Restoking a Fire

'Ello! 
   Its been a while since writing. I've been collecting thoughts and trying to think of what I'd like to write about. So I figured, maybe I should write about something close to me and one of my biggest faults. It's not music, cursings, thoughts, or anything like that. Its worse, my Bible Reading. So you are probably thinking, "I didn't expect that.." But this is something I have the hardest time with. I classify this as my worst offense in my life. I fear this lack of wisdom or this awful habit will spill over into my daughter's life and I cannot bear the thought of my mistakes becoming her demise. This sounds extreme, but think about it. Without reading the Bible what happens to you? The battles of life become hard and seem to prevail against you. Sometimes your faith becomes obsolete or people begin to doubt your "religion". 
    Reading your Bible is important, so important that God breathed these words just so you would have the tools to defeat the enemy and have victory over sin. I think of how a fire has to be stoked and taking care of, well your soul is like that. Bear with me on this. When you get saved you are on fire and feel you can conquer Hell with a squirt gun, you have the willingness and wanting to be used of the Lord. Over the months  this feeling you once had start to just flicker. Your fire is dimming, your starving for that closeness and burning you once had. Praying and going to Church is important, but how are you supposed to be touched or re-energized by God when you aren't right with Him? 
   My enemy that stops me is my attention span! When I go to read my Bible I am thinking about dishes, laundry, Ally's needs, Randy, and all of my responsibilities. So before I even get started my mind is clouded with life. And the cliche, "Life gets in the way" is so true. I read my Bible and have gotten zip from reading it because I was distracted. My fire is this flicker and it keeps me from being all that God wants me to be. I love serving in my Church, but when I talk to children and tell them how they should read the Bible daily, I stand there a liar and ashamed of something I can't even do. I have given a false testimony of myself. 
  It's a daily battle I face, Satan knows this and he rejoices on the days I may go without reading God's Word. After all God's Word is my SWORD (Eph.6:10-20) So now I am an unprepared soldier. A flickering flame that has a desire, but no commitment. 

  What a depressing blog! But, wait there's more. I know how to restoke this fire, start fresh! Throw some more wood on the flame and blow on it. The breathing makes the fire spread, we need God to give us the breath to pray and witness. I have to ask God to give me the strength and help to commit myself to His Will and read my Bible. My passion for the Lord should give me enough of a burning desire to read His Word and get closer to His precious side! God help us all be used and committed to you!

Growing up

It's been forever since I've written. Since the last time I've written, I have celebrated my 1 year anniversary and had my baby Allison. So needless to say I've been busy! I've had lots of time to think about growing and maturing in the Lord, which determines my growth/maturity in life.
  I've been given a big responsibility as a wife and mother. The whole purpose of this blog was to talk about becoming the godly woman whom God meant for us to be. Learning how to be gracious, a hard worker, kind, loving and all the attributes that the Proverbs 31 woman was. But, she is not the only one who exhibits these, nope, you do if you are in Christ. Her attitude and ways of living are the fruits of the Spirit.
 At church, our Sunday School class has been studying Galatians 5 about the fruits we bear if we don't walk with the Lord and the fruits of those who do. When we walk with the Lord we will show forth love, longsuffering (patience), mercy, gentleness, meekness, goodness, faith, temperance, and joy. When we start straying from the Lord we become vile.
   Being aware of my sin makes me be a better everything. Why? Because I am an example to my husband and my daughter. My relationship with God effects everything I do and affects whom ever I am around. How I carry myself in front of the lost and how I act around home, family and friends affects how they perceive my God. I, whether I like it or not, have to accept the Bible and follow His commandments. God says, If we love him we will keep His commandments. So do we love Him enough to do so?
   My daughter has taught me so much. Even before she entered into the world I was learning that I couldn't be a childish person. My faith should be child-like, yet my life should be just as His. I have learned to be a bit more understanding, being careful of how I speak of others, because I wouldn't want her to say or do things that are contradictory to God. In order for her to know God, she will have to see Him in our home, see Him in our lives and hear about Him. God should be our everything, He literally should be a daily guest in our homes.
   So prayer is important, I don't pray as I should. I am ashamed that I haven't been the Christian that God wants me to be. Having a baby makes you realize you need all of the attributes above. Nothing prepares you for motherhood, you can babysit all you like, but nothing is like being a mom to your own child. Christ looks at us and sees us just as children. The way I look at my daughter, is how he looks at me. He is patient with me, I thank Him for that. He is good, He is all that He says He is!
As I learn more, I will be writing and keeping my thoughts written down.Until next time ~Amber

Update!

Hey Gals!
   It's been awhile since I have written anything. So first things first, my husband and I are expecting our first child! We are SUPER excited! God is so very good. Secondly, I am in my 2nd trimester! It has been so great, no morning sickness! We ask people still pray for us as this also can become a stressful time. I don't quite worry about labor, but there are other concerns that I have about breastfeeding and being a good godly mother. Lastly, we are looking at buying a home. Also, this could be a stressful situation. So please keep us in your prayers :)

90SecondsToChoose.com

Why I have a hard time loving people in Christ.

So if you are reading this blog or follow me, you're probably thinking "Oh Lord, how could she not love others? I do all the time." Well let me explain myself, us women at times run off of emotion. I run off of emotion mixed with logic, I've been a work in progress with self-control, the story of Esther is a great one for that. But, when I think love, I don't think emotion, I think of care and an action that can only be carried out in pure selflessness.
 Now, I have problems with looking at my convictions and looking at others thinking why isn't God bothering you? It sounds kind of harsh, but its true in how we feel at times. Its hard not taking your convictions and placing them over someones' head and asking, "How come you are doing this and if I do it God gives me a deep gut twinge?"
 People tend to know how to push the buttons! And when they do the "love" goes away and most of the time it loses respect. But ladies, we know how it feels if someone "B-rates" your husband or says something about you. It kills you not to say or do something for revenge. That is not a feeling of love. So when others do you wrong what is your answer to the problem?
 Loving someone in Christ is supposed to be likened to how Christ loves us, unconditionally, yes people...when they are acting ugly towards you, God expects us to be the opposite. It is not EASY!! I have had people test the Christ-like love, and believe me I struggle. But, being married has made it easy to love as Christ, toward my husband and family. But, with strangers or even Church members it becomes strained and a wedge between stewards.
  When Christ looks at me He doesn't see a big ol' nasty sinner, He sees His child. It's a wonderful thought and very humbling. Yet, we have a hard time looking at others that way. So the bottom line of all of this is, when others mock or ignore basic Bible principles I feel like shutting them out and building a wedge between us. But, God doesn't ask we be isolated, but prayed up so that we can be good examples to a lost and dying world.
So am I the only one with the struggle of giving authentic love to others?

GBAC Rally & Training Night Highlights

You're Just A Housewife.

Hi guys! It's been a while, but it's been busy :) If you have ever been looked down for being stay at home wife. I'm sure that you have had people ask you, "Why don't you work?" and they act like being a housewife isn't work. Well, I'm here to surprise some critics, it's HARD work. It requires diligence. In my situation I clean a two story house, cook for 4-8 people depending on the weeks, picking up nieces and nephews, making sure my husband has everything he needs, keeping my sanity (which is hard because there is a large amount of animals), I don the laundry,I teach piano and I am heavily involved in Church. And when the Lord allows it, babies will add to all of what some people would call a do nothing position. Yes, at times I like just to be lazy my flesh loves laziness but that is not the case 95% of the time when I'm not sitting down. There is no small job for any one in a family. Everyone has a job and a task, it makes my day when Randy says, Thank you for what you do. It makes me feel like Super Woman! So when someone acts like you don't have a job or you don't "work" trade spaces with them and watch who wants their job back more.
Until next time, 
Amber