A Book Review!

  

  Today I thought I would do a book review. I don't think I have ever done one on here. Reading is something I enjoy doing. I'm looking forward to summer break so I can get some more reading in. :)  

  

  I had a friend of mine give me book last Sunday. I ate it up! This is the type of book that you need a highlighter and a pen. I found myself reading parts of it out loud to Marty. He enjoyed it as well.  

  I honestly haven't read too many ladies ministry books. I don't know why, I just haven't.

   Women's Ministry Insights by Julia Bettencourt, is the book I would like to talk about today.  

  

  This book will challenge you as a lady in the local church. It is geared toward ministry leaders, but I believe it could be a blessing to any lady. I was challenged in my thinking, and moved from my comfort zone, which is when growth will happen. I want to grow as a Christian and a pastors wife. 

  I'm going to share a little section that hit home for me!  

WOW!! JUST WOW!! What an awesome thought!

  Here is a link to buy the book. I really encourage you get it and read it. I have shared a few copies with fellow pastors wives, that I thought would enjoy it.

  We should be encouraging one another to grow in Christ.  We as women can at times be pretty judgemental towards other ladies. 

  One thing the author points out in the book is that every person has their own priorities. We shouldn't judge another lady just because her priorities are different than mine! Just because they are different, doesn't mean they are wrong! How easily and quickly we judge on priorities! Our priorities change with the stage of life that we are in. 
 
  We should lift each other up, and encourage them to keep on being faithful to the Lord and to serve where they are.  

 

When God has another plan...

When God Has Another Plan

Daryl Williams

Forsaken by his brothers, didn't fit the scene
Being made a slave was not what Joseph dreamed
The coat of many colors was stained with blood and lies
But from this divine appointment, a ruler would arise

When God has another plan, walk on and just say yes
When God has another plan, be assured that He knows best
When all your dreams are shattered, rest in His sufficient grace
We don't have to understand, when God has another plan

Alone and broken hearted, questions fill your mind
Changes can be hard that come by God's design
But if you could see tomorrow with a view from Heaven's Throne
Every unexpected struggle has led you closer home

This song is one of my favorites!  I tear up every time I hear it. 

  Looking back over the ministries we have had the privilege to work in, I can say that there have been plenty of times that we have just had to just walk on and say yes. 

  I'm going to very transparent in this blog post. Some of our struggles have been very real and raw. Some I have shared, some I have not and may never share. So, today I thought I would share some of my heart with you all. 

  Greenland was our first place of service. 

We were in Greenland for three years. We have many good memories, and to be perfectly honest, some very bad memories of Greenland. Marty and I left Greenland as broken people...   

Alone and broken hearted, questions fill your mind.
Changes can be hard that come by God's design.

This part of the verse perfectly describes how we were. We felt very much alone and broken hearted. Satan had crept in and told us that no one cared and that we were alone in our feelings. 

We struggled for years! Looking back, we could see the Lord working. But, at the time, our pain was real, as was our distrust in others. 

We tried for a long time to get into Denmark, and even back into Greenland. I remember being completely overwhelmed at the thought of going back to Greenland. I confided in a dear friend and just cried at the thought of going back to the place that had caused so much hurt in our lives. 

When God has another plan, be assured that He knows best.

When all your dreams are shattered, rest in His sufficient grace.

We don't have to understand, when God has another plan.

  

I had to learn how to rest in God's grace. Our identity was wrapped up in that fact that we were Arctic missionaries. Our dreams had been shattered. 

Then God lead us to Hungary! 

Marty and I both firmly believe that God lead us to Hungary to help us heal, and to help us to mature in the ministry. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Hungary. I loved the towns, the people and the culture. I would love to visit Hungary again one day. We were in Hungary for two years. 

We came home on furlough with every intention on returning to Hungary.  

But if you could see tomorrow with a view from Heaven's Throne.

But, once again, God had another plan...

 

If you would have asked Marty a little over a year ago if he would ever pastor a church, in Missouri, He would have thought you were crazy. :) But, God began to work in his heart and our lives once again. 

Well, today marks a year that Marty has been pastoring, in Missouri! :)  

Grace Baptist Church had been without a pastor for many years. We have known the church since Maryanna was a baby! 

We love the people here.

Looking back on all that we have done and all that we have experienced, I can see God leading every step of the way. 

Every unexpected struggle has led you closer home.

I'm incredibly thankful that God has given us a home here in Missouri. 

I would like to encourage you to keep on plugging along for the Lord. No, we don't always understand, but we can trust our Savior to lead in our lives.  

Social Media...

This Friday marks two weeks not being on my social media. I started out this year with the mindset of "being intentional" when I got on my social media accounts. Basically, have a reason why I was going on them, not just mindlessly scrolling.  

Two weeks ago I noticed that I was having more and more days where I honestly just felt sad. I couldn't put my finger on it, at the time. I began to evaluate the things in my life. I was doing my daily devotions, and prayer time. But, I had noticed it was just lacking. 

 One morning I finished up my devotions, which were taking anywhere from 15-20 minutes. I then caught myself on facebook. Before I knew it more than 30 minutes had past!! I was spending more time mindlessly scrolling on facebook than I was with my Lord. It's painful to admit that, but it's true. 

I know there is proper balance to these things. For me, I have chosen to stay off Facebook, for now. I can testify and say,  

my walk with The Lord is sweet once again, and my joy has been restored. 

Social media has its place in our society. But, I would like to say that, if you rush through your time with the Lord, just to see what everyone else is up to, it will have a negative effect on you. I found myself being easily irritated at my family and situations around me. 

I know not everyone deals with things like this. But, if you do, know that you aren't alone. And there is a solution to the problem. For me, it's to completely cut it out for now. For you it may not be that, it may be to just scale your time down on social media. I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject of social media, and how it effects you!    

Hello 2020!

   I hope everyone had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year! With the New Year comes new goals. One of my goals is to be more organized in my home. 
  
   So far, so good. :)  The main thing that  I have incorporated in our daily routine is the one touch rule. The one touch rule is simple. Remember teaching your children that once they were done with something to put it away, that's the one touch rule. 

  As an example, you just got home from running errands. You take your shoes off and leave them where they lay. Then throw your things on the nearest piece of furniture. You think, I'll put it away later. Well, later comes in a couple of days, when you are scrambling to find something that is now buried in the pile that has accumulated.

Don't be like this poor lady! :)

    It could have all been avoided if you would have picked up those shoes and put them in their place. Or hung up that coat in the closet or on the coat rack. It doesn't take that much more effort to put things where they belong right away. 


    For me, it goes a step further. How about those household chores that many dread? Laundry and dishes are two of the most dreaded household chores. I'm and oddball and actually enjoy doing both of these. :) You can apply the one touch rule to these two chores as well. How? It's simple, see the chore through all the way. Here's what I mean. You start the load of laundry and you see it through. You wash, dry and fold, all in one day! Don't let it pile up. Same with the dishes, wash, dry, put away!  I do dishes several times a day, but at the end of the day, I'm left with a nice clean kitchen. There might be a cup or plate or two hanging out in the sink from the end of the night, but not a giant pile of dishes.

This, a million time this!!

Another thing to conider is that when you do the one touch rule,  you actually see what you use on a daily basis, and you can declutter from there. If it hasn't been used in a while, get rid of it! It's just taking up space. Also, if you go to put things away and you don't have space for the things you use, it's also a good idea to declutter. 

A good rule!

   Can I challenge you and encourage you to declutter something? Or organize an area in your home that needs it? I know I have a few areas in my home that need organized and declutterd!