Wordless Wednesdays

Occasionally I'm going to be participating in a weekly theme I found from other blogs called "Wordless Wednesday."  You basically just post a random picture without typing any post to it. I've obviously wrote a little bit today so it's not exactly "wordless," but I wanted to introduce it  :)

The picture I am sharing with you is a candid shot I took of Holly yesterday.  She was out in the yard studying and I thought it was pretty.

Keeping Short Accounts

One morning, I had baked blueberry biscuits for breakfast. Afterward, the cookie sheet contained a mess of biscuit, flour and blueberry remainders. I put it in the sink and went on to something else.

Later in the evening, I found Mom in the kitchen vigorously scrubbing the sheet where the scraps were now stuck on as glue.
"You know Brooke," she told me, "you should had let it soaked or had washed it earlier when it was easier to clean."

I apoligized and then it dawned on me how similar this is to our spiritual lives! If I had washed the pan that morning I could have taken a sponge and could have cleaned it effortlessly. But the longer I waited, the more stuck it became, the harder it was to clean, and the more elbow grease had to be used. This can be easily compared to our walk with God. When we sin we should take care of it right away and should never wait to get things right with God and other people. So many times I have caught myself thinking, "I can deal with this later," or "I will apologize when I feel like it," or, "before I go to bed I will be sure to make restitution." But instead we should never wait to get things right. Some of the best advice my pastor has given me and that I have kept in mind is to keep short accounts with God. What does that mean? When you mess up get it right then and there. Acknowledge your sin and ask forgiveness. If we wait our sin can easily become worse which could include further problems, bitterness, or a hardened heart.

Sometimes it can be discouraging because we fail so often. I know I do. I remember one week I was striving to keep "short accounts" and was finding myself apologizing to my family members many times in a day. But how blessed we are to have a forgiving God that doesn't expect us to be perfect (because we can't!) but rather to get back up and try again.

Proverbs 24:16

For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again.

I think the most important thing to remember in "keeping short accounts" is that sin is destructive and separates us from God. The sooner we take care of it, the better things will be including our relationship with God. We can't approach our Lord with sin and usually the longer we wait the sticker it becomes!

James 4:8

Draw night to God and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands ye sinners, and purify your hearts ye double minded.

Keeping short accounts---it's a worthy goal. It may times takes humility but it's worth it. Believe me, it will save you lots of pain and problems in the long run!

Short Update On Life

The season of fall is faintly beginning to fill the air. The mornings are a bit cooler and the leaves are starting to change their colors. I don't want summer to end even though I enjoy snuggling under cozy blankets, colored leaves, soft snow, warm tea and sitting by the fireplace. I will miss taking walks in the warm morning sun. But that's the way its got to be and change is nice some times.

Amber and Autumn have been accompanying me on my morning walks as of late. We all jog up to the neighbor's deserted house (which is used for his bridal photography company but he's never there) and is surrounded by woods and lots of wild life. I've seen quite a few deers and recently a huge turkey up in a tree.

God has blessed Holly and I with t-shirt printing jobs these last two weeks which we are grateful for. We finished an order for 150 last week and have an order for about 115 to complete by Sunday. God is very gracious. He is always faithful to provide right when we need it :)

I will begin babysitting next week and I am looking forward to seeing the kids again. It's more than just a job to me but sort of a ministry as well. I have been giving the older two kids short Bible studies and such. Their enthusiasm to learn more about God has really encouraged me. It surprised me at first because I wasn't expecting that sort of reaction from them--actual excitement to have a "Bible study." But last time I tried to have one, Chase, the 12 year old, went rocking on his electric guitar instead and politely said he didn't want to do it today. So, anyway, I am praying God will use me as He desires. Chase has been saved for about 2 years but isn't really growing, and Chloe' told me recently that she hasn't accepted Christ as her Savior. Please pray for these kids and me as well. This will probably be the last time I will have to spend all this time with them and I want to use it for God's glory.

I was excited to receive a package in the mail recently of the Bible study materials I had ordered. It's the official leader's guide and I am now in a period of "training." There's several CD's I have to listen to which contain such subjects as learning how to disciple young girls, leading an effective meeting, how to be a good role model, etc. Maybe I will be able to start a discipleship group for girls soon. I'm still praying though.

God has been teaching me a lot lately. How dependent I am on Him. I'm so grateful for His grace and that He still loves me despite how imperfect I am.

I Heart Homemade Bread

I absolutley love homemade bread!! It makes an ordinary sandwich taste delightful. Not only does it taste delicious but it is very healthy and filled with many vitamins. Baking fresh, homemade bread has so many benefits.

I try to bake a few loaves every weekend so we will be stocked for the upcoming week. We use our own organic wheat (which makes it good for you!), and grind it into flour. So that is the first step in baking bread.

Want to see the whole process? First I...

Mix the ingredients into the mixer (which is the easiest way to do it)

After the dough rises for about an hour, take it out of the mixer.

Knead it.

Let it rise once again.


Bake it.

Remove from oven.

And then you have your delicious masterpiece!

Oh yeah, so good....

The kids love it!!


I then wrap up the remainders....

...and freeze for the rest of the week.

And there you go! That's how's it done. Not too bad, aye? What a blessing to bake from scratch! It really does make a difference.

Remembering the Lord's Blessings

I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.
I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. -Psalm 77:11-12

A couple of Sundays ago we had arrived back to church from ministering at the local nursing home and had 45 minutes until the afternoon service. I went upstairs to the sanctuary to retrieve my purse I had left in a pew. I found the sanctuary dark and empty; Instead, I walked up to the front and took a seat on the stage overlooking the pews. This day had marked a year since we had started attending our church. My mind went back a year ago and I thought on what the Lord had done since then....

A year ago we had been looking for a home church. I remembered what we were going through at the time. We were visiting churches Sunday after Sunday and had been doing so for over a half of a year. I was so tired of looking for a church and was ready for a place to call home. I was getting frustrated and waning in my spiritual life as well. We had visited many different churches but none of them we felt was where the Lord wanted us. My family and I were greatly desiring and praying that God would give us a home church soon---one who had a sincere desire to honor God above all else and that was led by the Scriptures alone. We kept praying...

After many, many months of searching and prayer, God led us to our church and answered us and gave us our desires. Our church is more than I could have asked for! It has been one of the greatest blessings in my life. I have grown in my walk with the Lord more than I have any other church we have been to. We have been blessed with wonderful teaching from the Word of God and wonderful fellowship with fellow believers. Pastor Barry and Mrs. Debbie have inspired me greatly in the things of the Lord through their examples, teachings and friendship. They love the Lord and they love people. I am so grateful for them and they both are very dear to me. They really do inspire me. God couldn't have given us a better pair.

I love everyone else in our church and congregation. I am so thankful for a place to meet weekly with other believers who love the Lord. We have made some special friendships and it is such a blessing to "provoke one another to love and good works," and to "exhort one another."

It is such an encouragement to look back and see how God has blessed us and how He's grown us. I am completely in awe in how He works and all He does.

Let me tell you: God answers prayer! If you are trusting the Lord for something, my encouragement to you is to keep praying. Don't give up. I'd also encourage you to look back on your life and see how the Lord has blessed you. That's why I think journaling is so special. It's a great thing to look back on God's grace and see what He has done.

What has God done in your life? What prayers has He answered? Don't forget His goodness and don't forget to thank Him.

God is faithful and He is good to His children. How I love being His child and how grateful I am for His blessings. A church that is built on the Word is such a precious thing and I am so thankful to be a part of one!



Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21


Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Hebrews 10:23-25

Bee Stings and Other Things

I was in the dining room innocently listening to a CD when I felt something bite my foot. I brushed it off and realized a yellow jacket had stung me. And in the dining room out of all places? Anyway, I pulled out the stinger, which still resided in my foot, and all I knew then and there was: I was in pain!!

It's neat, because I have been reading through a book on home remedies and I had just finished a section about what do incase you get stung. I read several tips but all I could remember in the time of pain was the suggestion to use baking soda. So I ran into the kitchen and hastily pulled down the baking soda and created it into a paste and guess what? It worked! The pain and throbbing quickly went down greatly. It would have been pretty painful otherwise. It didn't stop it from swelling though (it swelled pretty bad--twice its size), but I was thankful to have had this tip in time of need!

Just incase you're ever stung and would like some quick pain relievers, here's some interesting tips:

-Aspirin. "One of the simplest, most effective things you can do is to apply aspirin. Moisten the sting, then rub an aspirin tablet unto it. The aspirin neutralizes certain inflammatory agents in the venom. This treatment should not be attempted by those who are allergic or sensitive to aspirin, however."

-Baking Soda. "Apply by making a paste with baking soda and water."

-Meat Tenderizer. "An enzyme-based meat tenderizer breaks down the proteins that make up insect venom. You have to use it right away to make it effective." (We use this along with vinegar for jelly fish stings during beach vacation, and it really works!)

-Mud. "If you don't have anything else handy, you can mix a little clay soil and water into a mud paste and apply it to the sting. Cover with a bandage or handkerchief, and leave it on until the mud dries." (I wish I knew this when I got stung hiking a few weeks ago!)

I spent about two hours in the library last week and had a real enjoyable time looking through many books and finding several interesting ones to read and study. I been reading though several of them, including a couple on the subject of Stem Cell Research.

Mom, Holly and I started the Bible study at our church yesterday entitled, "Created In His Imagine." I am so excited about it!!! We already have daily homework to do and weekly Scripture to memorize. I am thankful for all God has allowed to help grow us in our walk with Him.

Thank you for all your comments. I am a little behind in replying, but please know I will be replying soon!

God bless,

~~Brooke

What I Will Be Doing Starting This Fall

College classes start this week and it looks like I won't be packing my bags and moving to college campus like I thought and desired. This final decision has been made with much prayer. I haven't spoken about it much on my blog, but it has been a winding road coming to this final conclusion but I now do believe this decision is what God wants.

"So, since you aren't attending college this fall, what will you be doing?" you may ask. Well, besides saving up for expenses and preparing for college next year (if the Lord wills), there's several things I hope to do to occupy my time. I do not believe success is equaled in a college degree neither is college the most important thing on my "life to-do's"---even though, don't get me wrong, I highly value higher education and know without a doubt I want to pursue some avenue of it at some time. But, for now, God has a reason that I am not going to college this fall and I plan to make the most of this season in my life.

So then, what will I be doing instead?

First, I plan to be practicing deeper spiritual disciplines. Since I am out of school and have more hours in my morning, (and because once I start college I will be most likely pressed for time), I want to make this season a time for much study and growth. Disciplines such as much more Bible reading, deep Bible study, intense prayer, and diligent Bible memorization are a few that I hope to saturate my time and my mornings. It is my goal to do much more memorizing so I will "hide God's Word in my heart." I am working on the book of James right now (yes, the whole book; it is possible!) and there's so many other verses I want ingrained in my memory.

Second, I will be working on completing my correspondence course in Bible from Liberty University's Home Bible Institute. Right before graduation I took a break from this study and haven't started back until last week. This course is basically an outline and overall study of each book of the Bible going from the Old Testament to the New Testament, then finally ending with doctrinal studies. It's a two-year course and I think I am about half way through right now so I hopefully will be finished by next year. I really have enjoyed this study and I am really thankful for all I have been learning through this course.

Besides working on my correspondence course, I will also be undertaking much self-study. Learning is readily available and is basically at our finger tips in our time in age. Just because I am not in college right now doesn't mean I can't learn on my own! I already have several books I am reading which includes studies in government, economics, speech, etc., but I also plan to do lots of research, and just well, learn! Going to the library and doing some research and reading, making searches on the internet, or whatever, I want to study several things on my own. I really enjoy to learn, more than I did when I was in highschool...

In the area of earning money, for the meantime I will be working part time for my Dad. My Dad owns a thriving home business blessed by the Lord of making signs and creating graphic designs. My Dad not only wants me to work for him and pays me hourly, but he needs my help! He is usually swamped with business and orders, so most of the time there is something I can do to give him a hand. I love helping my Dad and there's no one else I'd rather work for. Will I get a job/job in the future? Maybe. But right now, there's really no need. My Dad pays me more than the minimal wage!

I will also be babysitting weekly again for the same family I have worked for the last year. This time, however, I will be working twice a week, for at total of about 10 hours a week. There's 4 kids I have the responsibility to monitor at the ages of 12, 9, 6, and 3. It's a great job and something the Lord has greatly blessed me with. I love the kids and spending time with them, and I get paid very nicely. What more could I ask for? God is so good to me!

For an additional side job, and if the Lord blesses, I will also continue printing t-shirts along with my sister.

Next, since I have graduated and don't have a strict form of "schooling," besides flexible self study, I plan to help Mom more around the house to lighten her load a little bit which includes doing a majority of the cooking.

Besides the privilege of helping mom, I also want to develop more of my homemaking skills. Besides those things such as cooking, baking, cleaning, laundry, helping with homeschooling, etc. I would like to embark on other things, like for one, develop my sewing skills. Our pastor's wife is planning on possibly teaching some ladies in the church how to sew, including myself. I would love to learn how to sew some skirts...I also desire to crochet a quilt, particularly a baby afghan for my hope chest. I've always wanted to but never have taken the time. Plus, I would LOVE to sew a quilt. I sewed a small one when I was in about the 8th grade, but it was nothing fancy and I forgot how I did it. I have searched for quilting classes around here but haven't found any just yet...

As for weekly activities, my church is starting a Bible study on Mondays from the book "Changed Into His Image" by Jim Berg. I know this will be good and I am so excited! Holly will be taking with me as well. My church is also hoping to start a Bible memorization program. I just can't wait for this to start!!

I will also be continuing my piano lessons on Tuesdays afternoons and practicing daily.

With all of this, I also hope, if the Lord's will, to start a Bible study for young girls. I am still praying and planning, but some how I feel like this is something the Lord wants me to do. Not that I am a good speaker or teacher (speaking in front of large groups is not my favorite thing to do!), but it's been a desire of mine for many years and I think this is the opportunity to do so. (I may be writing more on this later...) In concordance to this, if I can make time, I'd also love to start a blog designed particularly for young ladies.

Some other things I'd like to pursue if I have the time are:

-Doing some deep and extensive reading. There's so many books I desire to read!!
-Working on some books I have started writing but are unfinished.
-Possibly take some CLEP tests and go ahead and earn some college credit. I'd especially like to go ahead and clep out History of Civilization, a freshman core subject.
-Look into scholarships

I also desire to help more in our church, if there's anything I can do and if they can use me.

As you can see, useful things to do certainly aren't limited!!

So, these are a majority of the things I hope to be occupying my time with this year. "Bored" is never part of my vocabulary, and I am positive it won't be this year either!

I didn't write this to brag, neither to say that I think all young ladies should do what I am doing. Rather, I wrote this to share what I will be embarking upon and where God is leading me. Believe me, I did NOT take this decision lightly---much prayer, fasting and thought went into it. Being in God's will is essential to me, and I deeply feel that this is where He wants me for the time being. I was not happy with this decision at first. I cried and was very upset and thought I'd be "loosing" a year that could be spent on a college campus earning college credit. But you know what? I now see things differently and I do not think I am "loosing" a year at all! If all I did was sit around and watch TV, then that would obviously be a problem, but rather God has things for me to accomplish and I need to be faithful. Life after graduation doesn't start at college! There's so many things I can do to use my time for the glory of God here at home. In addition, I can work on becoming closer to my family members and developing a stronger relationship with my siblings.

I only want to be where God wants. If going to college will never be a part of His will for the future, then I shall never go. If He desires me to start next year, then I will be packing my bags at that time. In the meantime, my duty right now is to do what I am called to do and that is another year at home.

As for now, higher education and college will have to wait. I didn't think this would be the path I would be taking but I am and you know what? I am happy about it and excited to see what the Lord will do. :) May He be glorified.

~~Brooke~~

Only a Plain, Common Day

I really liked this and it inspired me! Thought I'd share it with you :0)


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Only a plain, common day

(J. R. Miller, "The Every Day of Life" 1892)

Perhaps the every-day of life, is not as interesting--as are some of the bright special days. It is apt to be somewhat monotonous. It is just like a great many other days. It has nothing special to mark it. It is illuminated by no brilliant event. It bears no record of any brave or noble deed done. It is not made memorable by the coming of any new experience into the life--a new hope, a new friendship, a new joy, and a new success. It is not even touched with sorrow, and made to stand out with the memory of loss or struggle. It is only a plain, common day--with just the same old wearisome routine--of tasks and duties and happenings, which have come so often before.

Yet it is the every-day, which is really the best measure and the test of noble living. Anybody can do well on special occasions. Anybody can be good--on Sundays. Anybody can be bright and cheerful--in exhilarating society. Anybody can be sweet--amid gentle influences. Anybody can make an isolated self-denial--for some conspicuous object; or do a generous deed--under the impulse of some unusual emotion. Anybody can do a heroic thing--once or twice in a lifetime. These are beautiful things. They shine like lofty peaks above life's plains.

But the ordinary attainment of the common days--is a truer index of the life--a truer measure of its character and value--than are the most striking and brilliant things of its exalted moments. It requires more strength to be faithful in the ninety-nine commonplace duties, when no one is looking on, when there is no special motive to stir the soul to its best effort--than it does in the one duty, which by its unusual importance, or by its conspicuousness, arouses enthusiasm for its own doing. It is a great deal easier to be brave in one stern conflict which calls for heroism, in which large interests are involved--than to be brave in the thousand little struggles of the common days--for which it seems scarcely worth while to put on the armor. It is very much less a task to be good-natured under one great provocation, in the presence of others--than it is to keep sweet temper month after month of ordinary days, amid the frictions, strife's, petty annoyances, and cares of home-life.

Thus it is, that one's every-day life is a surer revealer of noble character--than one's public acts. There are men who are magnificent when they appear on great occasions--wise, eloquent, masterly--but who are almost utterly unendurable in their fretfulness, unreasonableness, irascibility, and all manner of selfish disagreeableness, in the privacy of their own homes--to those whom they ought to show all of love's gentleness and sweetness! There are women, too, who shine with wondrous brilliancy in society, sparkling in conversation, winning in manner, always the center of admiring groups, resistless in their charms--but who, in their every-day life, in the presence of only their own households--are the dullest and most wearisome of mortals! No doubt in these cases--the common every-day, unflattering as it is--is a truer expression of the inner life--than the hour or two of greatness or graciousness, in the blaze of the public.

On the other hand, there are men who are never heard of on the street, whose names never appear in the newspapers, who do no great conspicuous things, whose lives have no glittering peaks towering high--and yet the level plain of their years--is rich in its beauty and its fruitfulness of love. Likewise, there are women who are the idols of no drawing-rooms, who attract no throngs of admirers around them by resistless charms--but who, in their own quiet sheltered world--do their daily tasks with faithfulness, move in ways of humble duty and quiet cheerfulness, and pour out their heart's pure love, like fragrance, on all around them. Who will say that the uneventful and un-praised every-day of these humble ones--is not radiant in God's sight, though they leave no memorial--but only a world made a little better by their lives?

It is in the every-day of life, that nearly all the world's best work is done. The tall mountain peaks lift their glittering crests into the clouds, and win attention and admiration; but it is in the great valleys and broad plains, that the harvests grow and the fruits ripen--on which the millions of earth feed their hunger. Likewise, it is not from the few conspicuous deeds of life, that the blessings chiefly come, which make the world, better, sweeter, happier--but from the countless humble services of the every-days, the little faithfulnesses which fill long years. By the simple beauty of their own humble lives, by their quiet deeds of self-sacrifice, by the songs of their cheerful faith, and by the ministries of their helpful hands--they make one little spot of this sad earth, brighter and happier!


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Compliments of Grace Gems!

A treasury of ageless sovereign grace devotional writings

The Heavens Declare the Glory of God

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night sheweth knowledge. Ps. 191:1, 2



What does it mean when it is said that the heavens declare the glory of God? The heavens declare that God is perfect. The heavens manifest His wisdom, power, and His intelligent end. The heavens are manifesting the glory of God in the sense that they reveal what God is and what He can do.

But the heavens are not designed to reveal the love of God, the grace of God, nor the righteousness of God. That is where Christians come into the picture. We are designed to show "the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ." (Eph. 2:7)


-Dr. John Walvoord, The Thessalonian Epistles p.112

Week at the Wilds

My sister Holly and I recently returned from a Christian teen camp called the Wilds and what an amazing time we had! We had a blast and were able to participate in many games and activities and meet some great Christians. The main highlight though, was definitely the things the Lord taught us. The Lord is so faithful to teach His children! I will have to share some things some time. :-)



O Jesus, I have promised
To love you to the end;
Please be forever near me,
My master and my friend;
I shall not be troubled
If you are by my side,
And I'll follow you always
If you will be my guide.

Adapted from a hymn by John Ernest Bode

A Whole Heart For God

One day at camp last month, I laid in my bunk-bed in the middle of the night wide awake. Light from the hall-way trickled into the bedroom through a half-shut door and it was keeping me up, so I got up to shut it when I heard sobbing in the girl's bathroom. I gently opened the curtain to see a friend from my room sitting on the bathroom floor with a roll of tissue in her hand and a pile of used ones next to her. I sat down beside her and there we talked for a very long time...

This particular girl had told me earlier in the week that she had been going through some really tough times in her life, starting last year. She's still struggling with many hard things, but she told me that the trails she has been through so far has only made her stronger.

I listened to her and tried all I could to comfort her. Our conversation led to what God had been teaching in our lives and then about God Himself and what a great God we serve.

Something I will never forget is what this girl told me. She told me that she didn't want to be the "average Christian," and that she had fully surrendured her life to God and would live for Him no matter what. She said that before camp she had made God a promise and commitment that she was willing to do whatever it took to give Him the glory, even if that meant suffering for Him. She told me that even if she had to be crushed by other people, forsaken, abused, put down, no matter what, she would do whatever it took to make the Lord famous. She would do it for Him so He could be exalted.

This girl has a fire burning for the Lord within her that is not hidden. She inspired me so much and only made my fire within me burn the brighter for the Lord! What a blessing to meet a young lady who wants to live for God without reservations!

Making the Lord famous, is what she kept telling me was her purpose, her promise, her goal for the Lord.

A song by Rush of Fools reminds me of this girl's ambition. It is entitled "Fame." The chorus says:

I raise my hands

Just as I am

I'm letting go

Of false control

I lift my voice

I have no choice

My life is yours

Use me for your fame

I'm letting go; My life is Yours; Use me for your fame. God is so perfect and holy. Full of love for His people. He deserves all of us. Not half. Everything.

One of the main messages at camp was having a full heart for God. Not an empty or half-hearted one, but one without set backs. God wants all of us! He doesn't want us to be cold or warm in our Christian faith: He wants us to be on fire! Lukewarmness is not an option. Remember the verse in Revelation?

"I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I
would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art
lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of
my mouth."
Revelation 3:15-16

This girl from camp really inspired me. I have heard about young people on fire for the Lord, but I've never met one like this particular girl. Especially one like her who was willing to suffer for God who had a desire to do whatever it took to give glory to HIM.

It makes me look at my own life: how much have I given and am giving to the Lord? Would I be willing to suffer for Him?

The Bible is clear that if we are His child, we will suffer for Him. There's no hiding that fact.

2 Timothy 3:12

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

Philippians 1:29

For unto it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.

But shouldn't this be a privilege? Look what He did for us!

The conversation I had with this particular girl sitting on the bathroom floor for an hour or so started with tears and ended with smiles and laughter. Talking with her about her commitment to the Lord and about God Himself, and how good He is, really blessed my heart and hers as well. Living for God is her greatest joy. Oh, if only every Christian, including myself, had such a deep desire to live for God with their whole hearts and without holding anything back!

I strongly encourage you to look at your own life as I look at mine. Would you still be faithful to God through suffering or persecution? Is there anything you are holding back from God? We're not truly living for God until we give Him everything. We were made for Him and Christ has given His life for us---what excuse do we have? We not only should surrender all but we should desire to do it because of what He has done for us! God deserves every ounce of us. Strive to give Him your full heart. Life is not about us. It's about HIM.

Desire to live for God without reservations.

Hiking with Jeremy D.

For updates, we arrived back home Friday. Thanks for anyone who prayed. Please continue to remember our aunt, uncle, the girl's mother and other family members in this hard time...

Holly and I went hiking with Jeremy Saturday. It was really pretty and we had a great walk.








We chose a rather hard, I guess, trail that contained lots of hills. Jeremy told us that his grandma did it once, so we kept saying that if she could do it, we could do it. Jeremy must have one awesome grandma because it was a little tough!

Announcement; The Dawsons are back; Funeral

I am proud to announce a new web-site my dear friend has recently created for the purpose of female femininity. The goal of the blog states:

Encouraging, inspiring and challenging young ladies to rediscover the treasure of dressing femininely modest.

Isn't that wonderful? Not only is modesty needed and important, but femininity is as well. We are not only to be modest in our dress and behavior, but we are also to look like young ladies in the process!

I think the site is just beautiful and I am very excited to see how the Lord will use it. Jocelyn did such a great job!

So, go check it out and promote it! (Click) ---> Feelin' Feminine


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Tonight was very nice as we were able to visit with friends who have recently moved to Texas. They are going to be staying here for a few days then they will be going to Virginia for a few weeks to take care of some business there. So, we get them for a little while :-) The church has missed them dearly and it was just great to see them again!!

We met at the church and enjoyed pizza and a few games tonight.

We played a couple games of spoons. Lots of fun :-)

Tomorrow my family and I are going back to Alabama but this time for a funeral. My great uncle and aunt's grand-daughter died in a car accident Saturday. We didn't know her but we grieve with everyone else in this loss. Please pray for all of the families related in your prayers.

So, we are going back to Alabama once more. I am hoping God will use us however He will in comforting others or hopefully witnessing or ministering to someone. They said that a young man had been in the car with the girl, but he walked away with little injuries. If he isn't saved, I hope this incident has really got him thinking about his eternal destination. Pray that God will open doors.

God bless,
~~Miss Brooke~~

Work For God's Eye

(By: J. R. Miller)

"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness'
before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you
will have no reward from your Father in heaven."
Matthew 6:1

No grace shines more brightly in a Christian,
than humility. Wherever SELF comes in—it
mars the beauty of the work we are doing.
Seek to do your work noiselessly. Do not try
to draw attention to yourself—to make others
know that you did some beautiful thing. Be
content to pour your rich life into other wasted,
weary lives—and see them blessed and made
more holy—and then hide away and let Christ
have the honor. Work for God's eye—and even
then, do not think much about reward. Seek to
be a blessing—and never think of self-glory.

"Then your Father, who sees what is done
in secret, will reward you." Matthew 6:4

Things I Take For Granted

During camp there were sore throats going around and two kids had even lost their voice for a few days. I remember walking with a young girl to the girl's cabin and she could barely talk and I felt so sorry for her. Little did I know that I'd later be one of them...And can you believe that of all days it had to be the day of our family reunion? Talk about torture!

I had to whisper to everyone at the reunion. It was really annoying. I never thought before how much I valued my voice until I lost it for the day. It was so hard! I am sure my sisters enjoyed it as long as it lasted though :-)

During the day I got to the point that I didn't say anything because I couldn't say anything. I went back to the guest room at Grandma's and pulled out my Bible. During that time I talked to God and it dawned on me---even though I could talk to no one else, I could still talk to God. He could still understand me. Wow.

I wrote the following in my journal:

This experience makes me think of two things. First, I take things for granted WAY too easily. How I thank God for my voice! Second, how I love God. No one in my life is better than He. Even when my voice is gone and I can't talk to anyone else---God can still hear me. How awesome He is.

Thoughts of who God is has been consuming me lately. There is no one like Him. And there will never be anyone like Him.

Psalm 77:13

...who is so great a God as our God?

God is all I will ever need. He is all you'll ever need. He fills me and completes me. He is my joy and purpose. He is always with me, loves me like no one ever could, promises to never leave me, and He gives me hope. I have hope because I am His child. There's no situation too complicated or deep that I can't have hope. God is more than enough for me.

A song that has been really speaking to me lately is "By Your Side" by Tenth Avenue North.

The lyrics read:

Why are you striving these days?

Why are you trying to earn grace?

Why are you crying?

Let me lift up your face,

Just don't turn away.

Why are you looking for love?

Why are you still searching?

As if I'm not enough?

To where will you go child,

Tell me where will you run?

To where will you run?

I'll be by your side wherever you fall

In the dead of night whenever you call

Please don't fight these hands that are holding you

My hands are holding you

Look at these hands and my side

They swallowed the grave on that night

When I drank the world's sin

So I could carry you in

And give you life.

And I, I love you

And I want you to know

That I, I'll love you

I'll never let you go

That song gets to me ever time. God is everything to me. He's always by my side and He'll never leave me. Why should I look elsewhere? It doesn't matter where I am; God is always there. If I wake up in the middle of the night and everyone else is asleep, He's still there to listen to me. If I am lonely, He's next beside me. Even if I am in the shower, it doesn't matter. God is with me and He promised to never leave me.

God really does love me. The death of His Son proved that. Selfless love. Genuine love. No one could ever do what God has done or be what God is.

I can't imagine my life without God in it. He is my purpose. Without the Lord my life would be such a mess. I'd be looking for love and affection in all the wrong places, trying to cram all I could in the depths of my heart to try to fill it up. Only God can fill me and satisfy me completely.

Back to the subject of taking things for granted (like my voice), you know, it can be easy to take God for granted as well. I have been thinking lately about my salvation. I was saved at a young age and have grown up in a Christian home, so God has spared me from a lot of heartache and pain including some things that other believers may have had to go through before they were saved. I never really experienced my life without God in it. He has been in it as long as I can remember, so because of that it can be easy to take my salvation for granted.

But when I think of what my life could have been, or what my life would be without God in it, I am humbled and more grateful than words could ever say. I could never imagine what my life would be without the Lord. It's a very scary thought. I honestly don't want to think about it. Hopeless, full of fear and desperate would be to name a few. I will honestly tell you that if I wasn't saved I would not want to live.

God is my everything. He is has saved me, given me hope, given me joy, given me purpose! I was created for His glory!! I have a reason that I am here on the earth. I do not fear death. I would die for the Lord if I had to. If you threaten me with a gun you only threaten me with Heaven. I will be forever with Him one day when I leave this earth at His choosing.

God is so good. He loves us and He is merciful. If anyone is reading this who does not know God as their Lord and Saviour, I only pray that they will. I wish everyone was saved and knew the Lord. If only they knew what they were missing. Without the Lord you have nothing. There's nothing like being God's child.

This life on earth is just a vapor and is as bad as it's going to get for the Christian. There's always hope for the believer. Anyone can have this hope if they'll just trust in Jesus. I just can't wait to go to Heaven and see my Saviour's face one day!!

I guess I got a little carried away in what I was getting to. I feel like my thoughts are a little jumbled, so forgive me if they are, but I feel like I really needed to share this. I guess my main message would be is this: if you are a believer, don't take God for granted. It has been said that you get as much out of God as you put into Him. James 4:8 says: "Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you..." It has also been said that many people are willing to die for Christ but few are willing to live for Him...

Don't wait to be saved if you are an unbeliever and don't wait to live for God if you are a believer. Like the song said, don't fight God's hands. There's nothing else worth living for. God is everything we'll ever need and He desires a relationship with you. Don't put it off. And don't take it for granted. We've been given a gift that money could never buy.

God is all we could ever ask for.