Hi All!

Hello Everyone!

I just wanted to post a quick post to say that my new blog is called Coming Up for Breath and here is the link: http://comingupforbreath.blogspot.com/

See you all over there!

~Keri-Lynn

Summer Reading...

Summer is here and almost over! This summer I have been doing a lot of reading, a long with many other things. My Mom, sister and I took a trip to Ohio to visit some friends and go the Parelli Celebration (which was incredible!!!) I bought some books too...

- Start Here by Brett and Alex Harris
- Set Apart Femininity by Leslie Ludy
- When God Writes Your Life Story by Eric and Leslie Ludy
- Authentic Beauty bu Leslie Ludy
- When God Writes Your Love Story
- Natural Horse-Man-Ship by Pat Parelli

So far I have read Authentic Beauty and am part way through Start Here and Natural Horse-Man-Ship. I enjoy reading but don't always have a lot of time to read so it is slow going but I try and read a little every day.

My sister, myself and two of our friends studies through Before You Meet Prince Charming by Sarah Mally. We did one chapter a week and then the last chapter we did in person when we all met in Ohio. It was pretty neat. It was my second time reading through Before You Meet Prince Charming and it was most enjoyable!

In my Bible reading I am still reading through Psalm. It will soon be a year since I started reading it and I am only on Psalm 46! I have been enjoying it and learning a lot. It is amazing to think how much has happened in the past year, how many things have changed, what has come and gone, and so much more! Life goes by quickly and to me it is a good reminder that I will never get to relive these days and am I using my time to the best of my ability? I am living for Christ or for myself?

To end this post I just thought I would share this song....

Tobymac's "City on Our Knees"

When you pray, give God your guilt

by Rick Warren

    "Forgive us the wrongs we have done, as we forgive the wrongs that others have done to us" Matthew 6:12 (TEV)

We all make mistakes. We all have regrets.  I don't measure up to my own standard for myself, much less God's standard of perfection.  It's not very hard to admit you're not perfect.  So what do we do when we fall short?

I was listening to a psychologist on the radio recently.  A guy called in and was pouring his heart out about how guilty he felt for things he had done wrong.  He asked, "How can I get rid of my guilt?"  This psychologist said: "You can't.  You've got to learn to live with it."  I almost shouted at the radio: "Wait a minute! Give me that guy's phone number!  He doesn't have to go through life filled with guilt!"

There is no reason in the world you have to live with guilt. God has given us a way to get rid of guilt. It's called confession.  God promises that when we confess, He forgives us instantly, totally, completely, freely, and continuously.  If you're a Christian carrying guilt around, it's because you're not taking advantage of what Jesus Christ did on the cross.  The next step in making contact with God is pardon: I give God my guilt.

God wants to forgive you.

    * You don't have to beg for forgiveness -- "God, please, pretty please with sugar on it!"

    * You don't have to bargain - "God, if you forgive me, I will never do it again."

    * You don't have to bribe -- "God, if You'll forgive me, I promise to always read my Bible."

You simply believe God because he says you are forgiven.

If you ever run out of things to pray about, just get specific about your sins and weaknesses. When I talk with God about my weaknesses and sins, I never lack for subject matter.  In fact, I'm always coming up with new material!  There's plenty of things to talk about in my life that need to be changed.

You worship God through prayer when you give him your love, your life, and your worries. And also when you ask him for forgiveness of your sins.

Easter means Jesus paid for our sins by Rick Warren

 Through the blood of his Son, we are set free from our sins. God forgives our failures because of his overflowing kindness. Ephesians 1:7 (GWT)

"Everything you've ever done wrong, everything you're ever going to do wrong, things you haven't even thought of yet, all those sins have already been paid for by Jesus Christ as he died on the cross. "

Jesus' death and resurrection paid for our sins.

There have been a lot of great religious teachers throughout history. They've all had good things to say, but what makes Jesus different from every other religious teacher throughout history is the fact that he died and rose again.

That's of critical importance because it's not the life of Jesus that saves you; it's not the teachings of Jesus that save you; it's his death and resurrection that open the door for your salvation.

Jesus died for your sins. The Bible says we've all blown it. We've all made mistakes. None of us is perfect. That's pretty obvious; I don't measure up to my own standards much less God's. We have all sinned.

The Bible says that justice demands punishment. If you do the crime, you pay the time. If you break the law, you pay the fine. If you get caught speeding, you get a ticket. If you break God's laws, you pay God's penalty and, according to the Bible, "the wages [for our] sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23 NLT).

In other words, somebody has to pay for all the things you've done wrong in life: either you pay or somebody else pays for you. And this is where God says, "I'll do it!" He steps up to the plate. Jesus Christ is sent to earth—God in human form—and he says, in effect, "I will pay for your sins."

Here's the good news: Everything you've ever done wrong, everything you're ever going to do wrong, things you haven't even thought of yet, all those sins have already been paid for by Jesus Christ as he died on the cross: "Through the blood of his Son, we are set free from our sins. God forgives our failures because of his overflowing kindness" (Ephesians 1:7 GWT).

When Jesus died on the cross for you, it showed two things:

   1. It showed how much your forgiveness cost. The highest price you can pay for anything is to give your life for it. And that's what Jesus did. He gave his blood. He gave his life. It was extremely expensive. Grace is free but it is not cheap. It cost Jesus his life, but he paid for your sins.
   2. It shows how much God values you. It shows how much you matter to God. Jesus died for you on the cross. It shows the highest price possibly to be paid was giving a life. 

How much are you worth? Jesus says, with his arms stretched out on the cross, "This much I'm willing to die for you." You may think that you're worthless because of things you've done wrong. But Jesus says, "No. You're priceless. And I'm willing to give my life in order to pay for your sins."

Family

Recently I was looking through some Facebook flair and some of the ones for family were really bothering... to me at least. Some say things like "If you met my family, you'd understand" or "FRIENDS: God's way of apologizing for family" and others. As I was reading those it made me very sad but at the same time it made me feel very blessed that my family is wonderful and even though life isn't perfect we still love each other. It is really sad that people just don't appreciate their family as much as they should. Yes, I know that some families have a lot of issues but no matter what the problem is we should still respect our parents and siblings, even if we don't agree on everything. My family is a  larger family and so we all have different ideas, views and such but we all agree on the major subjects such as our faith. So when I see teens and even young kids being disrespectful to their parents it really makes me sad. Especially in churches and when the teens are supposed to be "christian".

One of the Ten Commandments is "Honor your father and mother". So many teens miss that. One definition of honor is: To hold in honor or high respect; revere: to honor one's parents. 

A study note in my Bible says "But what does it mean to honor your parents? Partly, it means speaking well of them and politely to them. It also means acting in a way that shows them courtesy and respect (but not to obey them if this means disobedience to God). It means following their teaching and example of putting God first. Parents have a special place in God's sight. Even those who find it difficult to get along with their parents are still commanded to honor them"


So my challenge today is to make sure that in everything we do to respect and honor our parents but we won't be able to do it on our own. We will need God's help to stay respectful. 


~Keri

 Love is a choice

by Rick Warren

    "That you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." (Deuteronomy 30:20, NIV)

Love is a choice and a commitment. You choose to love or you choose not to love.

Today we've bought into this myth that love is uncontrollable, that it's something that just happens to us; it's not something we control. In fact, even the language we use implies the uncontrollability of love. We say, "I fell in love," as if love is some kind of a ditch. It's like I'm walking along one day and bamm! - I fell in love. I couldn't help myself.

But I have to tell you the truth - that's not love. Love doesn't just happen to you. Love is a choice and it represents a commitment.

There's no doubt about it, that attraction is uncontrollable and arousal is uncontrollable. But attraction and arousal are not love. They can lead to love, but they are not love. Love is a choice.

You must choose to love God; he won't force you to love him (Deuteronomy 30:20). You can thumb your nose at God and go a totally different way. You can destroy your life if you choose to do that. God still won't force you to love him. Because he knows love can't be forced.

And this same principle is true about your relationships: you can choose to love others, but God won't force you to love anyone.


Merry Christmas everyone!!!!

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey...

"Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey"

Trust and obey. That is it!! Just trust and obey. It sounds so simple but sometimes it is so hard. When you can't see the next step, when everything seems to be going wrong and you can't find a way out, trusting and obeying seems impossible right? But God is always there right beside you. You might not feel that He is there but He is. Just trust! 

*******

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

Refrain

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

Refrain

But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

Refrain

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet.
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way.
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

*******

Kindness...

My dad emailed this to me and I thought I would share it.....

Your Kindness Quotient

by Max Lucado

How kind are you? What is your kindness quotient? When was the last time you did something kind for someone in your family--e.g., got a blanket, cleaned off the table, prepared the coffee--without being asked?


Think about your school or workplace. Which person is the most overlooked or avoided? A shy student? A grumpy employee? Maybe he doesn't speak the language. Maybe she doesn't fit in. Are you kind to this person?


Kind hearts are quietly kind. They let the car cut into traffic and the young mom with three kids move up in the checkout line. They pick up the neighbor's trash can that rolled into the street. And they are especially kind at church. They understand that perhaps the neediest person they'll meet all week is the one standing in the foyer or sitting on the row behind them in worship. Paul writes: "When we have the opportunity to help anyone, we should do it. But we should give special attention to those who are in the family of believers" (Gal. 6:10).


And, here is a challenge--what about your enemies? With the boss who fired you or the wife who left you. Suppose you surprised them with kindness? Not easy? No, it's not. But mercy is the deepest gesture of kindness. Paul equates the two. "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you" (Eph. 4:32 NKJV).

Jesus said:
Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you.... If you love only the people who love you, what praise should you get? ... [L]ove your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without hoping to get anything back. Then you will have a great reward, and you will be children of the Most High God, because he is kind even to people who are ungrateful and full of sin. Show mercy, just as your Father shows mercy. (Luke 6:27-28, 32, 35-36)


Kindness at home. Kindness in public. Kindness at church and kindness with your enemies. Pretty well covers the gamut, don't you think? Almost. Someone else needs your kindness. Who could that be? You.


Since he is so kind to us, can't we be a little kinder to ourselves? Oh, but you don't know me, Max. You don't know my faults and my thoughts. You don't know the gripes I grumble and the complaints I mumble. No, I don't, but he does. He knows everything about you, yet he doesn't hold back his kindness toward you. Has he, knowing all your secrets, retracted one promise or reclaimed one gift?


No, he is kind to you. Why don't you be kind to yourself? He forgives your faults. Why don't you do the same? He thinks tomorrow is worth living. Why don't you agree? He believes in you enough to call you his ambassador, his follower, even his child. Why not take his cue and believe in yourself?
Be kind to yourself. God thinks you're worth his kindness. And he's a good judge of character.

From A Love Worth Giving
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 2002) Max Lucado

Compassion Sunday...

This is amazing!



~K

Smile! :)

"Smile"
By
Kutless

On a plane somewhere again
I take my place in line just like every other time
I slide into my window seat
She was sitting there
One seat over so I said "Hello, how are you today?"

With my smile I could see the hope within her eyes
And I knew that something's different today

[CHORUS:]
Though everything's the same inside there's something real
A faith which causes me to change. (But what's different now)
A spark is gleaming in my eye like diamond stars that fill the sky
I think a smile says it all
A smile says it all

The conversation presses on
As miles pass below, she said I have to let you know
You seem so different to me
There is a joy inside
The love of God is all I know from which this could originate

With one smile I could see, the faith we share inside
And I know that something's different today

[BRIDGE:]
I see what a smile can say about me
I know that words are not always what speak
Sometimes it's not what I say
That the world around me seems to understand

Psalms 3:8

"Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessing is upon Your people"

This verse jumped out at me today. What a lovely verse.

~K

Wonderful post!

Here is a wonderful post that really helpful to me.

This is the link to the blog that it was posted on:

http://practicalpurity.blogspot.com/


I look forward to every post and enjoy reading them very much.

"Encouragement is so important, isn't it? It's amazing what a difference an encouraging word can make in someone's life. And it doesn't always have to be words, I know that there have been different people who have encouraged me with something as simple as a hug or a smile.
One of my favorite "Hide 'Em in Your Heart" songs is based on 1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV ("Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing").
But encouraging someone isn't always as simple as smiling at them, is it? Sometimes it means getting out of our comfort zone and risking rejection or embarrassment (even though not many people reject encouragement, we can sometimes still feel like they will). Unfortunately, I don't know any way of getting over the awkward feeling of stepping out of our comfort zones except to do it over and over. I have to confess that I'm not very good at this, but "practice makes perfect", and I'm going to give you a few ideas on how to 'practice' starting with the least awkward. :-)


1. Smile at people! You might be amazed at how attractive and uplifting a smile is. If you've ever smiled at someone and not had them respond, you know that it's always a bit of a let down when you don't get a smile back. I've had bad days where I went to the store and a total stranger smiled at me and it really did make my day better. :-)


2. Serve people. Now I'm not necessarily talking about painting someone's house or doing their laundry. Simply getting someone a glass of water or helping them cut up vegetables for lunch can encourage them.


3. Give a hug! A hug is a very efficient and simple way to encourage someone without words. Sometimes you might find that someone gets tears in their eyes when you hug them and, assuming that you weren't just squeezing them too hard, that's a sure sign that they really needed that hug. (Now, obviously there are people that you wouldn't feel comfortable hugging, and that's fine. You should never hug anyone that you feel creeped out by, and probably you would only want to hug your friends and family anyways.)


4. Write a note or send an e-card to someone telling them that you are glad that you are friends (or sisters, or cousins, or whatever), and say something that you specifically like about them. (i.e. "Dear Martha, I am so glad that we are friends. Your patience with the little children really challenges and encourages me to be more patient. Thank you so much for your example! Love, Joy" ~ of course you're supposed to insert your friend's name and your name in the place of "Martha" and Joy! ~)


5. Listen to them. Simply listening can make a huge difference to someone and be very encouraging.


6. Tell someone something that you like about them ("I love the way you reply to letters so quickly").


7. Encourage them in the area that they really need it. This can be a little more tricky because, unless they have specifically confided in you, they might feel as though you are picking on them instead of encouraging them. Even if they have confided in you, sometimes this idea backfires and they get upset so use at your own discretion.


When you are a wife, you will be your husband's main encourager and 'cheerleader' (can anyone think of a better word than 'cheerleader'?), so if you can practice encouraging and cheering on your family, friends, ect. now, you will have a head start on knowing how to do it when you get married.

There are many ways that you can encourage people, and some of them are as simple as doing the job your Mom asked you to the FIRST time she asks. Use your imagination and encourage people in your everyday life. (On a side note, did you know that simply living a Christian life can encourage others?)"

Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!

~K

Update:

Well as I mentioned a few post ago we were putting an offer in on a house about 3 hours from here, But the deal fell through. The owners weren't being very cooperative so we are still praying God will show us what he wants us to do.

Thanks for your prayers!
~K

Low expectations

So as you may know I have been reading Do hard things.

Today I was reading about low expectations that people have for teens. They quoted a education expert that said "Our current ceiling for students is really much closer to where the floor ought to be." YIKES!! That is rather scary!!

As I was reading I was thinking about a lot of low expectations that people have for teens. It was pretty scary!! Can you think of any? I would love to hear what you guys think up!!

~K

P.S. If you guys ever get the chance get Do hard things. It is REALLY good!

Refiner of Silver.

Sorry for disappearing there for a bit. We had a VERY busy week. We went to look at houses and properties for sale. We found one house that would be almost perfect. So could you all pray that we have wisdom and know Gods will?? Thanks!!

Here is a story that someone posted on a forum I am on....

Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.


That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it."


If today you are feeling the heat of the fire , remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.


Pass this on right now. This very moment, someone needs to know that God is watching over them. And, whatever they're going through, they'll be a better person in the end.


"You can spend life anyway you wish, but you can only spend it once."

Think about it!!

Here is my choice song of the week....

Try something a little different and read the words first then listen to the song. It really helped me to grasp what the words really meant.

What is Mean

I've been here a thousand times before...
Face down on the floor
Wondering how I even reached this place again

[PRECHORUS]
But you've shown so endlessly,
How your love pours over me,
No picture can re-create the beauty that I see

[CHORUS]
Show me what it means,
To live my life a sacrifice,
If only I would realize how much
It took to pay the price,
I know I'd always give,
Everything to you

I want this world to always see
Your perfect majesty,
Reflecting from my life this brilliant poetry

[PRECHORUS]
Written all over this place,
The signs of all creation that you breathed,
Words can't even state how much you mean to me

CHORUS

I want to face my very crime,
Of not always giving all of mine,
But I can feel the hope you bring to me

CHORUS

~K

Send “What it means” Ringtone to Your Cell

Happy Fathers Day!

Happy Fathers Day!!

Now here is my challenge....

How are we going to make our fathers have a truly happy Fathers day??? Any ideas??

Maybe try doing some extra things or taking the time to listen to him and talk to him, having good a attitude, etc

BUT! there is always a "but".... Lets make sure that we are like that EVERY DAY of the year! Not just on Fathers Day. When you say "I love you dad" do you really mean it? Actions speak loader than words!!!

Looking forward to hearing how it goes!!
~Keri

Neat quote

"God takes us beyond our own aspirations and idea for our lives, and molds and shapes us for His purpose" Oswald Chambers

Psalm 1:1-2

Well I have finished reading James and have started Psalm. I got two verses in and already I have something to think about!!!

Psalm 1:1-2 (New International Version)

Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.

But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

Is my delight in the law of the Lord? Am I meditating on it day and night?

Love it not a fight and While I'm Waiting

Love is not a fight by Warren Barfield

Love is not a place
To come and go as we please
It's a house we answer in
Then commit to never leave

So lock the door behind you
Throw away the key
We'll work it out together
Let it bring us to our knees

Chorus:
Love is a shelter in a raging storm
Love is peace in the middle of a war
And if we try to leave, may God send angels to guard the door
No, love is not a fight but it's something worth fighting for

To some, love is a word
That they can fall into
But when they're falling out
Keeping that word is hard to do

Chorus:
Love is a shelter in a raging storm
Love is peace in the middle of a war
And if we try to leave, may God send angels to guard the door
No, love is not a fight but it's something worth fighting for

Love will come to save us
If we'll only call
He will ask nothing from us
But demand we give our all

Chorus:
Love is a shelter in a raging storm
Love is peace in the middle of a war
And if we try to leave, may God send angels to guard the door
No, love is not a fight but it's something worth fighting for

I will fight for you
Would you fight for me?
It's worth fighting for

------------
While I'm Waiting by John Waller



I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve you while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord

The best years of your life!

How are you using your teen years?

A while ago I was struggling with the fact that I was "to young to serve God in any big way. I am just a teen how can I do something big for God?" Well that might be what the world wants us teens to think but it isn't true!!

Our teen years are the best years we have! We don't have to worry about half the things our parents have to think about and take care of. We have been given this time to serve God and give him everything we have so why aren't we? Well that is the question.

So what I am going to challenge you and myself to do is this... Try and do one "small" thing a day for the next 7 days. Also see if you can think of some ways to do hard things. It may not mean going out and talking to a whole bunch of people. Something that might be hard for one person might be easy for the next i.e. answering the phone ;) I DO NOT like answering the phone!!

So try it!! We only get to be teens once!! So lets use the years God has given us and make a difference!!

~K