The Greater the Sacrifice- The Greater the Blessing

Today's Truth
Matthew 16:24-25 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it."

Friend to Friend
My heart ached as I drove away - for the last time - from the local Christian radio station where I had served for over four years. I felt as if a knife was going into my chest. I sobbed and whispered, "God, I know I'm being obedient! Why can't you at least take away this pain?"

I once heard someone say that if you feel overwhelmed with all you have to do, you are doing something that God has not asked you to do. He never gives us more than we can handle. My life was out of control and I knew it.

I was a wife and mother of four great kids, a full-time radio host, a speaker, a writer, a fitness fanatic and an assortment of many other responsibilities. At the end of the day, I'd collapse into bed. I knew I was doing too much, but I just couldn't imagine letting any of it go! I remember thinking that if God wanted me to let go of something, He would either take away my ability to serve Him in that area, making His own plan clear to me or He would take away my passion for that plan.

But nothing was happening. Until about three weeks ago.

I was in Delaware speaking for a Ladies' Retreat. I felt as if God's hands were completely covering me, shielding me, giving me power and passion that I'd never experienced before. When the retreat was over, I remember feeling His protective hands hovering over me in power and then moving underneath me, catching me as I collapsed into the sweetest rest I have ever felt. My mentor of six years was with me and she felt it, too. I knew God was calling me to a new place of service. I prayed with my husband and we agreed that I was to move into a full time speaking and writing ministry.

Then the doubts came. What if I fail? What if I quit my radio job and then nobody knows who I am? Who am I if I'm not on the radio? That last question made me realize another reason God was calling me away from the radio station. I was beginning to find my identity in my position at the radio station -- and He wants me to find my identity only in Him. It was quite humbling.

As hard as this decision was, I knew exactly what God was asking me to do. I gave up the comfort of a job I love, a guaranteed paycheck and the exposure of a radio host position in a large radio market and I'm now walking completely in faith that I am in God's will for my life. I have peace I've never had before.

Funny thing is, I don't know what God has planned. He may never choose to make me a well-known speaker or a published writer. He may choose to show me that I am just fine right where I am. None of that matters. I only care that I'm being obedient to the One who called me! Success according to the world would have made me feel I had to stay right where I was but God's success looked much different.

Is God calling you to make a difficult decision in order to be obedient to Him? Our job on earth is not to seek success in the world's eyes, but in His. I prayed that God would ease the pain of leaving the job I loved so dearly but He chose to leave it. As I drove away, I heard His sweet voice of comfort as he whispered to my heart, "The greater the sacrifice, the greater the blessing."

Now that's success.

Let's Pray
Sweet Father, I pray that You will give me the discernment to hear Your voice in my life. When I'm feeling overwhelmed, please make clear to me what I need to sacrifice in order to be in Your perfect will. Thank You for Your hands of protection that cover me when I'm ministering and catch me when I'm spent. I pray You will be honored in my life as I seek to take up my cross daily and follow You. In Jesus' Name, Amen

Now it's your turn
Is God asking you to let go of something? Do you trust Him to provide for you?
Before making a big decision in your life, make sure your husband or spiritual covering agrees. God gives us spiritual covering for this purpose -- to help us stay on track.
As you go about your busy day, remember that God never gives you more than you can handle. When we crowd our lives with "stuff" that is not from Him (although it may seem good at the time) we inadvertently push His hands away. Trust His leading and experience the freedom of walking in His will.

Taken from: Girlfriends in God

Trevor is in the News!

Check this out!

http://www.tampabay.com/features/humaninterest/article630951.ece

Sweet boy Trevor is famous! Isn't he already though!? We sure do love him.

Lovable Labels

You can help support Trevor's ALLSTARS and get the coolest labels in town! Remember to label your children's sippy cups, bottles, bags, jackets and just about ANYTHING you can think of for Day Care, VBS, Summer Camp and School too! They have Vital ID and Medical Wristbands as well.There is something for EVERYONE at Lovable Labels!!!

Check out Lovable Labels at the link: http://www.trevorsallstars.lovablelabels.ca/ContactUs.aspx

This is an ongoing fundraiser until the Heart Walk in November.
Please feel free to contact me directly or Leah at Lovable Labels with any questions.-- ~Sarah

Life is Short...PRAY HARD!

Keep up to date with Trevor and CHD Awareness at www.TrevorsAllstars.com

Other Deals...
PediPed is giving 50% of certain shoe sales to the Make a Wish Foundation until June 15th.
Free shipping with code CBB07http://www.pediped.com/Home/Home.aspx
Pass it on...

Our Last Class (before the summer)

We had a great time enjoying the delicious food, the gift swap and most of all- the fellowship! Here are some pictures from our great time.

What an amazing group of women! We are so blessed to get to spend our Friday mornings together studying His word.

Mother Teresa

The fruit of SILENCE is Prayer

The fruit of PRAYER is Faith

The fruit of FAITH is Love

The fruit of LOVE is Service

The Fruit of SERVICE is Peace-- Mother Teresa

Class Reminders

Greetings all. Hope you are all going to make it for our final meeting on Friday. I have just a few reminders about class.

* Please remember to bring any boxes you have filled for Operation Christmas Child.
* Bring a dish to share and your own drink for our brunch. I will provide all paper products.
* Bring a wrapped gift (no more than $10) for our gift exchange.
* Come with any ideas you have for our fall study or summer activities.

Hope to see you all on Friday. Let me know if you have any questions.

In Him,
Amanda

Boxes for Friday

Don't forget about the gift boxes for our mission project! We are collecting them on Friday. Here are some ideas to fill your boxes. If you want more information, click here: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/OCC_PackAShoeBox.asp?OCCPath=1


Gift Ideas

TOYS
small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed animals, kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos, jump ropes, small Etch A Sketch®, toys that light up or make noise (with extra batteries), Slinky®, etc.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES
pens, pencils and sharpener, crayons or markers, stamps and ink pad sets, writing pads or paper, solar calculators, coloring and picture books, etc.

HYGIENE ITEM
Stoothbrush, toothpaste, mild bar soap (in a plastic bag), comb, washcloth, etc.

OTHER
Hard candy and lollipops (please double bag all candy), mints, gum, T-shirts, socks, ball caps; sunglasses, hair clips, toy jewelry, watches, flashlights (with extra batteries)

A PERSONAL NOTE
In a separate envelope, you may enclose a note to the child and a photo of yourself or your family. (If you include your name and address, the child may write back.)

Happy Mother's Day

Goodnight Kiss
By Kim Bolton

I count it as a privilege,
I count it cause for praise
to kiss my children goodnight
at the close of every day.

For I know too soon they're gone
and walking out the door.
And I'll never have a child
to kiss goodnight any more

It's strange how times have changed
from the present to the past.
When did they grow so quickly
-the time has flown so fast.

For it seems like only yesterday
I helped him(her) with his(her) shirt,
or pat my baby on the back,
or kissed away a hurt.

Tell a story, read a book,
wipe a nose, or tie a shoe.
They never ask me to rub their backs
the way they use to do.

Once it was a bother,
just a troublesome kind of chore.
But, now I would give anything
to do it just once more.

Mommy, bounce me on your knee.
Daddy, flip me in the air.
Throw a rubber ball to me,
and help me comb my hair.

Mommy, tickle my tummy
Daddy, hold me high.
Let's go outside for a while,
or make a kite to fly.

I count it as a privilege,
I count it as a praise
To kiss my children goodnight
at the close of every day.

For I know too soon they're gone
and walking out the door.
And I'll never have a child
to kiss goodnight anymore!


Mother's Prayer— Author Unknown —

Oh give me patience when wee hands
Tug at me with their small demands.
And give me gentle and smiling eyes.
Keep my lips from hasty replies.
And let not weariness, confusion or noise
Obscure my vision of life's fleeting joys.
So when, in years to come my house is still
No bitter memories its rooms may fill.

My Redeemer Lives

Nicole C Mullin- I love her!

Redeemer

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=ad45905359f401d0ffb6

Yummy!

Coffee Punch
1 quart of strong coffee (32oz. in 1 qt.)
1/2 cup sugar
1 pint whipped whipping cream
1 pint vanilla icecream
nutmeg
After coffee is made add sugar, cool in refrigerator overnight. Right before guests arrive, put cooled coffee in punch bowl. Cut icecream into small pieces. Add icecream and whipping cream to bowl. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Make 1/2 gallon.

Courtesy of Heather F.

Finally

Kelley emailed this to me and gave me permission to post it to share with all of you. It takes a special person to share with the world their intimate experiences with Christ. Don't you think that He is proud? Thanks Kelley!

I am a very open person but wanted to share a very private and special experience I had. As you know, I went to the Ladies Retreat this past weekend. It was absolutely wonderful and filled my heart and soul with Christ's love for us that I was about to burst! I knew that it would be emotional but the most emotional thing happened to me yesterday when Emily and I were driving to my dad's for lunch.

I was listening to my "Fergie" cd (only the last few songs because they don't have swear words for Emily to pick up and sing). Her new song "Finally" came on. I have heard it on the radio and American Idol Gives Back. I really liked the music and the way she sang. So I listened to it again. I had chills and started to cry (thank goodness I was at a stoplight). This song was my relationship with God in the past, present and future. My destiny can begin as long as I have him and love him - I "finally" got it!

Here are the lyrics - I don't know who she wrote the song for - but I know that everytime I hear it I will think of how much God loves us and how I "finally" know what it like to give yourself completely to the Lord.

Finally lyrics

MMMMMMMMMM
Ever since I was a baby girl I had a dream
Cinderella theme
Crazy as it seems
Always knew that deep inside that there would come that day
But I would have to wait
Make so many mistakes
I couldn't comprehend
As I watched it unfold
This classic story told
I left it in the cold
Walking through an open door that led me back to you
Each one unlocking more of the truth

I finally stopped tripping on my youth
I finally got lost inside of you
I finally know that I needed to grow
And finally my mate has met my soul

[chorus]
Finally
Now my destiny can begin
Though we will have our differences
Something strange and new is happening
Finally
Now my life doesn't seem so bad
It's the best that I've ever had
Give my love to him finally

MMMMMMMM

I remember the beginning you already knew
I acted like a fool
Just trying to be cool
Fronting like it didn't matter
I just ran away
And on another phase
Was lost in my own space
Found what its like to hurt selfishly
Scared to give of me
Afraid to just believe
I was in a jealous, insecure, pathetic place
Stumbled through the mess that I have made
Finally got out of my own way

I've Finally started living for today
I finally know that I needed to grow
And finally my mate has met my soul

[chorus]
Finally
Now my destiny can begin
Though we will have a our differences
Something strange and new is happening
Finally
Now my life doesn't seem so bad
It's the best that I've ever had
Gave my love to him
Finally

MMMMMMMM

Finally, Finally
Finally
Now my destiny can begin
Though we will have our differences
Something beautiful is happening, happening
Finally
Now my life doesn't seem so bad
It's the best that I've ever had
Give my love to him finally

Ohhhhhhh, Finally, Finally, finally

Kelley

Watch Fergie perform the song with John Legend on the Idol Gives Back show.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1DKfUC5q8Q

Raise It Up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwWvBcOW5G4&feature=related

I like the song. It is from the movie August Rush. I hope you enjoy it!

The First Beatitude

The First Beatitude
Blessed are the poor in spirit,for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
The meaning of the word "poor" in Greek means one who has nothing and is completely empty. Was Jesus saying the economically poor are blessed? No, for there is no spirituality in poverty. Poverty in itself is not blessed, because the poor can be as arrogant and as ungodly and as lost as the rich. So what does it mean to be poor in spirit? It means that the poor are those who realize that they can never achieve salvation on their own and instead put their complete faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

The poor in spirit are those who are not self-assertive, self-reliant, self-confident, self-centered, or self-sufficient. The poor in spirit are not baptized in the waters of self-esteem. They do not boast in their God given characteristics such as their birth, their family, their nationality, their education, their physical looks, their race, their wealth, or their culture. None of that matters. The poor in spirit are those who are conscious of their sins and know in their hearts that they are completely unworthy of the grace that a most holy and loving God pours down upon them. They realize that all their righteousness is, as Isaiah said, like filthy rags before a holy God.

So poor in spirit means that we come to God, conscious of our sins and our utter lack of righteousness. It means that we profess that we are totally unqualified to commune with, and have fellowship with God, and that we do not deserve any of the gifts that God is trying to bestow upon us. The poor in spirit realize that all our assets are actually liabilities before God, and that we should view these assets as Paul viewed them--as loss, as garbage, as rubbish.

It means that we have absolutely no hope of salvation without Jesus Christ. It means to realize that we are full of sin and in desperate need of God's grace and righteousness, and the poor in spirit realize that these can only be obtained by faith in Jesus Christ.

In Luke 15 we see how the prodigal son became poor in spirit. In his pride and arrogance he left his father's house, wasted his inheritance and fell into great need in some far away country. During a severe famine, this son had no job and nothing to eat. At that point, the text says, he came to himself. He went back to his father and said, "I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son" (Luke 15:21). That is being poor in spirit.

We also see an example of being poor in spirit illustrated again in Luke 18 in the account of the Pharisee and the tax collector. It is the story of a man who was confident of his own righteousness and who looked down on everybody else. Jesus told this parable: Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed this about himself: God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of what I get.
The tax collector stood at a distance. He felt he wasn't even worthy to look up to heaven, so keeping his eyes on the floor he said, "God, please have mercy on me, for I am nothing but a lowly sinner." (Luke 18:9-14). That is being poor in spirit. What was the result of the prayers of these men? The Pharisee went home condemned, while the tax collector went home justified.

Only the poor in spirit will enter into the kingdom of God. Why? Because they come to God having full knowledge of their own lostness and their own sinfulness. They readily confess that they are full of guilt and are totally unqualified to enter into the kingdom of God. The poor in spirit are the ones who have put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

Ice Cream

Baskin Robbins is honoring America ’s Firefighters by selling ice cream for $.31 cents per scoop on Wednesday, April 30th between 5 and 10 pm. Grab your friends, and/or the kids and have a cool one! This fundraiser for the firefighters is an important one for them, so let's go out and have ice cream and support a great cause.

http://www.baskinro bbins.com/ Promotion/ 31cent.aspx

Note that there is a 10 scoop per person limit.

Self Defense Class

Ladies,

Please join us on Tuesday, April 29th at 7:00PM in the Uth House. A self defense expert will be teaching us what to do in certain situations and how to defend ourselves.

All ages welcome - feel free to bring your teenage daughters! Please wear everyday clothes excluding skirts and dresses.

A love offering will be accepted for the instructor and XFC Training. Please contact me with any questions.

Blessings,
Corey

Beatitudes

This is just a follow-up to the sermon from yesterday. I really enjoyed it! It encouraged me to come home and read the bible. If you are like me, I learned about this when I was younger but I need to revisit it so that I can teach it to my children! It is good for me too, of course!

Sermon on the Mount: This is the greatest sermon Jesus ever preached. The Lord's prayer, the beatitudes, and the golden rule are in this sermon.

Where was Jesus? Jesus delivered this sermon on a mountain near Capernaum. Tradition ascribes the site to an extinct volcano named Karne Hittim. Jesus sat while delivering the Sermon on the Mount. Sitting connotated authority, so rabbi's often sat while teaching.

Beatitudes - Teachings that begin with "blessed." The Latin word for blessed is beatus, from which we get the word beatitude. The beatitudes are found in Matthew 5: 3-12.

These were meant to comfort suffering believers. They are simply stated, but are profound in meaning. They guide. They point. They teach. They show us the values that Christ cares about. These values if followed, can not only bring a believer into a state of peace and happiness, but also right into the Kingdom of God after our journey on this earth is over.

Setting: When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying...

Beatitudes
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Our Mission

We have decided on a mission that our mom's bible study is going to support. It is Operation Christmas Child.

Operation Christmas Child brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes and the Good News of God's love. This program provides an opportunity for people of all ages to be involved in a simple, hands—on missions project while focusing on the true meaning of Christmas—Jesus Christ. If you missed the video on Friday, here is a link to view it: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/OCC_About.asp?OCCPath=1

Basically, we are filling a shoe box with toys and goodies as a present to go to a child in a third world country. That child may have never had a present in their entire life!

To find out more about packing the shoe box, click here: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/OCC_PackAShoeBox.asp?OCCPath=1 Amanda showed us a sample of a shoebox that she already put together. She enclosed a Christmas card with her kids names and ages and that it is from Tampa, Florida.

We want to collect them by May 16th, our final bible study class. You can do one box or one box from each of your children- that is up to you. We are just excited to participate in this wonderful mission together!

Holy Spirit 101

Who or What is the Holy Spirit?
By Billy Graham, Tribune Media Services

Q: Who or what is the Holy Spirit? I'm a new Christian, and I hope you won't think I'm stupid for asking this. There are a lot of things I don't understand, but I really do want to learn what the Bible says. -- Mrs. N.McF. A:

A: I'm thankful you have recently given your life to Jesus, and I'm thankful also for your desire to understand God's Word. Nothing is more important than your spiritual growth; the Bible says, "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). The Holy Spirit is God Himself (which is why we should never refer to Him as a thing or as "it"). When God works in the world, He does so by His Spirit. In other words, the Holy Spirit is God in action! In the very beginning, for example, the Bible says that "the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters" (Genesis 1:2). Then God spoke, and by the power of His Spirit the world came into being.

But the most important work of the Holy Spirit is in our lives. By His Spirit, God convicts us of our sins, and He draws us to Himself. By His Spirit, He also gives us new life. Jesus said, "No one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit" (John 3:5). And by His Spirit, God comes to live within us and helps us when we open our hearts and lives to Christ.

Thank God that He doesn't live in some far-off part of the universe but is with us by His Holy Spirit. Ask God to control you and guide you by His Spirit every day, and draw you closer to Himself.

Third Day

You have to listen to this song. I love it. The message is wonderful. The music is great. Please give it a chance. I think that Third Day might be my favorite Christian group. They rock. I would say that they are "Rockin' like Dokken" but Dokken isn't very Christian and many of you don't know Dokken- or do you? Heehee! (They are from the 80's so I might be showing my age!)

Do you have a favorite song that you would like to share? Email the name and we will feature it!

Mirage

This hit home with me today. I have been complaining to myself (and God hears me) about the difficulties of being stuck at home up with a child that hasn't slept well because of her recent surgery. If only she were better already, if only I had a full time cleaning person, laundry person, personal chef, etc. I might be exaggerating but you get the point.


Mirage
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened" (Romans 1:21 NIV emphasis added).

Friend to Friend
Flutter. Flutter. Bang! Flutter. Flutter. Bang! Momma and Papa Bluebird danced in front of our sunroom windows, trying frantically to break through the glass barrier. Time and time again, they banged their feathered heads against the panes. What were they pursuing? Where were they trying to go? What had caught their eye? Why were they so persistent? I wanted desperately to help them solve their dilemma, but I couldn't figure out what the dilemma was.

After three days of this featherbrained, frenzied activity, I decided to put myself in their position, get a bird's eye view, and examine the situation from their perspective. I stepped out onto the patio, stood in front of the windows, and there it was. In the reflection of the glass was mirrored their birdhouse, some thirty feet behind me.

Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird's lovely cedar shingled home with decorative finial, sat on a tall pole nestled under the protective branches of an old oak tree. Their bed and breakfast came equipped with an adjoining spa - a concrete birdbath surrounded by fragrant rose bushes, bursting with red blossoms and a carpet of white annuals. But instead of being satisfied with their high rise estate, they were banging their heads against the pane, striving for a mirage, a mere reflection.

Amazingly, a few times they turned around, soared to their home, and crawled through its opening for a reprieve. However, before long, they were dive bombing into the glass again, trying to gain entrance into an illusion of something better.

This made me think of my own life and the many times I go flutter, flutter, bang- flutter, flutter, bang, striving for something that is just a cheap imitation of God's perfect provision for my life. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans that I have for you, to prosper you, and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope."

Yet I argue, "Yeah, I know that God. I know you've provided me with this home and this job and with these particular gifts. But, well, I don't mean to sound ungrateful or anything, but I reaaaaly would be happy if you'd give me a house like Mary's over there. And you know Beth, well I reaaaaly would be happy if you made me a Bible teacher like she is. And you know Teresa? If I could just be as sweet as she is, I'd be satisfied. Then there's Laura. Now God, she has the prettiest blond silky hair. Could I just have hair like hers? Don't get me wrong, Lord. I do appreciate what you given me, but if I could just have................"

Well, you get the picture.

Flutter. Flutter. Bang! Flutter. Flutter. Bang!

The banging birds may have knocked themselves silly, but they also knocked some sense into my hard head. God has provided me with everything I need. As David, the psalmist wrote, The Lord is my Shepherd, I don't need anything! I can flutter about looking at the mirage of happiness in other people's windows, or I can nestle down in contentment and not get my feathers ruffled trying to get more. The way to keep from fluttering around from one mirage of happiness to the other is to stay close to home and be satisfied with my own nest, feathers, and chicks. I've learned that I'm most content when I'm at home in the Father's will, I'm nestled in His protective Branches, perched on the pole of His standard, nurtured by the Living water of His fountain, cleansed in the laver of the Holy Spirit, and beautified by the fragrance of the Rose of Sharon. And as Dorothy of Kansas once said, "There's no place like home."

Let's Pray
Dear Heavenly Father, forgive me when I complain about what I don't have and when I am not thankful for what I do have. Help me not to be like the people mentioned in Romans chapter one who "did not give thanks." I do thank you for all the blessings You have poured out in my life. I love you so much.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen