Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the video.
He's All You Need (by Steve Camp)
When you're alone, your heart is torn, He is all you need. When you're confused, your soul is bruised, He is all you need. He's the Rock of your soul, He's the Anchor that holds Through your desperate time.
When your way is unsure, His love will endure...a peace you will find Through all your years, the joy, the tears, He is all you need When you give in to that familiar sin, He is all you need Guilt as you're paralyzed, it slowly eats you alive, He is all you need
He'll be faithful to you though your heart is untrue And your love's grown cold His forgiveness is real, it'll comfort and heal your sin-weary soul Well, God loves you so, He'll never let you go...He is all you need.
He'll be faithful to you though your heart is untrue And your love's grown cold His forgiveness is real, to comfort and heal your sin-weary soul Through all your years, the joy, the tears, He is all you need.
God is all we ever need! Not Him and house...not Him and career...not Him and family...not Him and ministry. He alone is all we need! We are complete in Christ. He is faithful; He never fails us. Is God enough for you?
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book! You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
***Special thanks to Audra Jennings of The B&B Media Group for sending me a review copy.***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Mark Matlock has been working with youth pastors, students, and parents for two decades. He speaks to hundreds of thousands of students around the world each year, and presents biblical truths in ways that motivate people to change. Mark is the vice president of event content at Youth Specialties and the founder of WisdomWorks Ministries and PlanetWisdom. He’s the author of several books including The Wisdom On - series, Living a Life That Matters, Don’t Buy The Lie, Freshman, and Smart Faith. Mark lives in Texas with his wife Jade and their two children.
List Price: $12.99
Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: Zondervan/Youth Specialties (February 23, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0310669367
ISBN-13: 978-0310669364
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
What Are Real World Parents?
I have a vivid memory of being a teenager and sitting at the dinner table with my family, rolling my eyes and pretending to gag behind my dad's back.
Why?
He was trying to do family devotions with us. But my three younger brothers and I just weren't buying it.
Every four or five months my dad would hear some program on Christian radio about family devotions, and he'd come home with another new idea for making it work with our family. After all, that's what Christian families are supposed to do, right? But it just never worked in our house. It felt completely forced and unnatural.
Still, somehow all four of us Matlock boys ended up in ministry. My youngest brother, Jonathan, helped me start WisdomWorks Ministries, and now we both do pretty much the same kind of youth ministry and youth minister support through Youth Specialties. Our brother Josh is a senior pastor in Southern California, and our brother Jeremy is a missionary in Russia. And still to this day, whenever Dad tries to bring us together for Òfamily devotionsÓ during the holidays, we mock him a little. It's become a kind of tradition because it isn't genuine for who we are as a family.
Now, I'm not saying that having kids who serve in some area of ministry means you're a successful parent. The point I'm making is that all four of my dad's sons grew into men with a real passion and appreciation for God's Word--even though he couldn't get us to sit still and take the reading of the Word seriously during repeated failed attempts at family devotions.
Why? Because we knew he had a real passion and appreciation for God's Word. We saw Dad reading the Bible. We saw him struggle to apply it to his life. We saw both of our parents base their decisions on their understanding of what the Bible teaches.
Ultimately we were convinced of the worldview contained in the pages of Scripture because we saw our parents openly endorsing it, talking about it, learning from it, and living it out day after day, year after year. That was enough for us--despite the failed attempts at family devotions.
That's what this book is about. We're not interested in presenting more artificial techniques and methodology to ÒfixÓ our kids or do what Christian families are Òsupposed to do.Ó Rather we want to help you discover how to live for God in a real way, right in front of your kids, so they can't help but catch the big picture that God and his Word mean the world to us and that living for Jesus really works in the Real World.
Don't get me wrong. Not all families are built to the same specifications. We each have our own family DNA. So if family devotions fit who you are, more power to you! Organized, structured, traditional family devotions are a great tool for some families. Now that my wife, Jade, and I have two kids of our own--our son Dax is in middle school, and our daughter Skye is 10--we've tried to have a family Bible hour around the table. It kind of worked off and on when the kids were younger, but we eventually realized it wasn't a good fit for the natural rhythm of our lives. It's not who we are right now. So instead we've found ways to talk about God's Word that are a better fit for us.
As we work together through the concepts in this book, one thing we'll discover is that Real World Parents are real in the sense that they do what best fits their families, and they genuinely adjust their own lives to fit into God's story.
Is God Happy with My Family?
In the church today, there's some really good teaching on parenting. My wife and I have benefited from writers, conference speakers, and pastors who've opened God's Word and helped us connect with what it means to raise up our children in the way they should go, how to provide godly discipline, and ideas for reinforcing good behavior. But again, that's not what this book is about.
And, honestly, over the years I've been frustrated with some teaching on parenting that's built around making parents feel guilty. These teachers, authors, books, and programs build parenting models based on our common fear that we're going to mess up our kids--or that we've already messed up our kids. That's an easy road that plays on our fears and our guilt over the areas in which we struggle as parents. Then they suggest that their programs or perspectives are our final hope to Òget it rightÓ or, worse, to do it the only way God wants it done.
That's not what this book is about, either. I promise not to use your parenting fears and anxieties against you. And we all have those feelings. I know I have them. If you could spend a little time with my family, you'd quickly see that we have issues, too. Those prone to critiquing parents would have no trouble criticizing my wife and me. So, no, I'm not interested in beating up other parents in order to somehow make them feel better or more motivated in their parenting.
In fact, I'd like to communicate exactly the opposite.
In our Real World Parent seminars, held around the United States, our teachers use a self-diagnostic tool to help attendees identify what they believe God thinks of their families.
It goes something like this:
What do you think God sees when he looks at your family? Do you think God grins or grimaces? (Place an X on the line.)
God Grins God Grimaces
This can be a challenging question if you take it seriously. On one hand, those of us who've grown up in Christian churches understand the idea of God's grace. We understand that our relationship with God isn't based on our performance. God sacrificed his only Son--the Son whom God loves so deeply--to pay for our sins on a cross. And God did this long before we even knew we wanted that gift from God. Thus, we'd always check the box that says God's love is unconditional for those of us in Christ.
Still, we have trouble carrying the idea of God's grace into our parenting. We can talk ourselves into believing that failing our kids is an unforgivable sin, that God could never be pleased with us if we've been guilty of sloppy or harsh or inconsistent or selfish or fearful or overprotective or neglectful parenting.
We may wonder how God could ever look at our families and grin. And the problem is that, as parents, we sometimes forget that we're also children--that our God is our Father, and that God is more lovingly inclined to smile at us than we are to smile at our own kids. Our Father loves us, and he forgives our parenting shortcomings and our family failings.
I will say this more than once: Nothing you read in this book will make God the Father love you and your family any more than he does right now, no matter what's going on with your family today.
I made this statement at one of our Real World Parent seminars, and I noticed that one of the women began to cry. She came up to me later and explained how inferior she's felt as a mother in her local church. Her husband isn't a believer, her kids get into trouble, and she just felt like such a failure--like a second-class parent in a church where most of the other parents were both Christians, still married, and raising such ÒniceÓ children.
I tried to assure her that God's grace applies to us as parents, and that in Christ she is forgiven and fully accepted as a beloved daughter (and mom!). The idea that God loved her family right now--in its present condition--was a reality she wasn't living in. She felt she was ÒunderperformingÓ as a parent and couldn't keep up. So she said the idea that she's forgiven, accepted, and loved as a parent gave her immense comfort.
Ernest Hemingway's short story called ÒThe Capital of the WorldÓ begins with an anecdote about a man in Madrid who put an ad in the newspaper to contact his estranged son. The ad read, PACO, MEET ME AT HOTEL MONTANA NOON TUESDAY. ALL IS FORGIVEN. PAPA. The story then describes how at noon on Tuesday, 800 young men arrived at the hotel to make peace with their fathers.
The joke was that there are lots of guys in Spain named Paco. But the other message is that wanting our dads' approval, specifically, is a universal human experience. Taking nothing away from the indispensable role of our mothers, we all long to have our fathers sign off on who we are and what we're doing.
It's what psychologists call Òfather hunger.Ó
As Christians, followers of Jesus, we have that hunger even in our roles as parents, even if we've made mistakes along the way. Our Father has forgiven us. We live in God's grace. God approves of us in Christ. And, yes, God loves us.
I want to make it perfectly clear--again--that you'll find no directives in this book that will make God love you or your family even a little bit more than he already does. God's unconditional love for your family was established long ago. It is full. It cannot grow. Romans 8:1 declares, ÒTherefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.Ó And that includes Christian parents.
I hope you've heard that. But I also hope you aren't satisfied to leave your family where it is today. Because while I'm convinced that God will never love or accept you any more than he does right now, I'm also convinced that God loves you so much that he won't leave you where you are right now, either.
No matter how good or bad you believe your family is, God has plans for you that will unfold in the Real World. God will continue to move your family along in the journey he has in store for you. Which is why this book is designed to help Real World Parents understand that journey--or story--and communicate it to our kids.
ÒHow Will This Book Fix My Kids?Ó
As long as we're talking about things this book isn't, I should mention again that in the following pages you won't find any tips or tricks or techniques to fix your children's bad behavior. (We'd probably sell more copies if that's what we were promising, but we're not.)
In my experience, books full of tips, techniques, and tricks succeed at making readers feel good for a while. They make us feel hopeful. They make us feel as though we're doing something about the problem. But they often fail in the long run because we just can't keep it up. We can't change the personalities of our families to fit the models of the new programs on an ongoing basis.
When my kids came along, though, and I started making my way through all the different kinds of Christian parenting books, I noticed that a lot of them focused on helping me raise well-behaved, well-mannered kids. And while that's an important element, there wasn't much focus on raising kids to have hearts that seek after Christ. Of course we can't force that kind of spiritual openness and connectedness with God onto our kids--but in our Real World homes, we can create environments that promote such growth.
In a sense we become gardeners tending the spiritual development of our kids. God places the spark of life in the seed. We can't control that or how the plant eventually matures. But we can make sure the soil is rich, the ground is generously watered, the weeds are kept at bay, and the opportunity for sunlight is freely available. We can raise our children in environments where having a heart for God is the norm and not the exception.
What we don't want to generate are well-behaved kids who mindlessly follow our directions without ever willfully owning the faith in Jesus that they see in us. In the long run, the goal of parenting isn't for our kids to be known for how well-behaved they are, but for how well they know and respond to God.
Part of our challenge is to communicate to our kids a worldview that supports right actions. It's true that we (and they) will be held accountable for our behavior based on God's instructions to us. But whether or not we obey those instructions has a lot to do with whether or not we really believe God's story--a biblical worldview--and whether or not we walk in God's power.
In that way, our children's behavior is kind of like the tip of an iceberg. From countless illustrations we all know that the part of the iceberg that rises above the waterline is just a fraction of its total size. As such, you could conceivably make all kinds of alterations to the exposed part of the iceberg--in other words, the outward stuff (behaviors)--without significantly altering the iceberg itself.
What we've got to get at--in our own lives and in the lives of our kids--is the 80 percent of the berg that's under the waterline. In our illustration that represents one's worldview. We believe our behavior is ultimately driven by our understanding of the way the world works, of what we believe to be true and false about the universe, of our perception of reality.
And that's what we want to focus on as Real World Parents. How can we communicate God's worldview to our kids? What story are we telling them about the universe, both intentionally and--more importantly--in the way we live with and for God over time?
Before you move on to the next chapter, ask yourself these questions:
1. When you imagine God looking at your family, what do you think God sees? What do you believe God's desire for your family is?
2. When you look at the world your children are living in, do you believe it's better or worse compared to when you were growing up? Why?
3. Which matters more to you--that your children demonstrate good behavior, or that your children understand and believe in a biblical worldview? Why?
4. In your own life, what has mattered more in the long run--your behavior on any given day or your foundational beliefs about God and the world?
MY THOUGHTS AND REVIEW:
This book is not like other parenting books. It aims to encourage parents themselves to live out their faith loud and clear so that their kids will see and learn what it means to be Christ-followers. The author covered issues like decision-making, wisdom, failure, entertainment, and God's storyline vs. the world's storyline. Even though I don't agree with the author on everything, I find the book helpful and insightful. Be authentic, parents! Kids can always tell.
My fave five this week include:
1. Fun at the park/playground. The boys had a blast. I posted the pictures here.
2. Library's book sale. We got a bagful of nice books and videos for $1.
3. We enjoy living in the country. We get to see deer up close and varieties of birds. We see hawks almost everyday and the day before yesterday, we saw California quails. My sons are becoming ornithologists :).
4. I discovered another wonderful hymn and fell in love with it: "Jesus, Priceless Treasure" (written by Johann Franck, translated by Catherine Winkworth, music by Johann Cruger). After we read it in the book, Mr. Pipes And Psalms and Hymns of the Reformation, I looked up the song on YouTube. I listened to several videos (different choirs/singers); this hymn made me cry and cry (I just love Jesus so much!). "Hence, all fear and sadness! For the Lord of gladness, Jesus enters in. Those who love the Father, though the storms may gather, still have peace within. Yea, whate'er I here must bear, Thou art still my purest pleasure, Jesus, priceless treasure." (the last stanza in the hymn)
5. "The Signs of Persecution" free webinar featuring Kirk Cameron, Ray Comfort, and Carl Moeller. It was excellent. I will post the video here or the link to the video here when it becomes available. Please join me in praying for persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ around the world. If you would like to learn more about the persecuted church, please check out The Voice of the Martyrs and Open Doors.
Yesterday, we took the boys to a local park and playground. It started to rain but the boys didn't mind playing in the rain at all. They had a blast. I was especially filled with joy to see my autistic boy (the one in red shirt) laugh and smile and enjoy himself; for that period of time at the park, he was like he used to be before he turned 10.
The boys loved it when Dad tried to walk between their swings...a fun game they played :).
Today, it's sunny out and the boys had fun biking with Dad. I really believe that trials make us never take joy for granted. At least they did for me.
P.S. Our daughter was not with us yesterday at the park because she was at a sleepover at a friend's house. By the way, why do they call it "sleepover" when the last thing on their mind is sleep and they hardly get any sleep and they wait until they get home to sleep? :)
My fave five this week include:
1. Nice visit with a friend/sweet sister in Christ. She and I went to a coffee shop. We had a great time and before she left, we prayed for each other.
2. Taking a walk and taking pictures during my walks. It's fun to exercise and enjoy God's creation at the same time.
3. Faithful Feet. I am one of the nine contributors to this new international blog where we share and learn together what it means to be true followers of Christ and to walk faithfully in His steps. My first article there is, "Don't Waste Your Life!"
4. Ultimate Blog Party 2010. I'd like to invite y'all to visit my blog party post which includes a slideshow and a giveaway. I've had fun blog-hopping and "meeting" new bloggers :).
5. Singing joyfully to the Lord. I love singing hymns and praise/worship songs while my husband plays the piano. What song(s) do you like to sing to the Lord?
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
***Special thanks to David P. Bartlett - Print & Internet Publicist - Harvest House Publishers for sending me a review copy.***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Laurette Willis, the founder of PraiseMoves®, is a Women’s Fitness Specialist and certified personal trainer, as well as a popular keynote speaker and an award-winning actor and playwright. She has produced the videos PraiseMoves™ and 20-Minute PraiseMoves™ and written BASIC Steps to Godly Fitness.
List Price: $16.99
Actors: Laurette Willis
Directors: Josh Atkinson
Format: NTSC
Region: All Regions
Number of discs: 1
Studio: CT Videography
DVD Release Date: December 1, 2009
Run Time: 120 minutes
ASIN: 0736928456
AND NOW...A SAMPLE OF THE VIDEO:
MY REVIEW: Very cool DVD! I enjoyed exercising along while listening/reading/memorizing the Scriptures. I think it's wonderful that each PraiseMoves posture is linked to a verse(s) in the Bible. It motivates me to exercise :). This DVD also includes an exercise booklet that has photos and descriptions of PraiseMoves postures. "Energize your body. Encourage your soul." (from the back of the DVD)
Life is a gift from God. All are precious in God's eyes. Our family is very passionate about saving the lives of the unborn. Every year, my daughter, Alyssa, participates in Steps for Life, an annual fund-raising event for Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRC). Please consider helping save the unborn by clicking here. Any amount helps! If you would like to help but do not want to use credit card, please email me your pledge and mailing address and PRC wil bill you later after the walkathon (May 15th). My email address is serving_theKingofkings@yahoo.com . Let's speak up and be a voice for the voiceless! Thanks for doing all you can for these precious lives and God bless!
"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved." (~Helen Keller) It's an encouraging reminder for us when we go through trial and suffering. James 1:2-4 says: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
"May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me." (John 17:23) This verse made me think of the song, "They'll Know We Are Christians." We are one in the Spirit. We are one in the Lord. We are one in the Spirit. We are one in the Lord. And we pray that all unity will one day be restored. And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love. Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love...
"Educating our children includes more than arithmetic and spelling; it includes building character. No educational pursuit can replace the deep need for a generation of children to be brought up first in the 'nurture and admonition' of the Lord." (~Rick Williamson) That's one of the reasons why we homeschool our kids :).
"Keep me from saying words that later need recalling; guard me, lest idle speech may from my lips befalling...When dangers gather round, oh, keep me calm and fearless; help me to bear the cross when life seems dark and cheerless. Help me, as You have taught to love both great and small, and by Your Spirit's might, to live at peace with all." (~Johann Heermann, 1585-1647, from his hymn, "O God, My Faithful God" in the book, Mr. Pipes And Psalms and Hymns of the Reformation, page 92) That's my prayer!
"In a sense we become gardeners tending the spiritual development of our kids. God places the spark of life in the seed. We can't control that or how the plant eventually matures. But we can make sure the soil is rich, the ground is generously watered, the weeds are kept at bay, and the opportunity for sunlight is freely available...In the long run, the goal of parenting isn't for our kids to be known for how well-behaved they are, but for how well they know and respond to God." (~Mark Matlock, from his book, Real World Parents, page 13) That's my goal, too.
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book! You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
***Special thanks to Vicky Lynch of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. for sending me a review copy.***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Nonna Bannister was a young girl when World War II broke into her happy life. She went from an idyllic early-twentieth-century Russian childhood, full of love and comforts, to the life of a prisoner working in labor camps—though she was not a Jew—eventually bereft of her entire family. But she survived the war armed with the faith in God her grandmother taught her and a readiness to start a new life. She immigrated to America, married, and started a family, keeping her past secret from everyone. Though she had carried from Germany the scraps of a diary and various photographs and other memorabilia, she kept it all hidden and would only take it out, years later, to translate and expand her writings. After decades of marriage, Nonna finally shared her secret with her husband . . . and now he is sharing it with the world. Nonna died on August 15, 2004.
List Price: $14.99
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers (March 4, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1414325479
ISBN-13: 978-1414325477
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
MY THOUGHTS AND REVIEW:
I love reading true stories. This book made me cry (several times), smile (a few times), and be so very grateful! My trials seem puny compared to what some people had to go through during the Holocaust. I almost threw up when I read about the unimaginable cruelties mentioned in the book. Nonna Bannister remained strong in her faith in God, forgiving, and compassionate throughout all the horrible experiences, witnessing evil upon evil in its rawest forms. God was so good to give her a lovely childhood and pleasant memories for her to keep and revisit while having to endure her sufferings later on. He also blessed her with a beautiful family in America. I would not recommend this book for the faint of heart or those with weak stomachs. But personally, I'm glad I read it!
Murdering Rampage: A Teen Refuses to Stand by and Do Nothing
According to statistics, abortion (the killing of innocent, defenseless babies) mercilessly takes away the lives of 1.5 million babies each year; 4,000 babies every day; 1 baby every 20 seconds; approximately 40 million babies since 1973; and that's just here in America. While this murdering rampage is going on, many people are rallying for it to continue because they want to exercise their right to choose what is convenient to them and to get rid of an unwanted "obstacle" in their lives. Some people do not agree but yet do nothing to help stop this rampage. However, other people refuse to just stand by and do nothing. Alyssa, a 16 year old homeschooler in Oregon, is one such example. She has a strong conviction and passion for saving the innocent and defending the defenseless. Since she was 5 years old, she has been participating in Steps for Life, a two-mile walkathon which is an annual fund-raising event for Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRC). The Pregnancy Resource Centers of Greater Portland is a Christian organization that helps women and teens who face unplanned pregnancy. They help meet their emotional, physical, and spiritual needs, enabling them to CHOOSE LIFE. They have six centers throughout the Portland area, and have served nearly 8,000 women and teens each year since 1984. They provide free services such as counseling, ultrasounds, adoption info., maternity & baby clothes, parenting classes, spiritual encouragement, etc. On May 15th, many pro-life supporters are expected to take part in Steps for Life at Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland, Oregon. Alyssa urges us all to support this great cause, either by being a Steps for Life walker, making pledges/sponsoring a walker, or praying. She has a web page that you can visit if you would like to support PRC and be a part of this attempt to save as many babies' lives as possible.
"For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:13-16
"We cannot fight credibly against other social and moral evils, including poverty and violence, while we tolerate mass killings by abortion." (Mother Teresa) "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute." (Proverbs 31:8) Every year, my daughter, Alyssa, participates in Steps for Life. Please consider helping save the unborn by clicking here. Any amount helps! If you would like to help but do not want to use credit card, please email me your pledge and mailing address and PRC wil bill you later after the walkathon. My email address is serving_theKingofkings@yahoo.com . Thanks for doing all you can for these precious lives and God bless!
Note: I do realize that some women were forced/coerced/manipulated/misled to have an abortion. I am deeply sorry for their loss and what they've had to go through (sorrow, guilt, shame, regret, nightmare, etc.) I hope and pray that they all will find hope, healing, forgiveness, peace, and purpose in Christ and that they will have courage to stand up and be a voice for the voiceless before more women end up making the same mistake they made.
~Please visit here for the links to other Spiritual Sundays posts. Have a blessed day in the Lord, everyone!
My fave five this week include:
1. Quiche. I have not tasted any quiche I didn't like yet.
2. Massages. I love getting my shoulders and neck massaged by my husband or my daughter. Quite relaxing!
3. Screen saver. I enjoy looking at our random photos popping up on our computer screen.
4. I'm so happy for my youngest son; he won an honorable mention for the WaterBrook Multnomah's coloring contest. His prize includes a free copy of This Little Prayer of Mine and Sir Kendrick and the Castle of Bel Lione by Chuck Black. He was thrilled.
5. Playing games with my family. Five of us take turns picking a game (boardgame or card game) to play in the evening after dinner and our family's Bible & prayer time. Lots of fun and laughter, discussion and interaction, bonding and memory-making :)! What is your family's favorite boardgame or card game?
Welcome to my blog! My name is Urailak (aka "LivingforGod" in the blog world and "Fruit Bearer" on Facebook). Please make yourself at home. I'm so glad that you're stopping by to visit. I started blogging in 2006. My original blog is http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/servingtheKingofkings/ . Eventually, I added a photo blog, another HSB blog, and this blog which I started in July last year. One of the reasons I blog is to share God's love with others and point them to Christ who came to earth because of God's love for everyone and who loved them so much that He died on the cross for their sins. God's Word is what I live by and blog by. "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31) To me, "whatever you do" includes blogging; I blog/write for the glory of God. Soli Deo Gloria!
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GIVEAWAY: I would like to give one of my visitors a copy of This Little Prayer of Mine and a set of 5 blank notecards (that I made with one of my photos taken from our property).
TO ENTER: Please leave a comment here and make sure you also leave your email addresss or blog address.
FOR EXTRA ENTRIES: 1. Read any of my posts (besides this one) and come back to comment about it here. 2. Follow me on Twitter (treasuredbyGod) and tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment here letting me know.
~The Ultimate Blog Party will officially start tomorrow. Please go to 5minutesformom to join the party and have a chance to win tons of prizes. My top three picks besides the grand prize (a Toshiba laptop) would be: USC3--a $50 Target gift card provided by Peggy Gorman, US104--a $50 Vanilla Visa Gift Card provided by Katherine at Shoot Me Now, USC8--a $55 Amazon.com e-gift card provided by Kelly. My other choices include USC15, USC37, USC39, USC33, US11, US95, US73, US74, US87, USC60, US107, US49, US32, US15, US52, US61, US88, USC25, USC36, US37, US31, US55, USC32, USC44, USC40, US39, US75, USC13, US64, USC12. I would be thrilled if I win anything :).
"Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." Ephesians 4:15-16
In John, Jesus prayed for all believers to be one: "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me." (John 17:23)
All Christians are one body of Christ. The world is watching us. What message are we sending out to the world? Jesus wants us to be unified, not divided into different denominations (which are man-made).
"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 15:5-6)
Illustrator: Mark Elliott Summary: Author Anthony DeStefano’s adult books, The Prayers God Always Says Yes To and A Travel Guide to Heaven, have sold a quarter-million copies. Illustrator Mark Elliott’s cherished artwork has appeared in popular picture books and novels for young readers, including Gail Carson Levine’s ever-popular Princess Tales series.
Now, these acclaimed inspirational experts have come together to create This Little Prayer of Mine, a beautiful and alluring book designed to guide children into a very simple, real and expressive relationship with God.
Through engaging rhymes and alluring illustrations, This Little Prayer of Mine shows children—and their parents and grandparents—that complete dependence on God is what brings peace and fulfillment. It invites children to know and believe that God is always just a simple prayer away and that He longs to respond to them with a resounding, “Yes!”
Easy-reader format allows children to read alone, or with someone older, and encourages them to openly express their fears, thanks, and needs directly to God.
Author and Illustrator Bio:
Anthony DeStefano is the author of The Prayers God Always Says Yes To and A Travel Guide to Heaven. He has received prestigious awards from religious organizations worldwide for his efforts to advance Christian beliefs in modern culture.
Mark Elliott’s brilliant illustrations have appeared in popular picture books and novels for young readers, including Gail Carson Levine’s Princess Tales series. His acclaimed artwork delivers inspiration, wonder, and timeless beauty on every page.
My thoughts and review:
This is a sweet book that helps children see prayer as it should be: natural, relational communication with God. The rhyming poem is fun to read and easy to understand. The illustrations are remarkable. I’m glad to see that the author includes thanksgiving as part of prayer, not just asking God to do this and that for us. The book also teaches children to pour their hearts out to God (tell Him how they feel) and to trust in Him and His plan. It's a great book for parents or grandparents to read to young kids and encourage them to pray. Childlike faith is truly beautiful and pleasing to the Lord. This Little Prayer of Mine delightfully portrays childlike faith and the accessibility of our God. He always hears our prayers and He cares about every detail of our lives!
~This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.
"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ!" (Galatians 6:14a) "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; He took it away, nailing it to the cross." (Colossians 2:13-14) "The cross of Christ reveals man's sin at its worst, but God's love at its best." ~Anonymous (Uncle Ben's Quotebook, page 74)
"The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'" (Psalm 14:1a) "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." ~Jim Elliot
"We cannot fight credibly against other social and moral evils, including poverty and violence, while we tolerate mass killings by abortion." (Mother Teresa) "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute." (Proverbs 31:8) Every year, my daughter participates in Steps for Life, an annual fund-raising event for Pregnancy Resource Centers. Please consider helping save the unborn by clicking here. Any amount helps! Thanks for defending the defenseless and God bless!
In CHEMISTRY, He turned water to wine. In BIOLOGY, He was born without the normal conception. In PHYSICS, He disproved the law of gravity when He ascended into heaven. In ECONOMICS, He disproved the law of diminishing return by feeding 5,000 men with 2 fishes and 5 loaves of bread. In MEDICINE, He cured the sick and the blind without administering a single dose of drugs. In HISTORY, He is the Beginning and the End. In GOVERNMENT, He said that He shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace. In RELIGION, He said no one comes to the Father except through Him.
SO...WHO IS HE?
HE IS JESUS! The Greatest Man in History Jesus had no servants, yet they called Him Master. He had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher. He had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer. He had no army, yet kings feared Him. He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world. He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him. He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today.
(Note: The writing above was in an email forwarded to me; I don't know who originally wrote it. If you do, please let me know.)
"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures." 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
"He is not here; He has risen, just as He said." Matthew 28:6a
"Jesus said to her (Martha), "I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?"" John 11:25
Let's celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. Let's live our lives in such a way that people will know undoubtedly that Jesus is alive...that He is living in our hearts and guiding our lives! Let's tell the world about our Risen Savior!
~Please visit here for the links to other Spiritual Sundays posts. Have a blessed Resurrection Day, everyone!
Jesus Paid It All is one of my favorite hymns. It was written by Elvina M. Hall (1820-1889). The tune was composed earlier by John Grape, the church organist, who had titled his music, "All to Christ I Owe." Amazingly, John Grape's tune fit perfectly with Elvina Hall's words. Below you will find two different styles of singing: Acappella (the first one) and upbeat tempo plus extra lyrics by Kristian Stanfill.
Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the videos.
"Come now, let us reason together," says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." Isaiah 1:18
"You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Corinthians 6:11
"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ." Ephesians 1:7-9
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for dying so that I may live! Thank You for being my Redeemer...my Savior...and Lord of my life. Thank You for paying the debt we could never pay. "It is finished!" (John 19:30)
"For nothing good have I whereby Thy grace to claim--I'll wash my garments white in the blood of Calvary's Lamb." (~Elvina Hall, the third stanza which was not included in the videos)
My fave five this week include:
1. Great bargains. We bought a bike for our 11 yo son for $2 and a bagful of nice clothes for $1 at a church's rummage sale. We also got 24 DVDs for $20 at our local Hollywood Video store which was closing down. After we watch them, we'll trade the ones we don't want to keep on DVD Swap (I mentioned about that last week).
2. Fun family time at Wunderland (an arcade). On Tuesday, my husband took a day off and spent time with us (so glad we homeschool and can take a day off whenever we want to). We all had lots of fun and only spent about $15. My husband was extremely good at one of the games and won us tons of tickets which we traded in for several cool toys (worth more than $15).
3. Simple joys are the best! My boys can spend hours folding paper airplanes and testing them out. I enjoyed watching them help each other and I enjoyed trying their planes out, too. We also love doing Mad Libs (a great tool for teaching parts of speech). Laughter is guaranteed to follow :).
4. Chili paste with basil leaves (product of Thailand). Whenever I go to an Asian grocery store, this is the first thing I'm looking for. It's a staple item for me; it makes everything taste good :). It reminds me of Thailand (where I was born and raised).
5. My music playlist. I like to visit my blog because I enjoy listening to the songs on my playlist :). Right now, I'm listening to You Put This Love in My Heart by Keith Green. What is your favorite song on your playlist (if you have one)? If you don't have a playlist, what's your current favorite song (I might want to add it to my playlist :))?
Have a blessed Good Friday and Resurrection Day weekend, everyone! Jesus paid it all for you and me so that we can spend eternity with God! He died on that cross to save our souls. Because He lives, we can face any day, any trials, anything. We're victorious in Christ! There is no defeat...no despair...no death when we are in Christ.
