"Rescued"

Hi ladies!
The 2011 Women of Purpose Conference is almost upon us! Yea! I just went to Phoenix for our director's seminar and am so impressed with Kerry Clarensau, our new national director and the "direction" she is taking us in. She shared alot about ministry to women - ladies, that's what it is all about! We need each other.
Please be praying for the conference! If you have not registered, early registration is due this Wednesday, August 10th but you can register anytime up until the event. We do not want you to miss out! I was speaking with Dr. Beth Grant, our speaker, in Phoenix and she just loved our theme "Rescued". There will be some women coming that weekend who need to be "rescued" in the worst way and Christ will be there to meet them! Are you preparing yourselves now by seeking God to move in your heart, the hearts of the women at your church and the others who will be attending? I love you all and can't wait to see you!!!! Don't miss out! Get all the details at www.nywomenofpurpose.org. See you there!

My country tis' of thee

This year, the fourth of July takes on a whole new meaning for us as a family. My husband, Jim is originally from Scotland and moved to Canada when he was only 7. We met at Zion Bible Institute and married 27 years ago. He has retained his Canadian citizenship but recently decided that he would like to finally become an American. So he went through the process and this past week on June 3oth, took his oath. The celebration was unique and special. There were 50 people becoming naturalized citizens that day and they hailed from 29 different countries! A judge presided over the ceremony and there was a speaker from the local news station. At the end, each candidate went up and received his certificate of naturalization from the judge and your family was allowed to take pictures. A band played, the pledge of allegiance given and right away, each candidate was given the information as to how to be able to vote.

The commitment that you make when becoming a citizen is serious but also rewarding. The freedoms he gained and the liberty which he now declares is exhilarating!

There is a country that we shall one day see but only if we have taken a proper oath. That is one of allegiance to God, who is our Creator and Redeemer. The liberties which He bestows on us are also rewarding! We shall one day reign with Him!

This 4th of July, think of those who have died to give you freedom and ultimately the One who died to give you everlasting freedom! God bless America!

"Falling Behind"

Wow! It's been a long time since I've posted to this blog! It has been a long winter and somehow I fell behind in keeping up with my goal of posting each month.

Usually when we think of new beginnings, we think of January as the time of year when we set new goals. But...perhaps...we should be thinking of the spring as a new time to recommit! It's May 22 and finally the temperature is over 70 and I can see the trees are blooming and flowers are abundant. The bunnies in our back woods have been munching on my tulips and enjoying themselves.

New life is everywhere! I want to encourage you that if you have been in a slump, so to speak, whether physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually - now is the time to let God change you and breathe new life into your spirit. Don't let the enemy drag you down or cause you to feel you have failed in any area. Whatever areas of your life need change, now is the time to refresh, refuel, and recommit yourself to the One who can revitalizeyour life totally!

"It's the most wonderful time of the year!"

We just finished having the most incredible Thanksgiving! It was the first time I have cooked dinner at home in years! I was grateful to have my brother and my brother-in-law, along with our son, Jordan here for the weekend.
And now...the Christmas preparations have begun! The scurry to find the perfect gifts began at 3:30 am the morning after Thanksgiving! So tiring but so much fun! This week we will decorate our home as well as the church.
I could not wait to get out the hymn book and start doing carols as part of our worship service. Joy to the World was the first song we sang in church this morning. I love the Christmas season! What I cherish the most is that I am reminded once again that Emmanuel, God with us, came to earth as a baby and humbled Himself to be our Redemption. He is our Savior, our strong tower, our refuge, our joy...and the list goes on! If I could give anyone the perfect gift, it would be Him!
As you prepare for December 25th, try not to get caught up in the hustle, the bustle and the stress that this season can bring. Instead, focus on the One who truly is the gift that goes on and on and on!
Our prayer is that you would be blessed with all the joy and the peace of Christ!
Merry Christmas!!!

How do you spell "relief"? FAITH

Anybody out there worry or fret? Any woman out there suffering with anxiety? Want to be freed today? According to Webster's dictionary, relief is a release from anxiety or tension, or the feeling of release, lightness and and cheerfulness that accompanies this. It's a factor that ends a painful or stressful experience such as pain, hunger or boredom. I'm rarely bored, but we all have pain in our lives at some point. How do we overcome the anxiety that grips us? I don't have all the answers but I know that lately I have been standing on the truth expressed in Hebrews 11:1.

Hebrews 11:1 "The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we cannot see."
The Message

Sometimes there are trials that come into our lives and they drag on forever. Or...as David expressed in the Psalms, "deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts". What that meant was that the trials in David's life were like the waves of the ocean. When you watch the waves, it seems like one calls unto the other as they roll in one after the other. The rough spots or trials in our lives can be like that. We seem to go through one thing after another. There have been times during the past 9 months, that I have not been living day to day, but actually moment to moment. That's what I had strength for. The one thing that I have held onto or gripped more than ever is the faith that I could trust in God. That whatever is brought into my life, God knows I can handle. He deems me worthy to endure it. It's this faith and trust that we can have in Him that makes life worth living for. When we cannot see the reward...when we cannot see the end to our current circumstances, faith is the handle! Get a firm grip, girls!

Did you know?

Did you know that it is only 6 1/2 weeks until the 2010 Women of Purpose Conference? Did you know that God is wanting to meet you there and transform you like never before?

Did you know Joanna Weaver cannot wait to meet all of you wonderful ladies of New York?! I spoke with Joanna on the phone last week and as we talked over details, I could sense the excitement in both of us! She is in the final stages of a brand new book and cannot wait to share the details with you!

Did you know that Sue Duffield has been all over the place this summer? I am friends with her on Facebook and she is constantly on the move. Sue Duffield has already met many of you as she spoke at some of the spring rallies in April and May. She cannot wait to reconnect with some of you and meet those of you who have not yet enjoyed her sense of humor!

I don't know about you...but I peresonally have had a lot going on in my life over the summer. When I think about it, I am more convinced than ever that God is going to meet us in an incredible way in September and the enemy would like to thwart us or discourage us in any way he can. My motto right now is "I will not be moved!" UNLESS it's by the Spirit!

Did you know I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE ALL OF YOU!!!!!

"No Regrets"

Last month, I wrote in my blog about a situation with my half-sister who was dying of terminal lung cancer. She had asked my brother not to tell me until she was dead. She passed away two days later so the bitterness on her part was never resolved. And...I could not attempt to find out what transpired that made her so resentful towards me. I have had a lot of time since then to re-evaluate our relationship. We had not had contact in years. She was one who never showed approval of me - nothing I ever did was good enough for her. Questions will always remain. Could I have done more to reconcile our relationship? Should I have picked up the phone and made an attempt to connect with her? Would it have helped? I have realized through this that it is hard to live with regrets and questions. Better to make an attempt to resolve a relationship than sit back and do nothing. If they don't accept it, you have done your part. I am trying not to live with the "regrets" and I am learning to trust God to bring me through a process of healing. A friend helped me realize lately that I am not grieving her death...I am grieving a relationship that truly never was and never will be. That says it so well. If God so speaks to your heart, reach out to someone in your life today that has been estranged and see what God can do. Don't be afraid, but step out in obedience and let God orchestrate the end result!