and they will go away.  Needless to say,  I didn’t have time to complete the craft I was going to use for the blog.  So that will be on my to-do list for next week.  The important thing to remember is that we all are able to do things on our own as long as we know how to do it and we just keep trying.  Having faith and believing that you can do things for yourself is a huge self- esteem booster and knowing that God will help you in every step of the way has helped me to believe in myself. The smiles on my boys faces are definitely worth it.

AmysBoys

I hope my tips were helpful for you today!  I would love to hear some of YOUR tips, too!!

Enjoy!!

Amy

 

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , ,
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