tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21374846444640488992024-03-13T07:00:51.574-07:00The Road Leading...Closer to HimAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11396333523682480249noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137484644464048899.post-42729054735102143602013-05-08T16:00:00.001-07:002013-05-08T16:00:34.156-07:00Announcement!!<div style="text-align: center;">
Hey Friends!</div>
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I am sure you are wondering where I have been for the past weeks and months. Well, I have been working on a new blog where I am going to be sharing on a more consistent basis what God has been teaching me. So start following my new blog. The URL is: windsongphotoblog.com. Here is a recent post on a life lesson God just taught me last week. http://windsongphotoblog.com/2013/05/08/lessons-learned-the-hard-way-personal/</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11396333523682480249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137484644464048899.post-76869840064157633822012-08-11T15:11:00.000-07:002012-08-11T15:42:39.383-07:001 Country + 7 People + 1 City + 3 Villages = 1 Awesome Missions Trip!<div style="text-align: center;">
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I had my passport. My bags were packed and checked in. I had my plane ticket. I was ready to start an adventure of new and exciting things. I was leaving the USA for the first time and going to Romania for a missions trip with my church for two weeks.<br />
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Over the eastern United States and Canada, over the ocean with a quick stop in London, we arrived in Bucheresti, Romania our first stop in our missionary journey. In Bucheresti, Romania's capital, is Maranta Baptist Church which is a sister church to the church I attend: Parkway Baptist Church in McKinney, TX. Maranta Baptist Church was like our base for the next two weeks. </div>
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In Bucheresti, Odobesti and Sentesti, we did children's program in the morning and evening, visited in people's homes in the afternoons and had evening services for the adults. For the children's programs, we had games, crafts, music and of course Bible stories. There were so many adorable children! They have the. most. beautiful. eyes. ever. I love, love eyes like a whole ton, so I was basically in heaven!! </div>
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During our afternoon visits, we visited with families of the church who had different needs, such as those that needed encouragement or had a family member who was unsaved that we could witness to. This was a completely new experience for me. Visiting with a family that I had never laid eyes on, in an unfamiliar country, with a language barrier, as well as a different culture was quite a challenge. The Lord really used these visits to teach me valuable lessons, but more on that later. ;)</div>
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The evening services consisted of sharing the gospel, music and testimonies. All of our team shared our testimonies as well as several of our translators. I always love hearing testimonies! They just prove what an amazing, awesome God we serve. He does indeed change lives in supernatural ways!!</div>
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My trip to Romania was not only an adventure of seeing new places and ministering to children but also an adventure of learning. God taught me so much on my first international trip. For the rest of this blog post, I would like to share a bit of what God taught me.</div>
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One lesson that began the second day and continued to the end of our trip started with my first home visit. The first family I visited I had absolutely no idea of what I was to say or do. I am a detailed person who loves to know what the expectations are so that I can meet those expectations as well as know what I am doing. Well, very few details were shared about what we were to do. All I knew was this family had a member who was not saved and who was my translator, that's it!</div>
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That visit was hard as well as a bit awkward for me. However, it started me thinking. How do you connect with a person and share the gospel in a real and personal way when you have never seen them before? How do you prepare yourself to say all the right words in the right way? I asked these questions to the two ladies who have been coming to Romania for roughly 10 years. They both had the same answer. "I don't ever know what to say beforehand. You just have to rely upon the Holy Spirit." </div>
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Well, that answer was nice and all, but I didn't think it helped me any. It seemed that during the visit I went blank and it didn't seem that the Holy Spirit was helping me. Which was wrong, but that's what it felt like. Then I was able to watch one of those ladies visit with a family whom she had never meet before. She was so full of love for this family in her words and actions. After watching her, God showed me that I had walked into these visits with the wrong focus. I was focused on saying everything perfectly, giving perfect answers and asking perfect questions. Instead, my focus should be showing them my love for them and even more importantly, sharing God's love for them. Then I should depend on the Lord to give me the words to say to effectively share that love. The Lord gave me the huge blessing of being used by Him to lead someone to Christ. This was during a home visit which was just next door to the church so I had no time to prepare <i>at all!! </i>The Lord gave me the words to say. When my focus was correct, God took the lead. It was a powerful visit!!</div>
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While I was in Romania I felt like I got a tiny taste of heaven. I made so many awesome, amazing friends with our translators. Here I was a young woman from another country who does not understand a single word of Romanian, have no idea of the Romanian culture and I have never come in contact with another culture before and yet I was able to connect with the Romanian young people. Why? Because we both had the same foundation. Christ ruled our lives so we all had a common bond because our passion and mission in life was the same.</div>
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It was amazing! We could share what God was doing in our lives and encourage each other in the Lord. They convicted, challenged and encouraged my walk with the Lord and I hope and pray I was able to do the same. This is what heaven is going to be like. Every culture, language, country will come together glorifying God. We will exchange stories of what God did, how He saved us from our sins and how He used us. Romania made me even more excited for heaven and how awesome it's going to be. </div>
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This is just a taste of what God did in my life in Romania. I was so blessed to be able to go and Lord willing, I will be going next year!!</div>
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Solo Deo Gloria,</div>
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Carissa</div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11396333523682480249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137484644464048899.post-46982824981907000372012-06-06T19:11:00.002-07:002012-08-05T19:05:51.505-07:00God of the Impossible!!<br />
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<i>“Why would you waste
your life doing great things for God when He invites you to do the impossible?”</i></div>
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“<i>To do the impossible
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<b>Circumstances:</b></div>
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1. I signed up for a photojournalism trip to New Zealand with <a href="http://ipsphoto.co/photoex/newzealand/">IPS</a>. I had prayed about it and God had given me the okay as well as provided the money needed for the deposit. The deposit was paid so there is no turning back now or I would lose that money.</div>
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2. Now this trip to NZ costs a lot of money...like a lot!!! I don't have that kind of money just lying around so I needed to earn money. But to earn money you kinda have to have a job. I had one job that was every other week. It was a good job with good pay, but not enough hours. I needed more work!</div>
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3. I tried finding a job with no success. Well, actually that's not exactly true. I got two house cleaning jobs which I was thankful for. However, this was a biweekly or once a week jobs. Once a week jobs are not going to get me to NZ!! </div>
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4. I was working with a ministry called Commit. They work with girls 12-15 years old, just the age group I love working with. They were doing a conference in Nashville, TN and I wanted to go and minister to those girls. But there was a little problem. I had to pay my expenses for traveling, food and lodging. Wait a minute! I can't spend money!I am saving for NZ! Right?</div>
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All these quotes and circumstances are swirling through my mind and heart one Saturday morning when my dad returned from a men's breakfast at my church and started sharing what he had heard from the speaker. The speaker had been sharing his life verse and how God had used it in his life. His life verse was Matthew 6:33 <i>"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you."</i> He shared that when he put God and ministry first, God provided for the other things he needed. It was a great challenge for me! I decided I would go to Nashville, spend the money to get there and leave NZ in God's hands.</div>
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The week before was full of struggles. Struggles to get my eyes off my circumstances and turn them on my God. However, as I prepared to leave for Nashville I made a discovery that open my eyes. With my few jobs, I had earned the money I needed for Nashville. I realized what God was doing! He was providing for the needs I had right now and asking me to trust Him with the needs down the road. I was so excited at this discovery! I could indeed trust my God! He did indeed know what He was doing! I had no idea, but that was just the beginning!!</div>
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The Saturday I left for Nashville, my grandfather came to visit us! One of the first things he did was pass out birthday money to all of us. He gave me $50.00!! I was so shocked and so excited! God had just provided money that would cover my food expenses at Nashville! I was in awe of God's ways. But that wasn't even the end of it!!</div>
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I took a train Saturday afternoon to Oklahoma to meet up with some friends and drive to Nashville with them. On that train I meet a brother in Christ, a pastor heading home. He saw that I was reading C.S Lewis and he asked me what I thought about it. We talked about Lewis, the conference I was going to and much more! He told me about his children, grandchildren, his church, the youth ministry and lots more. I told him about my photography business and my trip to New Zealand. We probably talked half the train trip.</div>
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When we were almost to my train station, the pastor gave me his card and asked me to pray for him. <i>He also gave me a $100.00 bill</i> and said, "My wife and I want to give this to you for your New Zealand trip." Wow!! This was absolutely incredible!! God blessed me again in the most amazing way! Guys, I didn't spend any of my own money during the conference in Nashville. God had provided it all! I now know that I am going to New Zealand. I don't know all of the how, but I know my God will provide,.</div>
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"<i>Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." </i>Jeremiah 33:3</div>
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<i>"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord." </i>Isaiah 55:8</div>
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P.S. It has been three days since I have returned from Nashville and God has continued to provide for NZ. I will try to keep you updated on what God has and is doing. For example, I now have jobs coming out of my ears!! Now the trouble is keeping all of them straight!! Isn't God good? Does He not still do miracles?</div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11396333523682480249noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137484644464048899.post-86864296600799438212012-01-18T18:08:00.000-08:002012-08-05T19:06:05.447-07:00The King of Kings and Our Heavenly Father<div style="text-align: center;">
In our world today there is a deep hunger for worth and value. People are searching everywhere, trying to find where they can find value. No matter how hard they try what the world has to offer, nothing helps and nothing satisfies. Why? Because they is looking in the wrong place. The world has nothing to offer that will fill that deep hole in the human heart. That hole can only be filled by God, yet how few actually turn to God. Why is that? Could it be that their view of God is messed up or incomplete?</div>
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<i>"I saw the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple."</i> Here is the LORD God, Creator of heaven and earth seated on a throne high above the world and far, far away from any humans on earth, (or so it seems). In His courtroom and around His throne hovers strange-looking, winged creatures who sing night and day, "<i>Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory."</i> He is full of power and glory! He is the Sovereign Ruler of all and it is He who determines the events in the lives of man. It is through His hands that blessings and trials are placed in our lives. He is the Judge of His creation. By the word of his mouth the mountains quake and tremble. No man can look at Him, lest he die. This is a God who to be greatly feared and reverenced for His power is unlimited and He can do whatsoever He wills.</div>
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Why would one want to approach a God like this? Why would this great God care for me and even think of filling the holes of my heart? Why would He care? This God would not have a reason to care if this was His complete character. But praise God, this is not His complete character!</div>
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He is the Creator of heaven and earth, yet He paid special attention in creating you special and unique. His Sovereign Hand is a loving hand, for He seeks to draw you ever closer to Himself. He is the Judge who sent His Son to pay for the sins you could never repay. Not only did He pay your debt, but He adopted you as His child with all the privileges to go with it. You hold a special place in His heart. So when life gets tough and bad stuff happens, think of yourself as this little girl.</div>
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Her once pure white dress is now stained with dirt and blood. Her knees are badly scratched and cut up. Her hair is flying in every direction imaginable and tears are running tracks down her dirt-stained face. She is running down a long hallway with a golden floor and marble walls. At the end of this hallway she reaches a great door closely watched by two guards. Her step never falters as she catches sight of those guards, she continues running, expecting admittance. Her expectations are met as the guards open those huge doors and she runs by.</div>
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She enters a vast courtroom and at one side of this courtroom stands a throne. On that throne sits the King in all His glory and power. The seraphims are shouting His holiness continually. Court is in session, but as the little girl enters the room everyone stops talking and watches her. She continues running down the courtroom heading directly for the throne. Even the King's power and authority does not disturb her. She finally reaches the throne just in time to be caught up into the King's waiting arms. As she rests her head against His chest, she bursts into tears. Her King and Father gently pulls the tangled hair away from her face and says in a gentle, soothing voice, "<i>My darling child, my little princess what is the matter? What has happened? Tell me for I long to comfort your aching heart."</i></div>
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If you are a child of the King of Kings and LORD of LORDS, than you have the same privileges as that little girl. That is where you find your worth and value, by flying to your Father. Run to Him with your needs, your hurt and your pain. He is there waiting with open arms to receive you to Himself. Why look elsewhere? He created you and He knows more than anyone else what you need.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11396333523682480249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137484644464048899.post-5801352064632806642011-10-05T13:46:00.000-07:002012-08-05T19:06:14.815-07:00Dare to be a Daniel!<div style="text-align: center;">
The siege is over, the enemy triumphs. They are now taking over the country you love so much. You watch with horror as they tear apart the city, ruining everything in their path. You are terrified, because you are a part of the royal family and you have no idea what they have in mind for you. What does the future hold? Death? Captivity?</div>
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Prophets have foretold this event for years and no one listened, no one cared. They continued their wicked ways and God has now brought judgement. But you are young, just a teenager. What will your future look like? You soon find out. You are to be taken to Babylon. Life as you know it will change forever as you live in a country that is cruel and has no concept of the fear of God.</div>
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After a long, difficult journey you arrive at Babylon. You realize that the king of Babylon has a very special plan for the Jewish captives--brainwashing. You have a hard decision to make. Will you go with the flow, reject everything you once knew and embrace the Babylonian philosophy? Will you reject the one and true God? Or will you take a stand for truth and refuse to bow down to the Babylonian philosophies?</div>
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This is what Daniel faced. He was a young teenage boy who was taken to Babylon after Jerusalem was besieged and captured. He was taken to a hostile environment of his enemies who did not know God or follow His law. He was chosen to go through a three year program aimed to make him forget his Jewish roots and embrace the Babylonian language and culture. His name was changed from Daniel, which means </div>
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<i>"God is my judge,"</i> to Belteshazzar after a Babylonian god (Daniel 4:7).</div>
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Daniel takes a stand for truth and refuses to be defiled by the king's food. Remember Daniel is a teenager when this takes place. As a <i>teenager</i> he refused to go with the flow, to bend to cultural pressures and to compromise his standards. That was the start of 70 years of standing alone for the truth and serving God no matter what the consequences were. 70 years in a foreign country full of ungodly kings, enemies who delighted in nit picking Daniel and communicating God's Word to kings which was for the most part weren't encouraging words, but words of rebuke and warning. It all started with Daniel refusing to compromise as a young person. How many young people in this nation would stand alone like Daniel did?</div>
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Our world in many ways is very much like Daniel's. We live in a culture that is attacking Christianity from every side trying to brainwash us to believe the worldly philosophy and lies. School, work, politics, entertainments, books, magazines, TV, movies, music, advertisements, etc. etc, etc. They all have an agenda, they all want us to forget who we are and conform to their thinking. What will we do with these temptations?</div>
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Will we take a stand for truth? Will we be more concerned about our relationship with God or what the world thinks? Will we compromise? Stand alone? Will we bend to what the culture teaches us? Will we go with the flow? It starts when we're young, when we are teenagers. It starts in steps. One compromise leads to another and another until you are trapped in the snares of the world.</div>
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Our world is becoming more and more perverted, more and more like Daniel's world. This is the time to stand alone. To become that strong light to the pitch black world. Young people, stand for the truth, seek God above all else, <i>do not</i> compromise, <i>do not</i> go with the flow. Dare to be a Daniel!!</div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11396333523682480249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137484644464048899.post-73515612368368464842011-09-07T12:31:00.000-07:002012-08-05T19:06:32.119-07:00Joni and Friends 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This summer I had the honor to serve at a Joni and Friends Family Retreat (JAF). This is a retreat where families who have a member that has a disability such as Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome etc. can come and have a camping experience the whole family can enjoy. The family member with a disability has a Short Term Missionary (STM) assigned to them for the week. This STM does everything with that disabled family member including eating meals together, doing camp activities etc. This gives the parents some much needed time to relax, knowing that their child is in capable hands. This was my second year serving at JAF.</div>
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I was a STM to a 9 year old autistic boy. He was verbal and a very sweet boy. I had a great time with him. The Lord taught me many things as I worked with him. For example, I had to learn to be patient and flexible when working with my little guy. He enjoyed doing most of the camp activities but he was also easily frustrated.</div>
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He was upset when he was unable catch a fish. If he couldn't get his craft just perfect he would tear it apart and throw it. After lunch he would start to become overwhelmed with all the activity, the people and all the newness he was experiencing and we would have to go to a quiet room and watch a movie for about an hour. We missed several activities everyday and I had to be okay with that. </div>
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A couple of times he would become upset and try to find his mother. As he searched for her, he did not want me nearby or following him. He wanted to be alone! I had to learn to talk in a gentle and quiet voice and find creative ways to distract him to do other activities. These are just a few lessons I learned in working with my camper.</div>
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Throughout the week God placed a question in my heart to ponder over as I worked with my camper and watched other campers at JAF. I realized that every single one of these kids/adults that had a disability were made in God's image. That made me realized that God made them as they are because they could most glorify God as they are. So my question that I pondered over was...How do these people glorify God in ways that I, as a "normal" person, could not? I began looking for answers to that question throughout the week and I found several ways.</div>
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One way is how they enjoy the simple things in life. One camper with Cerebral Palsy was absolutely overjoyed when his STM sprayed someone with a water gun. He was unable do it himself yet he loved it when his STM did. We "normal" folks must do it ourselves if we are to have fun. </div>
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Another way were the smiles of the campers. They were beautiful. But think of it, what would you do if you could not talk? And you couldn’t control your hands very well to do sign language? How do you communicate? Lots of them do it through smiles. And they are the most beautiful smiles that you will ever see. Their faces just glow! I sometimes get a picture in my mind of one of the campers smiling and I get chills. It’s just so precious!! </div>
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Now that I am at home back to my "normal" life I want to continue to hunt for ways that people with disabilities glorify God in ways I cannot. I challenge you to do the same. Do not look at people who are different with eyes of scorn. Look at them the way God does: human beings made in His image and likeness. People who are made to glorify God. Find the ways they glorify God in ways you cannot. You will be surprised at what you find. </div>
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Here is a slideshow I made of the pictures I took at JAF to show at my church. It gives you a taste of JAF.</div>
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For God's Gory!</div>
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Carissa</div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11396333523682480249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137484644464048899.post-61624674159320569392011-06-06T13:20:00.000-07:002012-08-05T19:06:39.996-07:00God-Stories...Will You have One?Imagine being in heaven surrounded by all the great men and woman of the Bible, Noah, Joseph, Hannah, Esther, David, Samuel, Paul, Peter, and oh so many others. But not just people of the Bible, Corrie Ten Boon, Amy Carmichael, George Muller, Jim Elliot and the other great men and woman of history who gave their all to God. It's story time in heaven, all these great men and woman are telling their God stories.<br />
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<b>Joseph</b> tells his story, "My life was full of hardship and heartache. I was the favorite son of my father out of twelve sons. This made my home life hard because my brothers were jealous. One day driven by their jealousy, they sold me into slavery. My very own brothers sold me into a life of extreme hardship that could even cost me my life!! I was sold to Potiphar where I was tempted day after day by his wife. By God's grace I withstood that temptation. The result was being cast into prison. I was there for years before I had hope that I would be released. But that hope was snuffed out because of a forgotten promise. Then God revealed to me the interpretation of Pharaoh's dream and placed me second in command over Egypt. Those hard circumstances in my life brought me to a place of saving nations from starvation. God's sovereign plan was at work in my life."</div>
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<b>Esther's</b> story is next. "I was just a little Jewish girl who was taken from my Uncle Mordecai to the King Xerxes's palace. I became his queen, the queen of a tyrannical king. My people were going to be destroyed by my husband's right hand man. I was the only hope of rescue for the Jews. To rescue them meant that I had to go before the king without a summons which means death! However, God had placed me as queen for a reason. I had to trust God with my life, take a step of faith and walk into that throne room. The Lord spared my life and the lives of my people!!"</div>
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<b>George Muller</b> shares, "I purposed in my heart that I would not tell anybody about my needs except to God in prayer. God had placed in my heart a passion for helping the orphan children in London. So I started an orphanage and the Lord provided for literally everything that was needed, even the children. God answered prayer after prayer and supplied for me and the children even to the simple things as breakfast. The Lord used me to show the world that God does indeed answer prayer."</div>
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One by one each person shares their God-stories. Stories of submission to God's plan, complete lordship over their lives, stretched comfort zones. Through their willingness to serve God, lives were changed, God was glorified, people brought into the kingdom and the world standing in awe and without an answer except to praise God.</div>
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Before you know it the whole room is looking at you, waiting for you to share your God story. The question is...What kind of story will you have?</div>
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Will your story be of giving yourself as a living sacrifice? A changed life from a life-changing gospel? Will it involve stepping out of your comfort zone for a God who is worth taking a risk for? Is it a story of reaching out beyond yourself to people who are hurt, lost, in darkness, lonely, unlovable? What about prayers answered, lives changed, work done that lasts for eternity? A light that pushes back the darkness? The world asking what makes you different? The world standing in awe at your response to hardships and suffering? God's strength made perfect in your weakness?</div>
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Or is it a story of I asked Jesus into my heart to save me. I go to church and I pray, but that's it. Doing something scary for God? No way!! Get out of my comfort zone to serve others?!? Not going to happen. Instead I'm going to do as little as I can for God and live life the way I want to. I'm going to make sure that I dress cutely (or coolly), get a good job, find a great husband (or wife), try to keep myself safe and be completely "normal." I'll have a light, but I'd rather the world not see it. Weakness? I'm going to hide it and wave my strengths under people's noses. Life is about me living a safe, risk-free, <b>comfortable</b> life and going to heaven when I die.</div>
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Which story are you living out? Ultimately the question is...What is your goal in life? Glorifying yourself or God? Will you take risks for God? Will you go where He sends you? Will you pray for the impossible? Will you do the seemingly impossible?</div>
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<i>"For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him." </i>2 Chronicles 16:9 </div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11396333523682480249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137484644464048899.post-46680114173869980982011-01-25T17:24:00.001-08:002012-08-05T19:07:18.476-07:00Subway Stations and Life<span xmlns=""></span><br />
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<span xmlns=""><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;">Imagine this:</span></span></div>
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<span xmlns=""><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">You are standing all alone in the middle of a subway station. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">Two subways are flying by you on both sides at top speed. Because of their speed, you are finding it h</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">ard to grasp exactly what is happening. It is all a blur to you. You feel confused, lonely, left behind. Everything around you is going by so fast and there, you are simp</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">ly standing </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">there g</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">oing nowhere.</span></span></div>
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<span xmlns=""><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566304455336356514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2xvpSKYAP_SZvqmwoUOqgz0oxm2hkDkhr2a4lQKvTPmH0fH8ASVt5VMGB3IuB9QFcjiA5Trj_yPRwR2VQWwsMRz0ag5-sp5llYAckdKx1Ye4kHw_wmF9tRNKxzOe9x8RSpxAkdh5SDBU/s320/IMG_7189.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 214px;" /></span></div>
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<span xmlns=""><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;">Do you have the mental image?</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;"> Now think about that image</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"> in relation to life. Your life seems to be standing still, going nowhere <em>at all!</em> T</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">here seems to be no purpose. Nothing right now in your life seems to be taking you anywhere. You are stuck and you don't know what to do about it. The same old thing is happening day in and day out…week after week. Nothing changing, nothing new or exciting. You feel like you are wasting your life and you don't know what to do about it.</span></span></div>
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<span xmlns=""><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566303831934444818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEC_8ZANIVwoc-HNCQWH5Ow6ysRxI1GPL3xVIKsFnHolKLJIksALFsCA30p_jVM10dWjlkvJICYH40EnilatImmWVh2hGA7mkehsMFjzp7DvzM_vxaKZKinWNL-QlNp1VG7PzDzDER2uE/s320/IMG_7069.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 214px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></span></span></div>
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<span xmlns=""><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span xmlns=""><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;">At the same time you are looking around you an</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">d it looks like everyone else's life is flying by. They have purpose. They have goals. Their life is headed somewhere. They don't seem to be wasting their life. Like a subway, their life is flyin' by, leaving you in the dust. You can't fully grasp it, except that you feel confused, alone and left behind.</span></span><br />
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<span xmlns=""><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566302737465105714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPsCvi3HWOR9985FKkhDi074SVSJ3Cc2vcwO0tFKFeeGDjgs54r5Ev3FuW4RwQLf_cnd9kSztjPokJ36tvbiDzXHzKwTYMwtBqKAtx_Tfgs1JCtdytmrCIyf1AsmwSOcsKbAnP5UJ_C_Q/s320/Thursday_Green_Carissa.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 214px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></span></span></div>
<span xmlns=""><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;">That is exactly what I was going through this past week. I felt that my life was going absolutely nowhere. I felt like I could see my life stretched out i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">n front of me, full of the same old thing for the rest of my life. I felt like I am completely wasting my life. As I look around, I see my close friends getting engaged, getting married, going to college, etc. All of them seem to have goals for their life, except me. All of them seem to have impact, except me. All of them are moving on in life, except me. All of them seem to be out of the transition part of life, except me.</span></span><br />
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<span xmlns=""><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566302106043956738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1LYtaAfeULKLSqEC3pQf6FCOUFZzeXejldBu-TwNxoHWdnWdtBgt7lpwxhF1hm2gdeGr1NDT4_aEhzpQPMarY7qX1exGp7xRTC8cFI9VjJ3iLN-0lL6ywpSpvD1pOIgJ6AKe-WwmnAmY/s320/IMG_7193.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 214px;" /></span></span></div>
<span xmlns=""><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;">But was that really the case? Is my life really like that? Am I wasting my life? Does God really know what He is doing with my life? Of course He does, He is God! He is the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. He knows exactly what He is doing with my life and has good reasons for what He is does. I knew all of this. However, I accepted some Satan's lies that I am wasting my life. This gave me a week of misery.</span></span><br />
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<span xmlns=""><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566301597114707458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDSPRRlMdTsAq-mW12NQHKLks5VvkX30ypO8U4z_lfV53okxDxOp7qOesqSC8XhnYDoZ54clXm-E22j5VpKSb6ZeCZcU_xQFQ8GSw9K5R6dY_FYizsdkUbf0yvzSxKyoQBeOWJsblfr6Q/s320/IMG_7192.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 214px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></span></span></div>
<span xmlns=""><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;">Then at the end of the week I finally had a much needed ta</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">lk with my dear sweet mommy. She reminded me that I can't rush God. God has placed me in a transition stage of life. That means I have to just trust Him and do the things He has given me to do, trusting that He knows what He is doing. Romans 8:28-29 </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><em>"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren."</em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"> This time in my life is for my good, so that I can become more like my Savior. I cannot rush that process. I instead need to submit and let God mold and shape me.</span></span><br />
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<span xmlns=""><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566300719615957106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNZNbdhsMGAOIbacwsujag9-7WGEmZWIDwRw9CycT7zaNtkKj7h5V4EOpL4gBi5QBcpUdIY2sEPNWXrMKvZkH7rLHwgWTIcJ9krZFBpNz4yB6mNYEjUNpwxAyjfeAVSgiumM6KYjwgzzs/s320/IMG_7163.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 214px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></span></span></div>
<span xmlns=""><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;">Also, when Satan attacks me again, which he is going to do. I need to go to the Bible and read what God has done for me. I need to go back through my journals and read what He has already done in my life through difficult circumstances. I need to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">mediate on God's promises. And I need to be content with where God has me.</span></span><br />
<span xmlns=""><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566300416663764594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOoZYx359VoiScQc2daNk8AQmDyezjptfG6Hg19twXYrPjOFi-9WSLul6UczAuKL11fgEV9z5X-IzPTgrPfs_zoeGKaQsXK9NWrrvLmGCqslKAfeEaH96ZE7J0ojPz2OvranaFz2zbyVo/s320/Edited+IMG_7154.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 214px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></span></span><br />
<span xmlns=""><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;">What about you, dear reader? What about your life? Are you going to lay your life in God's hands and leave it there? Are you going to be content, no matter wh</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">at is going on in your life? Are you going to trust that God knows exactly what you need to become like Christ and accept it? Learn to enjoy the simple pleasures in life.</span></span><br />
<span xmlns=""><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;"><em>Carissa</em></span></span><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11396333523682480249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137484644464048899.post-72026563204094158672011-01-01T12:18:00.000-08:002012-08-05T19:07:38.120-07:00A Few Thoughts...Finally!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span">I know, I know, I know, it's been waaayyy too long since I've blogged. Well, what can I say in my defense? Not much. I can claim having a busy life...but isn't that always the case? I can say that I've been traveling and that things have popped into my life unexpected...but that always happens. Life never goes as you think it should. I could say that I've started my own business and now have a business blog...but that still isn't a personal blog. In fact, all the excuses that I could use, would only be motivations to blogging more, because I can share what God has done through it all. I'm going to try to blog more often and tell you what God has been teaching me.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">God has been at work since the last time I've blogged. I am now a photographer with my own business, blog, clients, etc. It is God who brought me into this art. He provided the money with which I could go to the training, and a camera. I love it! I get to work with people, get to capture personalities and the beauty God has given each one of us. It's been a blast! Check out my photography <span class="Apple-style-span">blog, onceuponatimephotos.blogspot.com</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">Now for the actual thoughts that got me posting today. Have you ever had life get away from you so much so that you find yourself not have that special time with God that you know is so important? I have and recently too. Until the beginning of Christmas break, I had been so busy that I had not taken time to be with God and do my part in our relationship. Life felt a lot harder, because I was living by the flesh, instead of the Spirit. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">Since around Christmas time, I've been making it a point to have nice long quiet times with God...Reading the Bible, praying, writing in my journal prayers to God and lessons I've learning and memorizing. It's been amazing to see how my attitude has changed. The problems in my life don't seem so big anymore. I've been able to finally give things in my life back to God and trust Him more fully. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">My quiet times have been one of the things I've enjoyed the most during this Christmas break. It has shown me just how important that morning quiet time really is. It prepares me for whatever lies ahead that day. It gets my perspective where it should be...on God. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">What about you? How important is your quiet time? Is your quiet time just so you can check it off your list? Or do you want to grow in your relationship with God?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">In Christ,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">Carissa</span></div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11396333523682480249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137484644464048899.post-88265932432262748452010-07-28T08:15:00.001-07:002012-08-05T19:07:53.297-07:00Balaam and His Talking Donkey<span xmlns=""></span><br />
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<span xmlns="">I have been reading through the book of Numbers in my quiet time. Today I read about Balaam and his talking donkey, which has caused me to think about some things.</span></div>
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<span xmlns="">Balaam is on his way to Moab to "curse Israel" for Balak, king of Moab, because Balak is afraid of Israel defeating him and thought that cursing Israel would do the trick. So he calls upon Balaam to do the dirty work. It seems to me that Balaam kind of manipulated God into letting him go to Moab. God said that he could go, but that Balaam can only say what God wants him to say.</span></div>
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<span xmlns="">I think of Balaam trying to get to Moab as soon as possible to make sure that God doesn't change His mind. Balaam wanted the rewards that Balak has offered him for cursing Israel and he is just about willing to do anything to get that reward.</span></div>
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<span xmlns="">So anyway, Balaam is finally on his way, he had received God's okay on it and now nothing can stop him, or can it? All of sudden Balaam's donkey completely goes off the road into a field. Balaam doesn't like that at all, so he beats the donkey back on the road. And they continue on their way.</span></div>
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<span xmlns="">They go on a little way into a place that had a wall on both sides of the road. Again all of sudden without warning the donkey slams against that wall and smashes Balaam's foot in the process. Balaam then again beats his donkey back on the road.</span></div>
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<span xmlns="">They continue on their journey and come to a place where there is nowhere to go. The donkey fell down under Balaam and just sits there. Balaam become outraged with the donkey and just starts beating her.</span></div>
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<span xmlns="">Then something happens that has never happened before…the donkey starts to talk. Now that in it and of itself is amazing, but here is something that caught my attention. Balaam talked back to his donkey! Actually answered his donkey! Now think about it. What would you do if all of sudden, out of the blue your dog started talking to you. Would you just start talking back? I don't think so. You would totally flip out! At least I would.</span></div>
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<span xmlns="">But Balaam was so furious with that donkey that he wasn't thinking straight. So then he just talked with his donkey and she answered and talked with him. It just amazes me. </span></div>
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<span xmlns="">Now the part that Balaam couldn't see was that the donkey actually saved his life 3 times from an angel of God. He stood in front of Balaam and his donkey, but only the poor, dumb donkey say it and not the man who was supposed to have a relationship with God.</span></div>
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<span xmlns="">The thing that stands out to me in this story is what anger does to someone. It makes you do something that you wouldn't do in other circumstances. He beat his donkey, which had always been a faithful to him. He then wishes to kill that same faithful donkey. Then he really loses it and just starts talking with his donkey like it's the most natural thing in the world. That is the power of anger.</span></div>
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<span xmlns="">This story makes you think about anger in a different light. Do you want anger to take control of you and make you a complete fool? It is an interesting thing to think about. It makes me go to God and ask Him to keep me from such anger. What about you?</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11396333523682480249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137484644464048899.post-63856373266817870052010-07-13T13:15:00.001-07:002012-08-05T19:08:20.232-07:00Looking Back<span xmlns=""></span><br />
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<span xmlns="">This week has caused me to think over my past year and what has happened and what I've learned. It was this week a year ago when my life started making some drastic changes. It was this week last year when God started me on a journey of learning more intimately about who He is and what that means about who I am. My life has never ever been the same since. I have never had a year like this in my entire life and I don't think I ever will again. This was a year of a lot of firsts for me.</span></div>
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<span xmlns="">What was so special about this week? This was the week that I traveled somewhere without my family. I stepped out of my little world into another world. I went on a very short mission's trip. It wasn't out of the country. It was serving families that have a family member that have a disability of some kind. God taught me so much during that short week. He taught me a about His love and how to share that love with people around me. Since this was the first time I had ever been away from my family, I was sure this was the last time I was going to for 2010. Wrong!</span></div>
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<span xmlns="">Two months later I left my family again for another adventure that is EXCEL. This was a life-changing experience for me. It was an 8-week long program where I got to focus on my relationship with God. It was a time of learning so many things from amazing godly people. I learned a whole ton about God through some of His names we studied and so much more. I can't even tell all I learned, it was a wonderful experience that I absolutely loved. After coming home from EXCEL I wanted to go the next program after it which is called Advanced EXCEL. I didn't think I'd be able to go since I'd already been gone twice in one year when I had never done that before.</span></div>
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<span xmlns="">Wrong again. I did go to Advanced EXCEL and learned even more than at EXCEL. God became more real and personal. I learned who I was in Christ. I broke boxes that I had put God and myself in. I was stretched and pushed outside of my comfort zone. I things I had never done before. I learned a lot of lessons, some the easy way and some were harder to learn, while some I am still in the process of learning. I developed skills and found new skills I didn't know I had. I realized that I love to work with young ladies and that I want to disciple them. I became friends with like-minded young ladies. I learned this and so much more. I just graduated from Advanced EXCEL two weeks ago. Last Saturday I graduated from High School.</span></div>
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<span xmlns="">This has been a year that I will never, never forget. The things I have done and the lesson I have learned will be with me for the rest of my life. I will never be the same person. God has taught me so much. I am so thankful for the year. I wonder what the rest of this year will hold. But whatever it is, it is going be beyond what I can imagine because my God doesn't think the way I do. I can trust Him with my future. </span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11396333523682480249noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137484644464048899.post-31060141111987147242010-06-04T14:46:00.001-07:002012-08-05T19:08:34.345-07:00Should a Woman Leave Her Father’s House?<span xmlns=""></span><br />
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<span xmlns=""><span style="font-family: lucida grande;"> Should a woman leave her father's house? A woman leaving her father's house isn't really the question that should be asked. The question should be <em>why</em> the woman is leaving her father's house. Leaving his house in and of itself isn't a sin; it's the reasons and motives behind the move that determine whether it's right or wrong.</span></span></div>
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<span xmlns=""><span style="font-family: lucida grande;">The Bible doesn't say that a woman has to stay in her father's house forever and ever, amen. Instead, the Bible says to "<em>Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee."</em> (Exodus 20:12). Ephesians 6:1 says "<em>Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right."</em> We are to honor and obey our parents, because the Lord commands it and by doing that, God is glorified.</span></span></div>
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<span xmlns=""><span style="font-family: lucida grande;">When a woman leaves her father's house out of rebellion and to get away from his authority, she isn't obeying or honoring her parents and therefore will reap the consequences. But on the other hand if the parents as well as the daughter both agree that she can more effectively serve God by moving, than God is glorified. Even though she is moving, she is still under her parent's authority.</span></span></div>
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<span xmlns=""><span style="font-family: lucida grande;">It is attitude of the heart. A woman can be living in her father's house and still be rebellious. She can be like the boy who was told to sit on a chair and responds, "I may be sitting on the outside, but I'm standing on the inside." On the outside, she could be living at home, but on the inside she could be anywhere but at home.</span></span><br />
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<span xmlns=""><span style="font-family: lucida grande;">So, should a girl leave her father's home? That depends; why is the girl leaving? Is she trying to glorify God and seek his purpose for her life or is she trying to get away from God and her God-given authorities? It really boils down to the purpose of her moving, not really the move itself. </span> </span><br />
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I am apart of a program called Advanced EXCEL and one of the assignments is a photography scavenger hunt. The leadership gave us a list of concepts and we went out and took pictures. It was a blast! Comment and tell me which one is your favorite. :) I would love to hear what you think!</div>
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1. Stapler</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25D_LnSa-TcNhtDxhkRcEmT5ASSl6RgDZYWtH2y0lc5KWYwzFsgYGdmDuePkZ68T7r5n5vJ8s4gj3ktJ6qSx77ljPuy_ChS3gVR0sCADlVM5TmvQgZV05ez6_rjkxq6P8q4SrqmEW5Fk/s1600/Stapler.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476154049560898514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25D_LnSa-TcNhtDxhkRcEmT5ASSl6RgDZYWtH2y0lc5KWYwzFsgYGdmDuePkZ68T7r5n5vJ8s4gj3ktJ6qSx77ljPuy_ChS3gVR0sCADlVM5TmvQgZV05ez6_rjkxq6P8q4SrqmEW5Fk/s320/Stapler.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 233px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
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The stapler up against it's archenemy...the stapler-remover!</div>
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2. Reflections</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisOhhHy6xAZQXzW6O9CcJ72Iz02bDFdm8fvnzkrafqchM45L-c_DMYH5ng7cD9H-WHg760Iplxne7iGmxGSPnCV_xvOuXWLRVFPDLdTNm4A-0ay2S4uORsmTUnPvK1WCty9Sup3JVXlOA/s1600/Reflections.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476153760068831378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisOhhHy6xAZQXzW6O9CcJ72Iz02bDFdm8fvnzkrafqchM45L-c_DMYH5ng7cD9H-WHg760Iplxne7iGmxGSPnCV_xvOuXWLRVFPDLdTNm4A-0ay2S4uORsmTUnPvK1WCty9Sup3JVXlOA/s320/Reflections.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
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This is the pond that is in front of my house and this is what it looks like when it is a windless day. Pretty...isn't it?</div>
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3. Leap</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrhYU-r_zku5K3fZFk84TNg9bWWlRagIwOdFOBqlMVXlR-LBbDXiCqUeP2zKxbZYCOYCXs3OngHQCowFVuNeqFoXflJL9PP-9oa_Dr300CNN0uFj6Af8pAK-fm4GRd-xNmNZrNXh7udlk/s1600/Leap.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476153366930271522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrhYU-r_zku5K3fZFk84TNg9bWWlRagIwOdFOBqlMVXlR-LBbDXiCqUeP2zKxbZYCOYCXs3OngHQCowFVuNeqFoXflJL9PP-9oa_Dr300CNN0uFj6Af8pAK-fm4GRd-xNmNZrNXh7udlk/s320/Leap.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 254px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
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Duck!! Here comes a deer from the sky!!!</div>
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4. Fears</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_r0aqoDalhFdX3y40BnfcofgLXQkNeN9QTU__V4na4Qx4Hdl_Purl6QdW-J8kGA2zP9TlknE4elWsi5CgjS7mT0t40tACr215ozUYn4y-aLydHKtZp8EhEkBLgkS5FX6MHnPSI2aQl84/s1600/Fear.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476153157112234178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_r0aqoDalhFdX3y40BnfcofgLXQkNeN9QTU__V4na4Qx4Hdl_Purl6QdW-J8kGA2zP9TlknE4elWsi5CgjS7mT0t40tACr215ozUYn4y-aLydHKtZp8EhEkBLgkS5FX6MHnPSI2aQl84/s320/Fear.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 190px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
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Fear of spiders is a common fear among people, particularly women.</div>
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5. Coffee</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwiUOZFmMoqMFoN0BkjDwo8h5t8uioItwbo7POf6y-xoNG4CwUmIgS_jK4M-xHQFnlRLAKRBPmXxYeiyGyMckHdnuHS3V5u8HU1JAlBBYqzTzWy9lB99gDnnuORmNZEpkossouGGWBd68/s1600/Coffee.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476152853611593714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwiUOZFmMoqMFoN0BkjDwo8h5t8uioItwbo7POf6y-xoNG4CwUmIgS_jK4M-xHQFnlRLAKRBPmXxYeiyGyMckHdnuHS3V5u8HU1JAlBBYqzTzWy9lB99gDnnuORmNZEpkossouGGWBd68/s320/Coffee.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 258px;" /></a><br />
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What do you automatically think about when you see Starbucks? COFFEE!!! :)</div>
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6. Time</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq6VEvsqpHpkQySsDjKw1XGT3-b5xwTRvpNupkcfCH04rlheOJJXS0nzu5HzdQI0DQqDfZ8RLWWIr-vglDK5td7-pidUpeGvDKVRJ2vAibenkPusUp6FafyCSsBasBmALJ7qW80KL3ipQ/s1600/Time.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476152456818237586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq6VEvsqpHpkQySsDjKw1XGT3-b5xwTRvpNupkcfCH04rlheOJJXS0nzu5HzdQI0DQqDfZ8RLWWIr-vglDK5td7-pidUpeGvDKVRJ2vAibenkPusUp6FafyCSsBasBmALJ7qW80KL3ipQ/s320/Time.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 274px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
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As time ticks by, so does your life....what are you going to do with it?</div>
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7. Love</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIlOJT5-jAH_nElcIWPQzu4U6xBZeHdqVOojwZZ1VzdIGtu_bqn1VDuBANE4M53zusDTqyop_7zWWz1321vpV4boakOnPipk3znyct_cdM4I2Y33nFiLS1ipankIR6sE675fUarpV11W8/s1600/Love.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476152233902416610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIlOJT5-jAH_nElcIWPQzu4U6xBZeHdqVOojwZZ1VzdIGtu_bqn1VDuBANE4M53zusDTqyop_7zWWz1321vpV4boakOnPipk3znyct_cdM4I2Y33nFiLS1ipankIR6sE675fUarpV11W8/s320/Love.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 275px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
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When you look at this newly married couple, there is only one word to describe them. Love! Completely and fully in love.</div>
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8, Shoe</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHIANnDcYtvW6BT8NrFm0huMuxK90IeQADptEpV3k0Z0OLK9iubvTw30JpiCo-SOxVNXxV032KPwDD4YwsMOA9W87tejLXB94XSbaz1lhIAN2qpT0zruxzuZPy5SMjJA0pgmkXLg4qSnI/s1600/Shoe.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476151895673407186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHIANnDcYtvW6BT8NrFm0huMuxK90IeQADptEpV3k0Z0OLK9iubvTw30JpiCo-SOxVNXxV032KPwDD4YwsMOA9W87tejLXB94XSbaz1lhIAN2qpT0zruxzuZPy5SMjJA0pgmkXLg4qSnI/s320/Shoe.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 219px;" /></a><br />
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Boots....the only grab for cowgirls. Aren't they cute?</div>
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9. Date</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx0QU7ki-2m4yilzHyc9prCADFNfMbigCcSIYgkGd0gMMJT3NsewFAYnZtBVyswrZYpCOeTHnmV2ohltprN9b5hN54byWZQbntHENro4LnenhTTkdUSKWBtPJJ7c-6PUEszouCtjPt8I4/s1600/Date.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476151667527139826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx0QU7ki-2m4yilzHyc9prCADFNfMbigCcSIYgkGd0gMMJT3NsewFAYnZtBVyswrZYpCOeTHnmV2ohltprN9b5hN54byWZQbntHENro4LnenhTTkdUSKWBtPJJ7c-6PUEszouCtjPt8I4/s320/Date.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
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My sissy Hannah and I on a coffee date. Yum!!</div>
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10. Passion</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFmIhFQ6hqKyiw4dNsZP9wvMQ0_z2PiBqtA-cD5k5lEPpBCh6BWW4msJuwR9ZrHX6cHxqutPTgOs65XDZO9JJ-_Dh4gTQYSoXevN0sjc4fGxlxRWCqY70jdNIA989kE0odLrv6v6l-r5Q/s1600/Passion.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476151451760126626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFmIhFQ6hqKyiw4dNsZP9wvMQ0_z2PiBqtA-cD5k5lEPpBCh6BWW4msJuwR9ZrHX6cHxqutPTgOs65XDZO9JJ-_Dh4gTQYSoXevN0sjc4fGxlxRWCqY70jdNIA989kE0odLrv6v6l-r5Q/s320/Passion.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 208px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
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For as long as I can remember I have always LOVED horses. It is one of my passions. But sadly, I don't own one, although I really want to some day. </div>
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12. Self Portrait</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrDEM6NV1H2WboeRh7KY-s4LE6d75rQFkp_SXENtiSJ9mJEKRiKFj59K6IfKZBAqouNZya11v_RMe3O4nagyX_kkNC_OoTJYoHVafbiWijOm9CJwe5WCrxGY6CFKEDqrVntLQJusxcmL4/s1600/Self+Portrait.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476151092504602610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrDEM6NV1H2WboeRh7KY-s4LE6d75rQFkp_SXENtiSJ9mJEKRiKFj59K6IfKZBAqouNZya11v_RMe3O4nagyX_kkNC_OoTJYoHVafbiWijOm9CJwe5WCrxGY6CFKEDqrVntLQJusxcmL4/s320/Self+Portrait.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 229px;" /></a><br />
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Tah Dah!! It's me! Carissa Joy Koehn</div>
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12. Making a Statement</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNpSfDj0iemXLvqAnK4AGVPeOwMn1XpSa6xBTU0odTeyO8UvSqVS33h9HZ2hOMWAr1Hh4ygcAiQuORbYUQdEbYVShApzb_OtRsK_VImrSoy4olohxSZrsBeWPCp-5h4J-eC2wwJKxfh0w/s1600/Making+a+Statement.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476150850310621874" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNpSfDj0iemXLvqAnK4AGVPeOwMn1XpSa6xBTU0odTeyO8UvSqVS33h9HZ2hOMWAr1Hh4ygcAiQuORbYUQdEbYVShApzb_OtRsK_VImrSoy4olohxSZrsBeWPCp-5h4J-eC2wwJKxfh0w/s320/Making+a+Statement.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 265px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
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That's a pretty strong statement that I won't mess with if I were you. Just for your information I live in Texas. :)</div>
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13. A Memory</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-cYNKHo87-Y7QTbwHVejypaGKj4pYq8bgUAnbRSk4XTUln0J0Uei-30Asy-89PVVpoHm-XXEoEt_muU1FJnd9Y2ToPW8BKVakoA-Gqn7_cuTK0dk-DiAf0n-vC6EkXNjml1m25ZX1eog/s1600/A+Memory.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476150503529035986" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-cYNKHo87-Y7QTbwHVejypaGKj4pYq8bgUAnbRSk4XTUln0J0Uei-30Asy-89PVVpoHm-XXEoEt_muU1FJnd9Y2ToPW8BKVakoA-Gqn7_cuTK0dk-DiAf0n-vC6EkXNjml1m25ZX1eog/s320/A+Memory.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 173px;" /></a><br />
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Now I know you are looking at this picture and thinking, "What's this got to do with a memory." But it is a deeply entrenched memory to a limited few. :) With this very bottle of Tea Rose Perfume, I made the horrible mistake to test the taste of it on my younger sister, Hannah. I was young when this event took place, so don't think I'm some terrible big sister. If you want the complete story, ask and I'll be happy to tell it. :)</div>
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14. Weather</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02FGbqMtWIAdySndVU-vRuo-uyQv1NUtkqNopQxb6Yne2pPYLLkzwoR82H2Unm8wBOsmmqlZ1pjKkfhhHdezI6oxSyths6wKu_ZmNoyMW2uEAzMxG47QXAUVfFyaSbRJKc4xdIwqpdLU/s1600/Weather.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476149827522053474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02FGbqMtWIAdySndVU-vRuo-uyQv1NUtkqNopQxb6Yne2pPYLLkzwoR82H2Unm8wBOsmmqlZ1pjKkfhhHdezI6oxSyths6wKu_ZmNoyMW2uEAzMxG47QXAUVfFyaSbRJKc4xdIwqpdLU/s320/Weather.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
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Looks like a storm is rolling in. YEP-EE!! I love a good thunder storm.</div>
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15. Broken</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwKjkx6Lic4Treqwwo_XZD5p5d8Ud52eNZNfKDfswJ9HGHUkjThkcbtpcELJC4axXIreQao0FEOYZ0lm08Ds_kLJwiOUYqkQmhgcCJYW7KhE6ETQ2Q9b0IHhTKxh-obYk9p_ZqqpE6Jc/s1600/Broken.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476149506510761250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwKjkx6Lic4Treqwwo_XZD5p5d8Ud52eNZNfKDfswJ9HGHUkjThkcbtpcELJC4axXIreQao0FEOYZ0lm08Ds_kLJwiOUYqkQmhgcCJYW7KhE6ETQ2Q9b0IHhTKxh-obYk9p_ZqqpE6Jc/s320/Broken.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 301px;" /></a><br />
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For this to become a piece of art, something has to be broken. These little pieces of pottery must be broken before something beautiful is made....well let's just say something special....<i>really</i> special.</div>
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16. Green</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNf9BJ0jK4Q_qvwkRaoegLS7YmiR-IR3cWZH69bnVB_OE-aDmb13EqkoisMr7txowIQlcl8CYITTuAd0LNKGPOzvcshn1B9ajbnn7tIxn4GthGhWw6L_fUf2nBQCdSf5FpVIR7YJBXxqk/s1600/Green.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476149072605709826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNf9BJ0jK4Q_qvwkRaoegLS7YmiR-IR3cWZH69bnVB_OE-aDmb13EqkoisMr7txowIQlcl8CYITTuAd0LNKGPOzvcshn1B9ajbnn7tIxn4GthGhWw6L_fUf2nBQCdSf5FpVIR7YJBXxqk/s320/Green.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
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Two shades of it on this yummy looking candy. I love sour candy. ;)</div>
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17. Music</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP_C-HHK6LUn66R7M6QYtm-NUgAJ4KMpPaygJD88iZ2tv8YzsD-DttSCCa7qSPs5zoTzR5LbcX40Qyet1rhB3aeJfQ11qzuifIvXZqox-GbstemHIEPicPKGuFqLuAR_yqwxTWQHDqGi0/s1600/Music.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476148832256865250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP_C-HHK6LUn66R7M6QYtm-NUgAJ4KMpPaygJD88iZ2tv8YzsD-DttSCCa7qSPs5zoTzR5LbcX40Qyet1rhB3aeJfQ11qzuifIvXZqox-GbstemHIEPicPKGuFqLuAR_yqwxTWQHDqGi0/s320/Music.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 240px;" /></a><br />
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Music waiting to happen.</div>
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18. Dream</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9tWUq6Q5h6zmL5xHnaDTCEAMxyWKfb0WbmhxsgU3VUeL3CEPJsD0qFVb5O2pnvciDfm52O-gmtCA8aqyHAO6xBBXHVPO3J-pknd-zBCDpcG0GvLM-nC6RyNPi-qA9LWPkmqFXEVlP5J8/s1600/Dream.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476148652288348194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9tWUq6Q5h6zmL5xHnaDTCEAMxyWKfb0WbmhxsgU3VUeL3CEPJsD0qFVb5O2pnvciDfm52O-gmtCA8aqyHAO6xBBXHVPO3J-pknd-zBCDpcG0GvLM-nC6RyNPi-qA9LWPkmqFXEVlP5J8/s320/Dream.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 201px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
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Sweet dreams precious little princess! This is my little sister Rebecca Rose Koehn.</div>
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19. A Tool</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRxLKT0tZevPgFtw-84JiiwvrnrBBkt1rvW2jL1a06DqXVX-slsNclAjcw3F3Y_Bzk1s7ZAEZJRsfjcPypxt42e1hUurOSY6vaLDdDvvXAewOvpCYCSZ7CxO2HGCm3KfpwEmUZcyjqlCU/s1600/A+Tool.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476148338447613762" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRxLKT0tZevPgFtw-84JiiwvrnrBBkt1rvW2jL1a06DqXVX-slsNclAjcw3F3Y_Bzk1s7ZAEZJRsfjcPypxt42e1hUurOSY6vaLDdDvvXAewOvpCYCSZ7CxO2HGCm3KfpwEmUZcyjqlCU/s320/A+Tool.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
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This is a must have tool for any women. Right? :)</div>
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20. Journey</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhslmEIWQ4PE4DQdMSfg95ZlWNmjhLjd1kO2twIm4Ym6y6ufds2ioe376yEkBSJ17eANcrtTpIPal1ogWAKPs-fBkso9hzUbXNcLtfNGtiZt_6unIbAK1qfFXeradjVVzvIcCYIHu_QPC8/s1600/Journey.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476148065714589794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhslmEIWQ4PE4DQdMSfg95ZlWNmjhLjd1kO2twIm4Ym6y6ufds2ioe376yEkBSJ17eANcrtTpIPal1ogWAKPs-fBkso9hzUbXNcLtfNGtiZt_6unIbAK1qfFXeradjVVzvIcCYIHu_QPC8/s320/Journey.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 240px;" /></a><br />
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Matthew 7:14 "<i>For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, those who find it are few." </i>The journey of abundant life is hard, but worth it.</div>
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21. Funny</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28QcfR0F3B2B-w0nDqYsMf-rm0o6Clq8MApl892G8iEyPDd-lCeLeGTvH2ZfY8XFFhnHxNg9A_bNYDCwecdvGd7a_zyuoKE9s20ohoQZouuWH-clslNRyZKpS-5JAJOjf8w1XPDC55qw/s1600/Funny.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476147396154474146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28QcfR0F3B2B-w0nDqYsMf-rm0o6Clq8MApl892G8iEyPDd-lCeLeGTvH2ZfY8XFFhnHxNg9A_bNYDCwecdvGd7a_zyuoKE9s20ohoQZouuWH-clslNRyZKpS-5JAJOjf8w1XPDC55qw/s320/Funny.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 210px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
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This is what Sarah Feeny, Hannah Koehn and myself look like when we have enjoyed a delicious blue raspberry Jolly Rancher. I'm a big fan of Jolly Ranchers, they are so good.</div>
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22. Fire Trucks</div>
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<span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JdBMLN6W01N3tVfZQwtqN5dYjwsx8CFlBxWkyiuhNn1oV0xNIWhaBCbGQt9vjBVg41oiUWwgO8LVxSq5idYAmQ1sermP6lvPDTR_yXJc_bSrPlc_VCPch3HELGVl8guK_QBsueX-A54/s1600/Fire+Truck.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476146749609022674" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JdBMLN6W01N3tVfZQwtqN5dYjwsx8CFlBxWkyiuhNn1oV0xNIWhaBCbGQt9vjBVg41oiUWwgO8LVxSq5idYAmQ1sermP6lvPDTR_yXJc_bSrPlc_VCPch3HELGVl8guK_QBsueX-A54/s320/Fire+Truck.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a></span><br />
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Last but certainly not least the fire truck with my precious sister Hannah posing next to it.</div>
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I hope you enjoyed the pictures as much as I enjoyed taking them. It was a lot of fun!</div>
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Carissa Koehn</div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11396333523682480249noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137484644464048899.post-61280186727244049052010-05-26T14:22:00.000-07:002012-08-05T19:09:27.123-07:00Thoughts about Deference<div style="text-align: center;">
The difference between deference and fearing man is a fine line that is hard to identify. Actually, the difference cannot be seen, because it is a heart matter. Deference is a decision of the heart to keep a fellow brother or sister in Christ from sinning by restraining from some activity. Fearing man is restraining from an activity, because we are afraid of what that brother or sister thinks of us. It is a heart matter. Who are we trying to serve? God, by helping our brother not to sin? Or man, by being afraid of what they think of us?</div>
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In 1 Corinthians 8, Paul explains deference when he talks about an issue in the church of Corinth. This issue was about whether they could eat meat that was offered to idols. Paul said that it isn’t wrong; since there is only one God and that the idols are nothing (1 Corinthians 8:4, 6). However, Paul then says in verse 7, that not all the Christians know this and therefore when they see you eating that meat, they would being encouraged to eat that meat and then they would going against their conscience and sinning. We would be sinning with them, because we helped them stumble by what they see us doing.</div>
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1 Corinthians 8:13 seems up the duty of the more mature Christian. “Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.” Jesus also says in Matthew 18:6 “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” When we are more mature in certain areas where the Bible doesn’t directly say “thou shalt not,” we are to help keep those “little one” who have a weaker conscience, from stumbling, and then teach them what the Bible says on that area.</div>
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Fear of man is doing something because you are afraid of what others will think of you. It would be like not eating meat offered to idols because you are afraid that the other believers will think that you are ungodly. You are not trying to keep them from sinning, but are more concerned about what they will think of you if do or don’t do something. You are not looking at God’s Word to see whether something is wrong, but watching to see what other people think is godly and are doing it so that they will think of you as such. Selfishness is the motivation and not the interest of your fellow brothers in Christ.</div>
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A more modern way to show either deference or fear of man is in the issue that you have to only wear skirts to be modest and feminine. Well, the Bible does not say to only wear skirts, it says to be modest and to not dress in men’s clothes. There are pants that are made for women therefore when you wear them, you are being feminine. But there are people that think that you should only wear skirts. Deference would be to not wear pants around them so as to not become a stumbling block. While fear of man would be to not wear pants, so that you fit their definition of modesty and femininity.</div>
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The difference between deference and fear of man is not something that human eyes can see; only God can see it, because it is a matter of the heart. Deference is keeping yourself from being a stumbling block to those with a weaker conscience. Fear of man is thinking only of yourself and what others think of you.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11396333523682480249noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137484644464048899.post-55719378972995484852010-05-12T14:25:00.001-07:002012-08-05T19:10:21.322-07:00The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span xmlns=""><span style="font-size: 12;"><a href="http://www.christianmovies.com/products.php?subcat_id=69&osCsid=u2nfmq9jnon251dpa2ho4ha1h1" target="_blank" title="Buy the DVD Today!"></a><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="http://www.christianmovies.com/products.php?subcat_id=69&osCsid=u2nfmq9jnon251dpa2ho4ha1h1" target="_blank" title="Buy the DVD Today!"></a></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Have you ever watched or heard of the movie, <em>The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry</em>? It isn't the best made movie ever produced, but the story line is one that caught my attention.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12;">It is a story of an older man named Jonathan Sperry (shocking isn't it?J). This man befriends three young boys and begins to teach them about the Bible. The way he befriended them is through giving one of the boys a mowing job and then paying him more than he expected and giving him some homemade lemonade (the way through a man's heart is through his stomach.J). His two friends wanted to try the lemonade too, so they all end up at Mr. Sperry's house drinking lemonade. Through the conversation, Mr. Sperry tells the boys the importance of talking to God about everything in their life as well as reading your Bible every day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12;">With the promise of another treat, Mr. Sperry asks the boys to come again and bring their Bibles. This is the beginning of a relationship between the old man and the three boys. Each week the boys would go to Mr. Sperry's house and have a Bible lesson. Each lesson is unique as Mr. Sperry uses different activities to teach. One day he sends the boys on a short scavenger hunt, another day is a "field trip" to a cemetery.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12;">Because of Mr. Sperry's method of teaching is more than just sitting there and listening, the lessons stick with the boys and the truths begin to change their lives. Through some circumstances, another boy is saved and he joins their Bible lessons. Now there are four boys and they begin to bring other boys until Mr. Sperry has a large group of boys that he is teaching.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12;">Then Mr. Sperry dies. This devastates the boys, but it does not stop them. They continue to grow their relationship with God and to teach others. Each grows up to be men of God, who are involved in some type of ministry. Through Mr. Sperry's influence and teaching, lives where changed and the kingdom of God was expanded.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12;">That's the way I want to live. I want to change lives for God's kingdom. I want to set people particularly young ladies, on the road of abundant life, which comes with having a deep relationship with God. I want to teach them in such a way that even when I stop teaching them, they go on and continue to grow their relationship with God and disciple others.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12;">At Advanced EXCEL, I learned that everyone has a passion in how to serve God. Each one of us sees a certain need in the world and a God-given desire to do something about that need. I didn't think that I had a passion and if I did, it was hidden somewhere deep inside of me, because I had no idea what I was passionate about. Well, I think that God is slowly revealing to me what my passion is and it has something to do with discipleship. I don't know exactly what to do with it, but I know that God will continue to reveal it to me and what He wants me to do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12;">Carissa</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11396333523682480249noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137484644464048899.post-13320912074449886832010-04-19T11:40:00.001-07:002012-08-05T19:10:58.459-07:00Will you Trust Me?<span xmlns=""></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;" xmlns="">"Will you trust me?" The still quiet voice asks me. "Will you trust me and give it to me?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;" xmlns="">"But Lord, what if I give it to you, and you take it away? Or what if you do this or that? I don't want to trust You with this, I can take care of it."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;" xmlns="">"Will you trust me? Will you trust that if I take that away or do something that you don't want to happen that I'm doing this for you good? That right then it will be hard and a struggle, but in the end you will have learned so much about Me. You will have a deeper relationship with Me. Will you trust me?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;" xmlns="">"Lord why? Why do I have to give this to you? Why is it so hard to trust you? Why are you asking me to give up everything to you? Why can't I own something and be in control?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;" xmlns="">"Just trust me, Carissa, just trust me. I have a huge, amazing plan for your life, but first you must submit yourself, your entire self into My hands. I know that it's hard, but think of the promises that I have given you. Don't lean on your own limited understanding; trust me and rely on My understanding and My bigger picture of your life."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;" xmlns="">"Lord, I don't understand, but I'm going to do it. I give it to you. It's yours; do whatever you will with it. Give me grace, because I'm going to want to take it back again. Help me Lord."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Have you ever had a conversation similar to the one above? I</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Have and not just once, but many times. It seems that the past mouth or so, God has been digging deep into my heart and pulling stuff out and saying "What about this, you need to give this to me." It would seem that the more I give stuff to God the easier it would be, but no, each time is a struggle, each time I have to go against my natural inclination and obey God. It's hard; but it is something that I need to do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;" xmlns="">When God has told me that I have to give something to Him, like my body, or my fear of failure, I start thinking of all the horrible things that could happen if I give Him that. What if I give Him my body and then He decides to let me get hurt or sick in order that I could have a stronger spirit? I don't want to go through that. What if I give Him my fear of failure and then I step out of my comfort zone and then fail miserably? Yes, it would be a much needed lesson, but I don't want to learn that way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;" xmlns="">Really it's a matter of trust. Will I trust God? Do I trust Him that everything <em>does</em> work for my good? Will I trust all the promises in the Bible as from God? They are hard questions; and they reveal a lot about how much I really do trust God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;" xmlns="">God has asked me many times to give Him different things in my life. Things like fears, relationships and dreams. It's hard, but it is fulfilling and it's obeying God. What about you? What has God asked you to give Him? Have you done it? Or have you pushed it aside and said "No way God, You aren't having that, it's mine." Take a step of faith, give it to God and take God's hand and let Him lead you down the road of life. Trusting that anything that happens will be for your good and God's glory.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;" xmlns="">Carissa Koehn</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11396333523682480249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137484644464048899.post-87953872210720009092010-04-10T13:07:00.001-07:002012-08-05T19:11:17.534-07:00Spring is Here!<span xmlns=""><br /></span><br />
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<span xmlns=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">Winter has finally left and spring has arrived in all its glory! I love watching winter turn into spring! I love watching the trees burst into bloom and all the fields turning green. I love watching Joshua's bees working the flowers and buzzing in and out of their hives. It's all so beautiful! And I know the God who created it all! I love nature; it makes me realize what amazing and great God I serve. When I'm outside and I hear the birds, feel the wind on my face and see all the different colors of nature, I feel closer to God.</span></span></div>
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<span xmlns=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">I stand there all my senses are filled with the world that He created and I just have stand in awe at the God that I serve. I cannot understand why anyone believes in evolution. I just don't understand it! How can anyone look and study this world with all its detail and say that it happened by chance. It just doesn't make sense.</span></span></div>
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<span xmlns=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork."(Psalms 19:1) It's so true, not just in the heavens either, but all of creation declares the glory of God. Don't believe me? Just go and study the bee; the bee is so amazing! God created the bee in an amazing way. Have you ever thought about how a scot bee tells the other bees where to go and find nectar? They do a complicated dance, where every move is a message to the others telling them what direction to go, how far, everything that is needed for them to find the nectar source. Scientists have yet to figure out completely all about the bee dance. That is just one little piece of information about one of the creatures that God has made!</span></span></div>
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<span xmlns=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">We serve an amazing God. A God that made the huge outer space and the tiny, tiny little cells in you body. And that God loves you and that God loves me. It's just breath taking. And on top of that, He wants to have a close, deep relationship with you and me. Can't you see how wonderful He is? Take a moment and thank God for beautiful world around us, thank Him for making you who you are, perfect in His sight. Our God is great and He desires our praise and worship.</span></span></div>
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<span xmlns=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">Carissa</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here are some pcitures I took yesterday.</span></div>
<span xmlns=""><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458607582728000386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpjRtZ9c-d1HemcIBioHAE9xRD4QMuVsNTrn3EfKrwOP3qyBIrScAQan99e2NxRILf_n2_lczmOLAea0wkKpXOsHEROklAr-yJeOLQFQ3A3Zvb8o8gX6fCI8lz23U7YyD4ul7akY-Ga4/s320/siblings+leaning+on+tree.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 294px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;" xmlns="">These are some of my siblings, Seth, Rebecca and Grace. I thought is was a cute picture. I love them so much!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;" xmlns=""><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458603828641754850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5sYf3b8g-Nu-AOrnUT37jlQFuFxzmyYawdP0OnoAxCd5sg9L-iqapXLmLvA7Z9Fjz2lPOPtbYAuyRX1xEpEaWPUR3CkwanXDj9iAJMGB506UFU14h2hlHrLhOkC-hHCi3IgOmApEhkG4/s320/My+sisters+in+a+tree.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 297px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;" xmlns="">We are currently on a TV, Wii, computer games fast and so my siblings have been playing outsidea lot more. They love this tree that is by our ponds. This is Grace and Rebecca</span></div>
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458605317798887170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4gG-DgBx_aJyjj7f0OFLUFHnnBCmRhLPSHD2V1c4Lw9JJv_X5ctyBieUMapdZamJgN0LfWiHtVRYY0lIv9vgdhM51WYWS0lswf1AdllF3L5nipoN1cIiDvfeTE6yECz0GJWOYcHBa-jg/s320/Little+Yellow+Flowers.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 302px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There is a bush next to our house that is covered with these pretty yellow flowers. I just HAD to take a couple pictures of the. :)</span></div>
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458606416407865778" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSZOy6jXjqXe9jwY9wPV-HhluddQsJBuYYTE_iyvNoUORtB6UY9tGDfQTTYiY4z7Rd2FJ1v8dET9TlFRZJ_Uq16EJnU_lmerrqEZUs4adbelxirkM7eK4R1gJs_KikRJTJVCNvlsRxphE/s320/Three+yellow+flowers.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here are some more yellow flowers that I found among the grass. Aren't they pretty?</span></div>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11396333523682480249noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137484644464048899.post-12108625103823695292010-03-25T10:06:00.000-07:002012-08-05T19:11:31.179-07:00G.R.E.A.T.<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>G</strong>ive thanks</div>
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<strong>R</strong>ejoice</div>
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<strong>E</strong>ngraft Christ’s Commands</div>
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<strong>A</strong>ppeal to God</div>
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<strong>T</strong>riumph with Good Works</div>
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My family and I have been watching the Anger Resolution Seminar from IBLP at our house. Last Tuesday, March 24, 2010 we watched the session on how to react to trials that we come in contact with in life. Mr. Gothard taught us that the biblical reaction to these trials was to <strong>G</strong>ive thanks, <strong>R</strong>ejoice, <strong>E</strong>ngraft Christ commands, <strong>A</strong>ppeal to God by crying out and <strong>T</strong>riumph with good works or G.R.E.A.T. </div>
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As I sat there listening to Mr. Gothard’s stories and taking notes in my workbook, I thought that this sounded great (no pun intendedJ) and tried to think of ways in my life where I could apply it. Well, I didn’t really need to think to hard about it, because God brought a situation which gave me the perfect opportunity to apply G.R.E.A.T. to my life. Wasn’t that nice of Him? J</div>
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Friday morning I woke up and didn’t feel very well at all. My body just felt achy all over and I had a slight headache. By the afternoon I had a fever. I was like “No way, can I get sick. I have so much that I need to do and I can’t afford to get sick.” But sick I was and there wasn’t much I could do about it except to talk my vitamins and rest.</div>
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During my Date with God (a time to go somewhere and be alone with God and just talk with Him), I was asking God why in the world did I have to get sick now of all times. Then I remembered G.R.E.A.T. and decided that I might as well put that information to use. So I wrote out a prayer to God in my journal, thanking Him for me being sick and that I knew that in the long run it would be for my good. I then made a list of possible reasons for me getting sick.</div>
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I am all most completely over being sick and as I look back I don’t know if I passed the test that God gave me. For some of the time that I was sick, I did give thanks and rejoice and all that, but then there where times when I started worrying over Advanced EXCEL assignments and how I would get it all done. But I had to trust that God’s grace would help me as He was always done in the past. So I just rested in my Father’s loving arms and trusted that His grace would see me through it all. And so far He has been doing just that!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11396333523682480249noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137484644464048899.post-84920988760701975812010-03-11T13:09:00.001-08:002012-08-05T19:11:45.308-07:00Where is Your Road Leading?<span xmlns=""></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;" xmlns="">Every road leads somewhere. That is the purpose of roads; to lead us to a destination. Even in God's economy there are roads, but only two and you are either traveling on one or the other, there is no in between.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;" xmlns=""> One of the roads looks like the one for you! It's smooth with no bumps or ruts in it. It's nice and wide, so that many people can walk on it at once. There is no brush on the ground, no low hanging trees to make walking difficult. The scenery is beautiful. It's sunny and there are birds singing. In short every thing about that road is perfect and makes you want to go down that road. You can even tell that this road has been well traveled. But is it really for you?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;" xmlns=""> The other road is very different from the first road. It's small, doesn't look like it's been used a whole lot. It looks dark, because of the low hanging trees. It looks bumpy with low dips and looks hard to travel on. The road is straight, you can see that, but still can't see that far ahead. Actually, you can't see that far ahead of the other road either, but since it's so beautiful, you don't need to. It looks great so you're sure that it will continue to be beautiful all along the way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;" xmlns=""> Both roads are not what they seem. If you chose the first road, (which we'll call the road of the world) you will be happy...for a time. Life will be great, you can do what you want when you want. Life will go smoothly…until you turn a corner in the road and all your happiness will be gone in a flash. You will suddenly be caught in quick sand with no way to get out. There you will start sinking down, deeper and deeper into that nasty muck, until you are completely destroyed. That beautiful road which looks so inviting, leads to a pit of destruction with no way out unless you cry out to the only One who can save you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;" xmlns=""> Choosing the other road is choosing life (which is why this road is called the road of abundant life). This road is not an easy road; you will have to give up stuff that you don't want to give up. You will have to do things that are hard and actually, impossible for you to do. But also on this road is peace and abundant life. On this road you have a friend who helps you over every bump, every rut. He will help in those places that are impossible for you to cross. And where does this road lead? Does it also lead into a pit of muck? Oh no, this road leads to wonderful place where you will be with God for eternity. A place where there is no pain, no tears, sin or death.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;" xmlns=""> So…which road are you traveling on? Are you traveling on the road that is easy for a while and then ends in a pit? Or are you traveling on the road that is hard…but you have someone helping you all alone the way. The road that ends in a place that is perfect.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;" xmlns="">I have chosen the road of life, and if you are on the road of abundant life we are fellow travelers. We have the same Friend, the same purpose, the same goal. I am going to be sharing on this blog some of the places that my Friend Jesus Christ is taking me on this road of abundant life. I will be sharing the lessons that He is teaching me. Come along and see where God leads me on the Road Leading Closer to Him.</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11396333523682480249noreply@blogger.com3