I Stand Amazed...

As some days are long and hard, and not what we may have ever desired or dreamed about. God is still good and He and He alone gives new grace each day.

I began the first of the year trying to make an effort to spend more time in Gods word and praying. I am ashamed to say that I had not ever done this consistently.(Day in and day out)But God has forgiven me of this and I can't look back only forward There are still some days I find myself with so much to do that I struggle to get this done. But, God is helping me with this. I have told you before for me a scheduled Bible Study that I can write in works best at this time.

I am also trying to memorize scriptures on the 1st and 15th of every month. And that is the scriptures in my side bar that I have memorized to date this year. We may not always have the Bible, or I may not always be able to read the Bible and I want to have scriptures in my heart.

I stand amazed at how many times the things I have learned in the scriptures have been comfort to me at a latter time. I think when you dig it out yourself you will remember it better. Or how the scriptures I have memorized has given me what I needed at a latter date also. Things will happen in the course of the day and I am reminded of what God has taught me in His word.

Even, in a valley like no other, God is still God and He is still so very good to us all. Many of you know of Johanna Raye Carswell, Nikki's daughter and the diffuclties that she will face in her short life. But I am thankful God has put her in our life no matter how short or how long. We are forever changed because of her. But we all can still say God is Good, and we rest in the knowledge that God and God alone is in control and He knows best for each of us.

I also stand amazed at the out pouring of your hearts to Nikki and Chad from preachers, to church members, to co-workers, to fellow church members, to family, and bloggers. Nothing touches a parents more that people loving their child.

Thank You All, and keep praying Gods will be done on earth.

Its All about HIM
Joan

...His righteousness remaineth forever.....

As I was doing my Bible study this morning I was running scriptures and reading them. I read II Corinthians 9:9 and according to the bible study I was suppose to read II Corinthians 9:7. (I realized I had read the wrong one when I begin to post to the blog to get the scriptures corrected posted) But this verse spoke to me for the day and was the verse I needed to be reminded of today.

Even though things do not go as we would choose, or the way that we desire God is still in control and knows best for all of us. Me, included. I am human, along with all of you out there and we can get ourselves worked up over earthly matters. Many times people quit on God when things don't go there way. Why? All the scriptures are still true, God is still God, He is still in control, God is still holding all the waters on the earth in HIS hands, Jesus still went to the cross for my sins and yours, He still loves me and YOU. So why do people quit on God. There is no place to quit, or no time to quit.

So remember child of God ... His Righteousness Remaineth Forever... II Cor 9:9

It's All About HIM
Joan

MY Way OR NOT...

Do you remember the Elvis song "My Way". Now, I like Elvis as much as anyone but as I was studying my WOF "Managing Your Moods" this song came to mind. I looked up the lyrics and was surprised at them. Although the song is catchy and was probably one of his most popular songs I am afraid it is a total contradiction to the Bible. Although the lyrics are to long to post along with my feelings for the day. I imagine I will never hear that song again in the same manner. It basically says I've come to the end of my life and I've lived life my way, and done what I wanted and pleased and done the best I can.

Here are same of the scriptures that were in my Bible Study for the Day. I hope they help you as much as they did me. (If you are not doing a daily bible study for yourself, I highly recommend it for everyone. There are many out there, and many different ways to study Gods word. Find what works for you and get in His Word. For me, I like a structured bible study that I can write in.)

Proverbs 6:14 Frowardness is in his heart, he devisteth mischeif continually, he soweth discord. (I looked up frowardness = disobedience) or
Proverbs19:3 The foolishness of man perverteth his way; and his heart fretteth against the Lord. or
Provers 12:8 A man shall be commended according to his wisdom; but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.

Ouch, I had rather have these scriptures to mold my life than above ones how about you?

Matt 9 :2 & 22 - ...be of good cheer... & ...be of good comfort...
John 16:33 .. but be of good cheer...
II Cor 9:7 ... for God loveth a cheerful giver. (there are many ways to be a giver, time, encouragement, and not only money)
James 5:13 ...Is any merry?Let him sing psalms.


After, studying the scriptures this morning I am reminded how many times, I have done things my way. That has been so against the scriptures. My life should be about God and Gods way and never my own. How about you? I am finding that as I get into the Bible and study His Word daily that it is messing up a lot of what I have thought or the way I have acted over the years. And that if I apply what I read and learn in the Bible that I will be more like HIM, which is my desire.

It's All About HIM(and not me)
Joan

My Mind Keeps Returning To...

WE returned home last night from GA and as some of you may know by now, Nikki went to the Ob/Gyn yesterday and got some unexpected news about the baby. She has blogged about it on her blog at www.chadandnikki.blogspot.com . She goes into much better detail than I could try to about the situation. We thought it was best to come home and see our daughter last night and her family, it is hard to give a hug 5 hours away.

However my mind keeps returning to these scriptures last night and today.

Isaiah 55:8
For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
Pslams 135:6
Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.


This is what Nikki and Chad are praying and we ask you to join us in praying also "Our prayer(and if you could make it yours too that would be great), is that God's will would be accomplished and that we would be accepting of what He has in store for us. Please pray for strength and wisdom as Chad and I will undoubtedly have some decisions to make soon".

I am thankful I have a God that is in control and and in charge of all situations, whether they are what we expected or not.

It's All About HIM
Joan

I'm Still Working On....

Well April 15 slipped upon me for memorizing my scripture for this month. Although we did get our taxes done on time, I was a little slack in trying to memorize my scripture. No excuses, because they would only be that, EXCUSES, and I have no reason other than I did not get it done. So, I will just leave it at that and say I am trying to memorize Psalms 86:10-12.

In Christ
Joan

Need I Say More....

G -Gods
R- Riches
A- Are
C- Countinually
E - Enjoyed

Until Next Time
Joan

GRACE

Julia Johnston wrote this Hymn "Grace Greater Than Our Sin". She was the daughter to a Presbyterian minister, and director of Sunday School for her church for over 40 years. She also was the President of the Presbyterian Missionary Society of Peoria for 20 years. From the children in her care to the mission fields imagine the examples of grace she must have saw. In her "spare time" she wrote over 500 hymns.

"Grace Greater Than All Our Sin"

1.Marvelous Grace of our loving Lord
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt
Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured
There where the Blood of the Lamb was spilt

2.Sin and despair like the sea waves cold
Threaten the soul with infinite loss
Grace that is greater yes Grace untold
Points to the refuge the mighty Cross

3.Dark is the stain that we cannot hide
What can avail to wash it away
Look there is flowing a crimson tide
Whiter than snow you may be today

4.Marvelous infinite matchless Grace
Freely bestowed on all who believe
You that are longing to see His Face
Will you this moment His Grace receive

Refrain

Grace Grace God's Grace
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within
Grace Grace God's Grace
Grace that is greater than all our sin

This song was sung as the invitaion tonight and I thought it was very fitting and I wanted to share the words with you all. Alan preched tonight "No Wonder They Call It Amazing Grace" out of II Samuel 9 and the grace David bestowed upon Mephibosheth because of his love for Jonathan. What a picture of the grace of God bestowed upon me because of Jesus? I'm than kful for the GRACE Of GOD!

Joan

Still Thinking of Hannahs Prayer

As, I posted yesterday, Hannah's prayer after Samuel was born has been on my mind the last few days. I keep asking God what are you trying to tell or show me. I talked with Alan about it and he says to just keep paying and reading it and God will reveal what He wants to show you. So that is what I am doing.

One of the things that I have come across is from Matthew Henry's commentary. Hannah is praising the giver in this prayer and not the gift that God gave her. I wonder how many times I have got caught up in the gifts of God, and not God himself.

Last night as Amy, Clayton, Nikki and her sister-n-law, Jamie, and myself spent the afternoon together looking for a prom dress for Jamie I was reminded of the gift God gave me in my daughter.

Let me back up and tell the story in short, Jamie is a senior this year and is wanting to go to the Prom in a couple of weeks, she said she was going, she was not going, then we all talked her into going that she would always wish she had gone especially since a special friend is her date for the night. Two weeks to the prom and no dress, now Jamie had looked last week for a dress to no avail. So Amy, Nikki, Clayton and I had a girls night planned since their hubbys were in Florida preaching a meeting, and mine was also preaching. So we changed our plans for the girls night to take Jamie Prom dress shoping. We all had a ball, together. Jamie found the perfect dress in Gastonia, and got some really good counsel from a dad that was also prom dress shopping with his daughter at the same time. It's 8:30 or so and Clayton needs to eat, we debated Cracker Barrell or Texas Roadhouse and decided upon Texas Roadhouse. We were eating nad talking and having awonderful time, when out of nowhere their is a commotion in the restaurant 4-5 tables down and so hear someone holler does anyone know the heimlich. Nikki does and working for a surgeon has had the training and jumps up without thought and does what she has been trained for. We take care of Clayton, because he can see his mom and gets upset and scarred. All is well, the lady is fine.

That was the end of my meal, by this time my stomach is quezy knowing God used the daughter He gave me to help save another perosns life and that He placed her there for His purpose. (It's a mom thing I know, but it is very overwhelming when you see God use your children in ways unthinkable to man for His Glory) But I need not focus on her, the gift, and the gift she gave back to someone else last night. But my focus must be on the giver, "GOD" in every sitatution.

Until next time,
Joan

Hannah's Prayer

I Samuel 2 1-11

And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. ²There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. ³Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. ⁴The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. ⁵They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. ⁶The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. ⁷The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. ⁸He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and he hath set the world upon them. ⁹He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. ¹⁰The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

I ran across a portion of Hannah's prayer in my bible study, and stopped to read the whole prayer. Now, this is Hannah's prayers after Samuel was born and also after her other children were born and they way I see if Hannah was up in years when this prayer was prayed. Her prayer has been on my mind constantly the last few days, and I am wondering what God is trying to show me and teach through this. Let me know what you see in Hannah's pray.

It's All About HIM
Joan

Am I Tired?

My life revolves around the Lord in some way or the other, the preacher, the church, etc. As a pastors wife I get asked many times do I get tired of it. My answer is always "That is All I Know". Alan has been pastoring since we were 24. That's right 24 and I know no other life. There have been times that I or the family have had to take a backseat to the needs of someone else in the church, but there have been many more times that the Lord has poured out His blessings on us because of the call on my husbands life. We have seen God do some amazing things in the church, and in his peoples lives and also in our own lives. For me, there is no greater honor from the Lord than to be a preachers wife, or to be the mother or a preacher. So some days there is much to do, and other days there is much more to do. And I do get tired a lot.

But today, I want to share something with you that I have read in the Bible that has been in my Bible Study the last couple of days that has really stuck in my mind about being tired.

Acts 28:28

"For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed: lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them".

I want to see, I want to hear HIM. Oh please Lord don't let me get cold on You or get tired of hearing You or about You, or get tired of seeing You or seeing the things You do. What a tradegy to get tired on the Lord and become cold-hearted.

Is our hearts waxed cold because we don't hear or see anymore?

Because of Christ
Joan

What Stuck In My Mind?

I went to a ladies conference last night with some of our ladies from our church to Abee's Chapel in Connelly Springs, NC. We really enjoyed it and had such a wonderful time together on our bus, traveling there and back and also with other ladies at Abee's Chapel. There were 25 different churches in attendance from all around the area. Thank You Abee's Chapel.

I came away with many good things, and have wrote some of them down to blog about later. But, the one thing that stuck in my mind that I wanted to blog about today was what one of the speakers said. "What do you know about the Bible, today that you did not know a year ago or 5 years ago, 10 years ago"?

I have added to this statement and come up with my own.
What do you(Joan) know me about the Bible (and or God) that you did not know yesterday, last week, last year, 5 years ago, 10 years ago, 20 years ago (that is when I got saved) , etc....
What About You?

Lord, help me to be diligent no matter what is going on to study your word daily and spend time in your letter to me so you can increase, and I can decrease. If I want a close walk and fellowship with you I MUST spend more time with you. Please forgive me for being full of Joan and not you.

A Lot To Think About
Joan

Yesterday Was April 1

Where did the first three months of 2009 go. Time surely does go much faster the older you get. But, I really don't see how it could vanish more quickly.

As I think about how fast this year has gone, I can't help but be reminded of James 4:14

Wheras ye know what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appearreth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

Many are here today, and will be gone tomorrow. I am my parents age, that's crazy I know, and my children are my age and my parents ages are what my grandparents ages were. What happened to 45+ years.

But what I am reminded of is, What have I done for the Lord? and if I am going to mature in Christ and worship HIM, and get closer to HIM. I've got to do it now - today.

Being April 1, it was scripture memeoraztion day that Beth Moore challenged us to do by learning scripture together. I am posting mine in the side bar, now. I hope you are enjoying memorizing scripture together. I am getting alot out of these verses and they are coming to my mind ofter as I go about my day to da y activities.

Until Next Time,
Joan

Around and Around We Go.....

If you know my house, you know that I have a small wall in between the kitchen/ dining room and the living room. Imagine with me just moment if you don't know my home.. I have two from the living room, one goes to the dinning room and the other goes to the kitchen. My kitchen and dining room is open and together. Do you see, a perfect place for a toddler and a dog to chase one another. Around and around and around.

Clayton spent the day with us today, and he loves our dog Mattie(a 50 lb English Bulldog). We spent about an hour in the floor after lunch playing,well they were playing and I was laughing at them. Mattie can only hold out to play for about 10 minutes, any toddler can last way longer than that. So Clayton, is wanting Mattie to chase him, and does everything in his power to accomplish this. And she does chase him around and around, then she has to lay down and breath, But Clayton is not done. He wants to play more and he keeps getting her attention. He runs for apiece and then comes back and gets her attention and off they go again. Around and around and around. It was so funny.

Then if that was not funny enough Clayton has a set of blocks here and is beginning to learn to stack them, some. Well not today, I stacked and he knocked them over with his foot, not his hands ,his feet. He would stand up to knock them over with his handy dandy foot. I just thought he is beginning to see what a tool your feet can be, and how to use them to his advantage.

I'm sure that this is the first of many miles to be run around our wall for the two of them. Every day with Clayton is wonderful, but add a 50 lb English Bulldog and you never know what the two of them might get into.
Joan