Home Sweet Home

WE returned home from a mission trip to Wyoming late yesterday evening. And I think I could live about anywhere and call it home, I am glad to be home. WE saw a lot of beautiful things created by the FATHER. WE went to Yellowstone 2 days, saw the Great Tetons, rode through Wind River Canyon, had church in Thermopolis State Park and much, much more. I was reminded of how big God is with all that I saw. If He can create all that we saw surely He can take care of me and know what is best for me. what a God we serve.

We did end up in Driggs, Idaho for a couple of days unexpectedly and my heart is broken for them and the surrounding areas. While we are here in the Bible Belt with Baptist churches on every corner literally, you hardly see any Baptist churches of any kind in the west. Matter of fact you don't see many churches of any kind in the west. Why have we not done a better job of telling our own country about the true and living God? What are we waiting for?

In,With, Through Christ

IDK

If you are in the generation of the computer and texting age you know that IDK stands for "I Don't Know". As I was pondering last night and this morning in the wee hours of the night that there are a lot of things I don't understand.

In my mind I try to reconcile things, rectify how things happen and why. Why people do what they do, or say the things they do, act they way they do. I try to make sense of them, I try to understand. (I feel like if I can understand it helps me to deal with the issue - how about you?)Many times there are things that I don't understand or just simply can't reconcile no matter how hard I try or how much I talk to God about it. But the Lord brought this messeage back to me that I recently heard at Taylorsville Campmeeting by Bro. Dana Williams on Job 19:25
For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

And there is much I still don't understand, and that I don't know, but I do know that My Redeemer Liveth..

Bible Conference

We are having Bible Conference this week at our church morning and night services. My what preaching we have had. I have been trying to go to each service with an open, tender, teachable heart so that I can be challenged by the men of God with a word from God.

Nikki and I were talking yesterday that we want to continually grow closer to the Lord and be used of HIM and by HIM but we don't want to walk through the valley to get there. Valleys are painful and sometimes long and lonely. My husband informed us that this was not going to happen this way, that God uses the valleys to grow us and mold us. Although we both already knew this, it was not what we wanted to hear.

But God has HIS way of working, growing, teaching us to make us more like HIM. And His way is always right and the best.

With Christ

In, With, and Through

Alan and I started a new Bible Study together this morning. (I encourage you if you are not doing this daily with your spouse and praying together that it is vitally important - it will transform your spiritual walk together with the Lord and strengthen your marriage like nothing else can do.) Our Bible Study is going to concentrate on an area that I have not fully understood so I am kinda excited about it. "Putting on the Whole Armour of God" How do you do that, and what does that mean. I got some insight this morning that is helping me understand that a little better.

But there was a statement in the workbook that said look at how many times, in, with or through Christ -(or any form of reference to Christ was in the first 3 chapters of Ephesians.)Well I was intrigued and did this on my own after we finished our Bible Study and praying together. I even went so far as to underline them all. The first three chapters in Ephesians are now red in my Bible.

And to think I am IN Christ, WITH Christ, or THROUGH Christ I am getting kinda excited about Him and the liberties that I have because of HIM. Take some time and ponder on this and I hope it helps you, too.

IN, WITH, THROUGH, Christ
Joan

So Simple

Psalms 56:3
What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

On Wednesday night at Calvary our youth, the really young ones at the beginning of the service go forward and say Bible Verses they have memorized and or sing Bible songs they have learned. Last night a 6 year old girl's verse was Psalms 56:3.

Wow,that really got my attention, for 1 thing yesterday I was having a fearful day when I should not have been, and I have had some fearful days lately. And there have been things over the years since I have been saved that I have been fearful of. How about you? Although I know what the scriptures say about God not giving us the spirit of fear I struggle just like you do even though my husband is a preacher/pastor. I don't have it all figured out and I have struggles and issues that I must deal with, too. There are many times in my life that I have fears, and I am sure that we all have things that we fear more than other things. What I fear you may not fear, and what you fear I may not fear. But this verse that is so simple a 6 year old can understand it and memorize it is full of truth to live everyday by. Trust God!!!

However, God used this simple verse that this 6 year old quoted last night to touch my heart and remind me that I need to be trusting HIM, and not fearing. Thank You Lord.

Until We blog Again,
Joan

"Johanna"

Oh, I long to hold you, rock you to sleep, give you a bottle, change your diapers, buy dresses for you, have princess parties, tea parties, talk endless hours about anything and everything but nothing in general. Go get ice cream cones at the store, and buy chicken nuggets, and happy meals, play with play dough, and blow bubbles together, to color at the table thousands of pictures together, to sit on the couch and read the Bernstein Bears, and watch cartoons together, and movies with Clayton and Poppa, to play with dolls, dress them up and undress them just to dress them again. WE would love to take you to the zoo, to Tweetsie, to the beach and even Disney World and anywhere else you would want to go that we could afford. My list could go on and on, and on of the things we could do together, and talk about. I would love to hear about your 1st real boyfriend and how wonderful that he was and how you would love no other but him. And to see you on your wedding day, glowing, beaming of your new life starting. But you are getting ready to start the best chapter of your life.

Poppa and I would love to take you and Clayton to church meetings with us, and to tell you about Jesus and how much He loves you. But soon and very soon you are going to get to see Jesus face to face and you are going to know more about Him than all of us do. You are made perfectly by Jesus just the way He wanted you to be. Even though our hearts break at the thought of you not being with us, we know that you are going to be with the Heavenly Father and it is you that will be waiting on us to come see you. And it is you that is going to have so much to share and tell us about when we get to our Eternal Home. And I reminded by the Lord it is about what He wants and not what I want. I must take "I" or "ME" out of the picture and let God work.

XOXOX
Gram

I purposely do not blog about Johanna often, because I feel like that is for her Mom, Nikki to do. I try to be very sensitive and careful of her feelings and needs. But there are many days that my heart is so heavy, and my eyes are filled with tears for my daughter and her daughter.

Happy Birthday Jes!!!

24 years ago this morning the Lord blest Alan and I with a wonderful gift in Jesse. Jes, you have been a true gift from God and it is such an honor to be your Mom and to have had you live in our home for a little while. Now, you make your home with your darling wife and begin a home and family of your own.

1.5 hours after the first labor twinge you where here. Your sister was oh so excited for you to finally be here but not nearly as much as we were. We had trusted God to give us another child and waited upon Him to do that in His timing and He gave us you.

As a little boy you preached on the back porch, and the extent of your sermons were Hallelujah, Amen. You preached to Nikki many times, and to her Barbie Dolls or to the neighbors that could hear you. Now, your sermons have more content and your listeners have expanded.

As a young man you were very protective of me and Nikki. You always wanted to make sure that noone was hurting us or being mean to either of us in any situation. So like your Dad but yet so different and your own person. I see a lot more of Alan in you as you have become your own man some of your characteristics, and mannerisms but yet you are Jes.

Animals that ever lived in our house got to suffer the wrath of the yellow highlighter.I wonder if you will highlight your children. Beware Amy!!! You have always loved to eat meat and you were my child that loved chocolate as much as I ever had. When you went to purchase a toy you had the money but you always needed tax money.

I could not be more humbled or proud of you as you handle Gods word to deliver to Gods people and the lost. I love you more than life itself and I am always praying for you. Happy Birthday Son.

Love You
Mom