How to have quiet time with God......

      I am working hard on having a daily quiet time with God and know several others are too.  I read this and it helped me some and I thought I would share in case I might help you too.....

 How to have a "Quiet Time"

Author Unknown  

What is a“Quiet Time”?

A “Quiet Time” is a daily personal appointment with God, during which we get away from distractions and meet with God through prayer and Bible study. Through these disciplines God talks to us and we talk to God.

Why is Connecting Daily with God through a Quiet Time so Important?

1. It reminds us that we belong to God.
   
   
2. It creates room for God in our busy lives.
   
   
3. It builds our relationship with God through regular communication.
   
   
4. It helps give direction to our lives as followers of Jesus Christ.
   
   
5. It enables to live deep and fulfilling lives.
   

What are some Practical Steps to do a Quiet Time?

1. Set some time aside during a day, or every day.
   
   Start with about 15 minutes and you work up to 30 minutes and more for each day.~~~ ( I sometimes only get 5 or 10 minutes but am trying)~~~
   
   
2. Pick a place that you want to go to be alone:
   
   
   • It doesn’t matter where you go (a lake, bedroom, roof, park, etc.). The important thing is that you get rid of all distractions. Get away from people, phones, the internet, computers, anything that would detour your thoughts from God.
     
3. Get your Materials Together
   
• A Bible ~~~~I use KJV only but you have to decide what works for you~~~
  
• A notebook and pen~~~you might want to write down a verse that speaks to you or prayer requests that you are praying over~~~
  
•  A CD player or MP3 player to listen to praise music
  
  
4. Follow a Simple Plan

• Relax, Be Quiet before God – ask God to settle your mind and heart and then to become present with you! It is difficult to set aside all the voices in our lives that compete for our attention. Here are some practical activities to help you.
  
  
  • Turn your mind toward God. Think about who he is, what he has done, and your relationship with him. This intentional focusing on God begins your quiet time.
    
    
• Worship-
  
  • Praise – for who God is.
    
  • Thanksgiving – for what God has done.
    
  • Adoration – express to God your love for Him
    
  • Listen and/or sing a worship song or two to God.
  •  
• Bible – Read , asking God to speak to you through the Word.
  
  
  • Read slowly
• Write down in your notebook anything you observe and learn from God in the passage.
  
  
• Pray – Talk to God
  
• About anything you’ve just read in the Bible.
  
  
• About your requests for others (family, loved ones, Christian friends, non-Christian friends, family and colleagues, our church, government, missions).
  
  
• About what you need (confession and forgiveness of sin, Christlikeness, daily filling of His Holy Spirit, work, finances, family, relationships, witness).

This is a be all, end all but just something I found that I thought might help you....I know I am working harder on having my quiet time daily.  I hope that this might can get you started on what works for you to have yours.
God bless,
Pat

Simple Woman's Daybook June 27, 2011

Monday, June 27, 2011

~DayBook~

Outside my window...the sun is shining and though it is warm the kittens are running around and the birds are singing
I am thinking...I really need to finish my kitchen and get started on supper
I am thankful...I have friends who love me no matter what
In the kitchen...Needs cleaning and start on supper
I am creating...Working on newsletter for Mom's group at church and a gift for a friend
I am praying about... our preachers wife who has breast cancer and may have a new spot
I am reading... nothing but got two new books for birthday so need to get started
Around the house... all the spots that need to be decluttered
A few plans for the rest of the week... clean, do schooling with son, write some notecards, make some bouquets for wedding renewal and work on church stuff
Here is picture for thought I am sharing...our preacher and his wife that I am asking for prayer for

God bless,

Pat

PS if you want to join in on the daybook go to this link---- 

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Sharing a friends blog and blogpost-you should check it out!

Being There When They Need You 

This is a very good blogpost written by an online friend.  I am sharing cause it really made me think and I think ya'll will kids, it might make you too.  Check out her whole blog while you are there.  I have enjoyed several of her blogposts.
God bless,
Pat

Two similar but easy Mexican recipes I am sharing...

     I like easy recipes that don't heat up the kitchen alot in the summer time and hubby likes mexican and so these two recipes are similar but both are so easy to cook.  

Recipe #1

Layered Turkey & Bean Dip
INGREDIENTS:
1 can (16 oz) Old El Paso® refried beans
1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso® chopped green chiles
1 cup Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa (any variety)
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 cups shredded Cheddar or Mexican cheese blend (8 oz)
1 medium tomato, diced (3/4 cup)
1 pound of turkey (or ground beef ) cooked, drained and then add taco seasoning
Tortilla chips
DIRECTIONS:
    * In medium bowl, mix refried beans and taco seasoning mix. Spread mixture on large platter.
    * Layer your meat over beans
    * In another medium bowl, mix cream cheese and chiles. Carefully spread over  meat layer.
    * Top with salsa, lettuce, cheese, and tomato. Serve with tortilla chips.

Recipe #2

Double Cheese, Chicken and Bean Nachos
It's hard to resist a platter of crunchy, gooey nachos, especially this jalapeño-studded version loaded with cheese.
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups small round corn tortilla chips
1 cup Old El Paso® refried beans (from 16-oz can)
½ cup Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa
2 tablespoons Old El Paso® pickled jalapeño slices, drained, chopped (from 12-oz jar)
½ cup chopped green onions (8 medium)
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (8 oz)
1 cup cooked and diced chicken breast
DIRECTIONS:
    * Heat oven to 400°F. Line 12-inch pizza pan or 15x10x1-inch pan with foil; spray with cooking spray.      
    *Spread half of chips evenly on pan.
    * In small bowl, mix refried beans and salsa. Drop about half of mixture by small spoonfuls over chips.
    * Then drop chicken over that
    *Top with half each of jalapeño slices, onions and cheese. Repeat layers ending with cheese.
    * Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

God bless,

Pat

How I feel today.....

     I don't feel good today, I think my hubby gave me his crud, throat and right ear hurts.  I am moody and I know it, which is sad to say.  I told my son, I need some peace and quiet, and oh yeah, some chocolate, chocolate always makes me feel better. :) I mean they do say a little chocolate is good for you everyday and who am I to argue with Dr's?  Hope you are having a wonderful blessed Friday.....I am off to convince my son he needs to go get me some chocolate.
God bless,
Pat

What does your bible look like?

     How many of us have a bible that looks like this?  Do you have to find and hurriedly dust it off if the preacher comes over?  Does it ride around all week in your car?  Can you even find it?  Do you have a bible?

      So many would have to admit theirs does and yet they wonder why their life is going the way it is.  I have found the times I am more in my bible and talking to God, my life may not necessarily be  better but the way I handle it is way better. 

     Just a thought I am sharing.

God bless, 

Pat

What If?

     Saw this on a friends blog and had to share-Before you gripe about another petty something about your spouse or child-think how how you would feel if you woke up without them tomorrow. Man this hit me in the face and really made me really think! :(
     Then, I found this quote above about what if you woke up today with only what you thanked God for yesterday.  Who or what would you still have?  Would you have your spouse, your kids, your friends, your home, car, anything?  Again, this really made me think and I ashamed to say I am not sure I like my answers to the above questions.
     I cannot change the past as none of us can but I am going to really work on changing my answers and my life.  I know I need to really work on this but I am sharing it in the hope it might help others as well.  
God bless,
Pat

Quiet Time With God

     I recently started a group on facebook called Quiet time with God,  it is a bible accountability group.  I thought it would challenge me to read my bible more.  It has, but it is so much more too.  

     We don't just post that we read, or even just what we read, but we post how it spoke to us and then others respond too.  We post prayer requests and we pray one for another.  

     Some post daily and some have not posted very much at all.  All are special to me and all are my friends and sisters in Christ.  It has challenged and encouraged me and I hope it has them.

     Just wanted to share this idea with anyone who may be reading this.  I hope you are having your quiet time with God.  You might want to consider joining with your friends to pray for and encourage one another.  It has helped me and just might help you.  Even if you are already strong in your bible reading, maybe you can encourage and lift up your friends.  Just a thought I wanted to share.

God bless,

Pat

Last Respects

One day the members of a large church were greeted with a sign on the front door. The sign said: "The person who has been hindering your walk with the Lord has died."

We invite you to attend the funeral after this mornings service." At first everyone was sad to hear that one of their fellow members had died, but after a while they started getting curious about who this person might be that had hindered their walk with the Lord.

The interest grew as the members arrived to pay their last respects. Everyone wondered: "Who is this person who was hindering my progress?" One by one the members got closer to the coffin and when they looked inside it they suddenly became speechless. They stood over the coffin, shocked and in silence, as if someone had touched the deepest part of their soul. There was a mirror inside the coffin and everyone who looked inside it could see their own reflection.

One by one the members realized that they had only themselves to blame for not taking time to read their Bible daily, not going to the Lord in prayer, not allowing God to use them, not serving the Lord as they should. It was no ones fault but their own that they were not growing in their walk with the Lord. It wasn't long til conviction set in, repentence was put forth, revival broke out, and lives were changed. Are you hindering your own walk?

I found this at a new blog I visited : http://plainpamsblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/last-respects.html

Praying for our teenagers.....

     I titled this blog post praying for our teenagers cause this is where I am at, at the moment.  I have older children, one is married and the other one is about to be married but for this post, I am talking about Stephen, my 16 year old.  You may have older and you may have younger children but I hope you are praying for them.  I promise you the devil is after them so we have to lift them up to God.
     I was given a copy of some stuff about praying for teenagers and I have compiled them in the list below....I hope it will help someone better pray for theirs or challenge them to pray for them if they don't.

Praying for Our Teens

What to Pray for Your Teens :
* A heart which personally and fully understands, embraces, and shares the gospel
* Reverence for God, and a passion to please and serve him
* God-honoring family relationships filled with respect, affection, compassion and cooperation
* Protection and strength to face moral temptation and cultural pressure
* Repentance and humble acceptance of correction
* Guidance for decisions about high school options, as well as future college and career
* Maturity to make the right decisions for the right reasons
* Wise priorities for using time
* Preparation for marriage and parenting – pray for their future spouses, too!
* Personal weaknesses: Every child has their own struggles, whether it’s lying, angry outbursts, disrespect, or  any number of other issues. I pray that God will shape their character and turn their weaknesses to strengths. * Thanks: Each child also has unique strengths that are God’s gift to our family. For some it’s charm, for others leadership ability or a sense of humor. I thank God for these special qualities and ask Him to continue to develop these characteristics in our children.* Ask your teens how you can pray for them!
     I hope this helps you and gives you ideas some more ideas how to pray for your teen.  The world we live in today, even the best raised Christian teens still face many struggles.  If we don't pray for them who will?  Also it is better to pray for them to stay close to God than to have to pray them back to God. 
God bless,
Pat
 

I'm praying for you is not a joke or to be taken lightly!

     I'm praying for you is not a joke or to be taken lightly.  Prayer is important and prayer changes things.  I have seen the hand of God upon my family and I have seen the friends who lifted us up to God.  
     On my facebook page on Mondays I have Marriage Monday, Tuesdays are to pray for all the military and their families, Wednesdays are to pray for your friends cause you never know the tears behind the smiles, Fridays are reminders to pray for all the ones you love.  These are not just something to post but a real desire to get people to pray.  
     Pray for your marriage before it is in trouble, pray for the soldiers before they get hurt or come home with issues, pray for the families while they are gone and for them to be prepared when they come home cause sometimes they are not the same. Pray for your friends even if you don't know a reason, pray cause they are your friends, pray for your family before there is a major need, you never know when life can and will change.  
     If you say you will pray, pray, pray right then, pray at a stoplight, pray when waiting in a long line, pray when you can't sleep, pray instead of watching another stupid mindless tv show or you play on the computer and especially pray when someone is laid on your heart.
     Also don't forget to pray for yourself , pray for God's forgiveness for your sins, his will for your life, protection over your life, pray you are at peace with God so that you can effectively pray for others.
     Most of all just pray, praying is simply talking to God and then slowing down and listening for what that still small voice says back. 
     Am I perfect in my prayer life?  No but I count it an honor to pray for people and when people pray for me and the ones I love.  C an I pray for you in any way?  I know I need your prayers that I will be the person God wants me to be and that I will live each day in his forgiveness and grace.
God bless,
Pat

And the winner is.....of the Scripture Photography!

Stephen put all the names that had registered for the Scripture Photography giveaway on my blog in a bag, shook it 13 times and then drew out the 13th name since Jonathan's photography is called Studio 13th Photography.  And the winner is:

So Debbie you need to let me know which picture you want from his page and I will get him to order it for you.  Congrats to the winner and if you did not win, feel free to contact him to buy one and look for more contests in the future.  Thanks to everyone who is helping me support my son as he supports his family!

God bless,

Pat

Summer begins and so does the hunger!

    Today is the last official day of public school in my town, though most kids did not go after Friday.  My son is homeschooled and we go year round but still I dread the end of school year.  Not because of the kids being out but I know that with school ending so begins the hunger.
     So many of the kids get breakfast and lunch at school for free or reduced prices.  Some of them the food they get at school is pretty much all they get all day.  Now school is out and that is taken away.  I know we have a couple of programs in town that help feed them in the summer and some of their parents get food stamps.  But, some of the kids can't get to the programs and sometimes those food stamps get wasted and sold. Some people fall through the cracks too, they make too much to get help but not enough to pay for everything.  No matter what the case, the innocent kids pay the price.
     Either way, it makes me sad, all I am asking of you my readers is this, can we give a little to help one of these programs, or if you see a neighbor kid who looks hungry, maybe you could make an extra peanut butter sandwich and invite them to share, or at least can we pray?
God bless,
Pat