Banana Bread and Witnessing!

      I was reading this morning on a blog of one of our Missionaries.  She shared a story of how she has made banana bread and used it to open the door to talk to people about Jesus and coming to their church.  This post really blessed me and challenged me both.  You can read her whole post at 

 http://jolenesupdates.blogspot.com/

      As I was reading her post, I was thinking of who I could maybe do this for.  Not just for witnessing to them but to maybe encourage them, let them know someone cared, missed them, thought of them etc.

     Don't like banana bread, don't bake it, so make a cake, cookies, muffins, it doesn't matter what you take, just that you let them know someone cares.

      Someone cares, but do they know?  I am off to bake and make my list.  I challenge you to do the same, who can you invite to church, encourage, let them know they are missed, let them know someone cares?

 Recipe for Easy Banana Bread 

• 3 large bananas , well mashed
• 1 egg
• 1 stick of butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cup of flour
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 cup nuts, optional

Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl; put into a well greased loaf pan. Bake at 350° for about 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted in middle comes out clean.

 

God bless,

Pat

 

How To Pray For Your Husband!

 

Colossians 1:9-10

9)For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

10)That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

           How do you pray for your husband?  Do you pray for your husband?  This is something that God has brought to my attention a lot lately. A preacher at church recently said you will find time to do what is important to you.  My husband is important to me and I know I should pray more for him so I started thinking how I should pray and what I should pray for.  The following is what I have came up with for my husband and me.  I am sharing in the thought that maybe it will help someone or at least challenge them to pray for their husband.

          I bought a journal and on Page 1, I wrote my husbands name.  I first wrote some prayer requests down that are ongoing prayer requests, such as....

1) His relationship with God

2) His relationship with me

3) His relationship with our children and grandchildren

4) His relationship with his coworkers

5) His physical safety each day

6) His spiritual safety each day    

7) His responsibilities at home, work and church

          Then below that I write down requests as he gives them to me or as I observe things or God lays something on my heart.  I write down the request and the date and then I pray until the request is answered.  I leave a space to record the date it was answered so I can look back and see what God has done for us.

         I do better if I have something to look at and remind me what I need to pray for and so the journal idea works for me.  This may or may not work for you. I just challenge you to pray for your husband daily. 

         I am working on other pages for other family members and friends but we will leave that for another blog post.

God bless,

Pat

 

Soul Surfer-Yes or No? This is my opinion

 

There is a very popular movie out right now called "Soul Surfer".  It basically tells the story of Bethany Hamilton.  She lost an arm as a 13 year old surfer from a shark attack.  This is the story of how she overcome and returned to surfing.  

This movie is being shown in several churches to their teens.  It is touted as a christian movie. I was really excited when I first heard about it and was thinking, great, a movie we can see as a family but after watching the trailer and learning more, we will not be seeing this movie. 

Now I may offend some in what I am about to say but this is as the blog post title says MY opinion.  I will not be taking my teenage son to see this movie.   After seeing the trailer for the movie,  I knew it was not for us. Now, as for being a christian movie, I did not see alot of that.  From ones who have seen it, there are a couple of scenes where they pray and I think maybe a couple of bible verses referenced.  There is one scene where she sneaks out of the house very late at night.  Moma tries to discuss this with her but she in turn says she snuck out because Moma would have just said no.  Daddy then pretty much backs up the daughter.  I do not want my child thinking he can play me and his Dad against each other and it is okay.

This is not what upset me though, what bothers me is the lack of clothing in this movie, the whole movie is pretty much on the beach and bikinis are everywhere, some very tiny.  Also there is one scene where she changes clothes on the beach hid only by some held up towels while teenage boys are making catcalls as they watch what they know she is doing.  

I just cannot take my son in good conscious to see this movie. I did not write this to offend anyone but rather to state my opinion and maybe make someone think.   Each family has to make their own decisions and I will not be mad at anyone who does go to see it but just felt the need to share my opinion as to why we won't.

God bless,

Pat

PS Please vote in my poll on the side as to yes or no for your family, it is anonymous so no one will know how you vote, thanks!

Be A Blessing To Others

Be a blessing to someone just because-I challenge you today, to do a least one thing that will be a blessing to someone else just because expecting nothing in return......see what happens when you do.....

God bless,

Pat

Happy 16th Birthday Stephen Austin Love!

From this little baby born on April 7, 1995

to the wonderful young man you have became April 7, 2011

Moma and Daddy were so blessed the day you were born and grow more blessed with each passing year.  I pray God will richly bless you this year.  Let Him be your guide and follow Him and do His will and you will be right where you need to be.  We love you!

God bless,

Moma & Daddy

Word Filled Wednesday

This picture and scripture just spoke to me when my son showed it to me.  He took the picture and added the scripture.  As you watch where this world is headed and all the things that are happening daily-I feel there is an even greater need to win souls.  The time is at hand and we better be ready and we need to be out there helping others to be ready too.

God bless,

Pat

Go to http://internetcafedevotions.com/ if you want to see more posts lie this and/or participate in

Happy Homemaker Monday - April 4, 2011

The weather in my neck of the woods:
Really stormy today-we were blessed though as all we got was rain, thunder and lightning and some winds.  Some members of our church and at our church had tornados come through and touch down with minimal damage only
Things that make me happy:
Spending time with my family-had girls night last night with DD, DIL and Granddaughters.  We ate chicken spaghetti, rolls and homemade cookies and watched "Tangled"
Book I'm reading:
Bible and Devotional only right now
What's on my TV today:
Music playing softly from music channel
On the menu for dinner:

 Honestly have not planned well and am not sure I am sad to say
On my To Do List: 

Laundry
Dishes

Schooling
Errands
New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
Not new recipes this week

In the craft basket:

Making a fish from cardstock and CD's to show the kiddos at church so they can make them Wednesday night for the first night of Missions conference

~~~Go to this link to see how to make them---http://www.dltk-kids.com/animals/mcdfish.html
Looking forward to this week:
Missions conference at our church Wednesday-Sunday.  I love this time, we have 5 families coming in, International dinner on Saturday night and wonderful sermons, slideshows and more all week
Tips and Tricks:
None this week
My favorite blog post this week:
http://reachingserbia4christ.blogspot.com/  friends of ours finally made it to Serbia as Missionaries
Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):
http://fearnotdevotional.blogspot.com/
No words needed (favorite photo or picture, yours or others you want to share):

Lesson learned the past few days:
Live for God,don't just do from Him but really live for Him, spend time with Him.
On my mind:
My personal relationship with God
Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:

Isaiah 26:3

 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
God bless,

Pat

My Spiritual Life? Where am I? Where am I going?

     This is not my bible but if I was honest, this might as well be mine.  I have struggled for a long time if I wanted to even write this post but I finally have decided I need to be honest even only with myself and God, if it helps someone else well that is even better.

      I do alot "for" God is what I have said lots of times.  I am Children's church Director, Kids of the King Director, I teach Children's church, I work in the nursery, I am over Moms meeting and I help with everything I can in the church.  But, I don't spend alot of time with God.  I read my bible enough to teach my class or in church but that is about it.  I have lots of excuses why but that is all they are, excuses. 

 

     What happened to studying the bible?  What happened to reading it daily?  I say, "I meant to", "It got too late", "I don't have time in the morning", "It was bedtime before I new it", "I am just so busy". Any of that sound familiar?  Those are just some of my excuses and they are just that, excuses.  Yes, I do live a busy life but if I am too busy for God, is any of it worth it? Is facebook, movies, a book, shopping, etc more important than God?  They must be as I spend more time with them than Him.

    

       I have been so convicted of this lately and I am just not happy where I am.  I am always so tired from "doing" and I just don't want to "do" anymore.  Now, I don't want to just stop doing for God but I do want to make more time for Him.

      My plans after much thought is this---  I plan to read my bible daily, not a set number of verses but just read until I feel like I got what God wanted to give me.  I have a book called "Women of the Bible, a one-year devotional study" and they are short little devotions and  I am going to start doing it. 

      Where would I be without God?  I know God has answered so many prayers for me and the ones I love and His Son died for ME and it is about time, I started living for Him.  Will I suddenly be perfect?  No, none are perfect except Jesus but I do want to try to do better and with God's help, I will be. Check back with me to see how things are going?  Share with me, what do you do, what helps you?  I love to learn from others too.

God bless,

Pat