Author Archives: Live Abundantly Now

MAKING A DIFFERENCE ONE SMALL ACT AT A TIME

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I wept and wept when a group of my Bible study friends joined together in 2005 to be the hands and feet of Jesus and helped me during our family’s crisis. To the ladies who stepped in to help us, it seemed like a simple act of kindness. But in reality their joining together to help, provided food and gift cards that fed our family for at least eight months while we struggled through a season of low income jobs. It was life-changing for me. Not only did their act of love provide for us in our need, but it instilled in me a desire to do the same thing for others for the rest of my life on this earth.

I wrote the Prayers of a Mother’s Heart eBook with the goal of making a difference in the world. Several weeks ago, during a special promotion of my eBook, I wrote a post sharing that I planned to purchase bunk beds with the proceeds from the promotion. I have great news! With the royalties from the April promotion and with the previous months’ royalties, I was able to donate money to Hands of Love to enable them to purchase beds for two children. Did you hear that? My books’ royalties provided beds for children who would otherwise be without one. I’m shouting praises to Jesus!

Bunk Beds for Children

I don’t think we really realize how much our acts of love impact others eternally. We may wonder, “Is buying a bed for a child really making that big of a difference?” To a child who has been literally living on the streets, never knowing what it’s like to have a comfortable place to sleep, a bed is life-changing. He will remember the day he received his new bed for the rest of his life in the same way I will remember August 24, 2005—the day my friends came to my rescue.

Hands of Love

It thrills my heart when I meet others who are passionate about making a difference. I am excited that I recently learned about Kim Belcheff’s site—a blog dedicated to supporting charities. I am honored to have an interview posted at Heart of a Philanthropist.

My prayer for all followers of Christ is that we would band together to reach out to the homeless and loveless in their great need. While we, the Body of Christ, function as His hands and feet, we will see the world begin to change.

I refuse to stand by while the world falls deeper into darkness, thinking, “I don’t have enough money to make a difference.” We can overcome the darkness as we realize our small acts of love actually do make a significant and real difference.

“Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.”

— James 1: 27 (The Message)

 

THE DEFINITION OF A TRUE FRIEND

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A friend is one who believes in others more than she believes in herself.

She is one who allows her friends to put away all pretenses and lets them be who God made them to be.

She lets others share their weaknesses without being afraid of being judged or lectured.

She celebrates the strengths of those closest to her and brings out the best in them.

She hurts when her friends hurt and cheers when her friends are sailing through life.

She isn’t intimidated by the successes of her friends, but finds abundant joy in seeing every one of them succeed.

A true friend loves at all times and her love never, ever fails.

“A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.” — Proverbs 17: 17 (NLT)

I’m linking up for Five Minute Friday where Lisa Jo Baker and other awesome people write for five minutes flat with no self critiquing or no striving for perfection. This week’s prompt is: “Friend.”

The photo captured the joy of my daughter’s college years as she celebrated with the friends she met and will keep forever.

Five Minute Friday

WE CAN REJOICE BECAUSE CHRIST LIVES

Because He Lives!!

I woke up yesterday morning thinking of the lyrics to an old hymn written by Bill Gaither. The words are powerful and sum up the message of the gospel beautifully. Because Christ lives, we can rest in His presence and peace. We can face adversity with strength because we know we have our Jesus to carry us.

I pray that as you read these lyrics you will be reminded of the power in the cross to heal and strengthen you.

God sent His son, they called Him, Jesus;
He came to love, heal and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Chorus
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives.

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives;
But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because He lives.

Chorus
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives.

And then one day, I’ll cross the river,
I’ll fight life’s final war with pain;
And then, as death gives way to vict’ry,
I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He lives.

By: Bill Gaither

LORD,

Thank You for dying an agonizing death so that we can live eternally in Your perfect peace. Help us continually to walk in Your righteousness and let us live in the fullness of Your joy every day. Help us to remember daily the pain you bore so that we can be free to live abundantly. Let us revel in the gift of Your amazing grace and let our lives be a celebration of Your love. We pray in Your name, Christ. Amen.

 

 

PRAYER eBOOK: 99¢ UNTIL 4/8 AND GIVING BUNK BEDS TO ORPHANS

Hands of Love Bunk Beds

I was inspired by the power of prayer working in my life and in the lives of my children to write Prayers of a Mother’s Heart: For a Chosen Generation, an eBook about faith-filled prayer with several personal stories and over twenty-five actual prayers.

One of my goals for the book was to use it as a fundraiser for our plans to adopt a Ugandan child. During the process of writing and publishing my eBook, our plans to adopt shifted. We listened to God’s voice guiding us to postpone the adoption plans until after our youngest child graduates from high school in 2015.

Although, we postponed our adoption plans, my passion for the Ugandan people has only gotten stronger. A beloved friend introduced me to Hands of Love, a ministry that cares for over 1,400 orphans. My husband and I partnered with this ministry because we love how they’re meeting the needs of children who would otherwise be living on the streets, struggling to survive.

This past year, we were over-the-top excited to buy a bicycle for our sponsored staff member at Hands of Love and to provide money that helped fund bunk beds for the children who aren’t sponsored. I’m sharing this only to testify of Christ’s goodness for restoring our finances so that we may bless others.

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The staff members at Hands of Love are ecstatic about their new bicycles because they don’t have to walk miles to work and to church anymore. I can only imagine the relief they are feeling.

So, what does a prayer eBook have to do with giving bunk beds to orphans and providing bicycles to the staff members at the orphanage?

Prayers of a Mother’s Heart will be .99 cents through April 8th as a special promotion. I plan to use the proceeds from this promotion to help purchase more bunk beds or whatever the children at Hands of Love may need.

Can you imagine sleeping every night on a hard floor? A child’s world is changed when they are given a comfortable bed and provided with safe shelter. My heart is rejoicing to be able to make a difference in a child’s life so that he or she will one day make a difference in the world.

Prayers of a Mother’s Heart was written with a divine purpose to bless children and can be downloaded at Amazon.com.

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May Jesus use each of us to make a difference every day in the lives of those in need.

The photos were taken at one of the Hands of Love orphanages.

TRUSTING IN THE INFINITELY MIGHTY GOD

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I can’t remember the precise moment when I realized what a mighty God our Jesus is. Maybe it was the time that our car was stolen and we didn’t have full insurance coverage and we were desperate to see His power. Or maybe it was the time we were behind on our bills, barely scraping by and our only option was to trust God’s infinite power to rescue us. Or maybe it was the time my marriage was in such a mess that my husband and I needed to live separately and wait on God to reveal His mighty love to us.

Jesus rescued us over and over again in the midst of our mistakes and failures. In my stubborn determination to try to handle life on my own, I finally handed over the reins to Him permanently. Still, it took time after time of seeing Christ rescue me and my family from difficult circumstances to know without a shadow of doubt that He can be trusted. He is who He says He is. He is mighty and powerful and his love never fails us.

“Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.” Psalm 147:5 (New International Version)

I’m linking up for Five Minute Friday where Lisa Jo Baker and other awesome people write for five minutes flat with no self critiquing or no striving for perfection. This week’s prompt is: “Mighty.”  If you haven’t heard about Lisa Jo’s new book, you don’t want to miss out! Surprised by Motherhood can be purchased at amazon.com. I think you’ll love it!

Five Minute Friday

SAVORING THE GIFT OF MOTHERHOOD

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As I was on my way home, the words of my father-in-law echoed in my mind: “Enjoy the years of raising your children because in the blink of an eye, they’ll be grown.” I thought intently about the words my father-in-law had spoken decades before, as I drove away from the college campus where my youngest child will be taking part in the Duel Enrollment program for high school seniors. Thoughts of my little boy running around with his action figures were colliding with thoughts of the young man who signed up for college Algebra and English 1101. How can he possibly be starting college? It seems like yesterday that Thomas was a wee little guy testing my patience as I chased him around the library while he was screaming, “Nooooo, I don’t want to leave!” I will always remember the tantrum in the library, but what stands out most in my mind are the sounds of laughter and squealing of excitement over the joys of life through a child’s eyes.

The older my children get, the more the words in Psalm 127:3 resonate in my heart: Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a real blessing. My youngest will be seventeen soon and my oldest is twenty-four. They are truly the most treasured gifts God has given me along with the gift of marriage. One of the greatest decisions I’ve ever made in life was quitting my merchandising/sales job with Procter and Gamble which enabled me to focus on being a mommy while I worked as a nanny and several other part-time jobs along the way.  Trying to be a good career woman and a good mother at the same time was just not for me. I couldn’t do both well.

Motherhood is the job that is shaping the future of our world like no other job. Mothering is by far one of the hardest jobs. There are no accolades during the formative years of our children’s lives. The rewards come later when we see our adult children making a difference in their communities. With the day-to-day stresses of being an active-duty mom, the difficulties of parenting can begin to override the immense joys that come from motherhood. I refuse to let that happen in my life.

I am savoring all that comes with being a mother. I am savoring the never-a-dull-moment-teen-years along with the piles of sweaty work-out clothes from daily football training and practices. I am savoring the orthodontist appointments and school meetings to attend. I am savoring the hours of volunteer duties that come with being a football mom. I am savoring every single moment of motherhood because I know that the duty of raising little ones into loving, generous people is truly an honor that is to be cherished now amidst these significant fleeting moments.

 “Every good present and every perfect gift comes from above, from the Father who made the sun, moon, and stars. The Father doesn’t change like the shifting shadows produced by the sun and the moon.” — James 1:17 (God’s Word Translation)

The photo of my son and daughter was taken in January in Tampa, Florida.

MARRIAGE IS FULFILLING WHEN WE’RE WILLING TO LOVE SACRIFICIALLY

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That’s not what I am saying…I passionately defend myself to my husband as we try to hear each others’ hearts. We’ve been married for decades, yet we still have trouble communicating at times. I believe God created men and women with opposite natures just so we would have to rely on Him in our commitment to each other. There is no other relationship that tests our ability to love unconditionally more than the marriage.

Real love is when we are willing to sacrifice our own needs in order to see that our spouse’s needs are met first. My need as a woman to be heard and understood should be much less important to me than it is for me to respect my husband’s desires.

I am challenged daily to love purely with no selfish motives, but with the help of Christ and through His strength I know that I can press on in loving my husband sacrificially.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

— 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 (New International Version)

I’m linking up for Five Minute Friday where Lisa Jo Baker and other awesome people write for five minutes flat with no self critiquing or no striving for perfection. This week’s prompt is: “Willing.”

The photo was taken the day my husband and I renewed our wedding vows.

Five Minute Friday

ENERGY SMOOTHIE RECIPE

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As a forty-eight-year-old woman with a full life, drinking healthy smoothies has greatly increased my energy level. Dragging my body through the day is a distant memory since I began making homemade energy smoothies. I drink a smoothie almost every morning, and it helps me feel more energetic.

I have tried several different kinds of blenders. The Nutra-Bullet is my favorite blender for making smoothies. With its unique cyclonic action, it makes the smoothest energy drinks. There are some precautions necessary though. The Nutra-Bullet cup should only be filled to the ‘MIX’ line when using it and the motor shouldn’t be used for more than a minute at a time. Another thing I love about the Nutra-Bullet is that it’s easy to travel with because of its compact size.

 

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Energy Smoothie Recipe

1 cup goat milk, rice milk, or water
6 ounces plain Greek yogurt
1 cup chopped kale (you may want to choose a different vegetable each day in order to keep a balanced diet)
1/2 cup frozen blueberries or blackberries
3 tablespoons of vanilla protein powder

Combine the kale, fruit, yogurt, protein powder and liquid in a blender. Blend until smooth, but for no more than sixty seconds at a time. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more liquid to get the desired consistency. Add a small amount of monk fruit sweetener if more sweetness is desired. Feel free to substitute any of the fruits with those you love best.

It may sound a little questionable to put kale in a smoothie, but this recipe tastes great. The fact that my sixteen-year-old son drinks one of my homemade smoothies every day speaks volumes about the taste. If I forget to make one for him, he always reminds me, because it helps him with his daily work-out routine and sporting activities.

If you try this recipe, please let me know how you like it. I pray that you will live a healthy life by nurturing your body, mind, and spirit in 2014.

Note: I am not affiliated with Nutra-Bullet, nor do I know anyone who is. I have expressed my personal experiences with their products only for helping to improve the health of others.

THE SECRET GARDEN OF GRACE

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As a young teen girl, I was thrust into a deeply painful situation when my dad moved out of our home and divorced my mother. As difficult of a season as that was for me, I am grateful for the pain. It was that very trial that led me into the secret place with God. In my distress, I learned how to draw away with Christ and to allow Him to comfort my hurting heart with His healing balm. In the moments of heartache, I was drawn into the arms of the greatest love of my life. It was in His presencein the secret garden of God’s grace where I found His never-ending love.

Psalm 147:3 (NIV)

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” 

I pray that you will rest in Christ’s secret garden on this Valentine’s Day and every day until His return.

I’m linking up for Five Minute Friday where Lisa Jo Baker and other awesome people write for five minutes flat with no self critiquing or no striving for perfection. This week’s prompt is: “Garden.”

Five Minute Friday

MY HERO AND BEST FRIEND

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As I look back over my marriage to Michael, I think of the laughter and joy, and the times we struggled to stay committed.

We have been in a battle to fight for our marriage from the beginning when we married at the ages of nineteen and twenty-three. Both of us coming from families that were broken up by divorce, the odds were against our marriage. But in the midst of every trial that we’ve endured, my husband has courageously fought for us. He has remained committed to the vows he made to me in 1985. In the hardest of times, he has pressed on in loving me. I am grateful for our marriage and look forward to many more decades of sharing love with my hero and best friend.

“Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, but who can find a trustworthy man?” Proverbs 20:6 (NASB)

I’m linking up for Five Minute Friday where Lisa Jo Baker and other awesome people write for five minutes flat with no self critiquing or no striving for perfection. This week’s prompt is: “Hero.”

The photo was taken the day my husband and I renewed our wedding vows.

Five Minute Friday