I am so excited to share this site with you today and I ask you to come visit us and help to spread the word.

It says in God’s word “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” Matthew 18:20. Denise believes that God is going to do just that. She designed Sisters In Bloom to be a place for all women. A place with no cliques, groups, or the select few.

He can meet us right where we are and we are thrilled to be using this online space to reach out. If we could, we’d love to sit down with a cup of coffee and chat with you a while!

The team of writers is so diverse and so anointed. I hope you’ll get to know each one!

The writers of this site are ordinary women who seek an extraordinary God. We mess up daily, and need God’s grace and mercy as much as anyone else. We are moms, wives and women seeking a deeper walk with the Lord, and we’re on a mission to encourage your heart as we share ours. All of us have experienced heartaches, hurts, victories and failures and are a product of God’s redemption. We pray that as you visit Sisters In Bloom daily you will be inspired to walk in the beauty of the Lord, and be “In Bloom”!

You can expect to read about:

• Friendship and Sisterhood
• Creating Community
• Inspiring Testimonies
• Faith Lifting Stories
• Motherhood & Raising Godly Kids
• Bible Study  Tips & Guides
• Freedom In Christ
• Book Reviews
• Loss, Grief & Depression
• Marriage & Divorce
• Special Needs & Living with Illness
• Motherhood & Balance
• Working at Home & Outside the Home
• Blogging Tips and Features
• Miscarriage & Infertility
• Healthy Living & Weight Loss
• Simple Living
• Godly Beauty and Fashion Tips
• Intentional Living
• Living Out Missions (One Verse, Compassion International, World Vision)

Go today just to check it out then in two weeks, on February 1st, come back daily as we start our first postings!

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• One Bite at a Time (52 Projects for Making Life Simpler)
• Feasts in 15: One of the best "quick cooking" cookbooks around.
• Tell Your Time: A revolutionary way to get more done!
• List Plan It: Get life in order.
• The Fresh 20: This is the service I use...FABULOUS!
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High winds will definitely change our course in life, but the choices we make during these times of darkness are the pivotal points that determine where we will finally dock.

As parents we have a responsibility to guide children through times of trouble and to catch them when they fall. They don’t understand how to grieve any more than we do, and so they look to us for those cues that will lead them through pain toward peace.

These words from Darlene Schacht in her guest post at Amy Bayliss’ blog reminded me of a time a number of years ago when my oldest son was about 4. We had been expecting our third child and, just at the beginning of the second trimester, a scan revealed that our baby had died. I remember coming home and taking my son and daughter upstairs for their afternoon sleep. Peter was not home but I wanted to tell the children before their grandmother arrived and we left to see the doctor. Hannah (2 ½) took it in her stride but Jonathan was quite upset. We had a special discussion that afternoon and covered some pretty essential theological concepts in a very 4 year old way. The thing that really sticks in my mind though, was the final question Jonathan asked.

“If God gives us another baby, will He take that baby away too?” Wow, and I thought, “Will my guinea pig go to heaven?” was hard! I believe God gave me the answer for Jonathan that day, and it is an answer I have held onto myself many times over the last 6 years.

“I don’t know Jonathan, but I do know that if He does I will be sad, but I also know that we can trust Him and that He will do the very best thing for us and for the baby.” How very, very thankful I was 6 months later, that that had been my answer. We sat again, facing the death of another child at 12 weeks gestation. I was thankful that I had given my son a true hope, which I KNEW would never be disappointed. I could have reasoned that a four year old needed to hear that God was good and kind and wouldn’t do that again. But that kind of false hope and comfort only brings disappointment and disillusionment.

Many people questioned the wisdom of actually telling the children of our pregnancies, especially after the first miscarriage. But we chose to allow the uncertainty of my pregnancies to be a training ground for them in trusting God. Not only trusting Him that He would allow our babies to be born into our family (as He has for our two younger living sons) but also trusting Him that His plans for these babies may not be ours (as has been the case for three babies). That was our decision and we are aware that God may lead others to different ways of walking this path.

Allowing our children to share our pain, with some discretion, and sharing the same hope that we hold onto is, to me, one of the vital ways I point my children to Christ and to a living faith. God tells us that there will be some things we won’t understand, some things are His to know. But there are things He has revealed about Himself, His character and His promises, which He has given us to hold onto and to share with our children. These are the things which will help us to walk through life before Him. (Deut 29:29) I know that their understanding of God and His character and His ways have been shaped by our pointing them to a mighty, loving, and sovereign God through these difficult times. I pray that God will use that in their hearts as He weaves together many threads and draws them to Himself.

I know that Amy and Ryan will be pointing the boys to that same God, and that the hope and faith they have in Him will never disappoint or fail them. What a wonderful comfort in a situation none of us ever want to face. May God give them answers to those pivotal questions, both for themselves and for the boys.

“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.”

Deuteronomy 29:29 (NIV)

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

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NOTE: The blog tour happened in April while I was still taking a blog break to be with my boys after the death of their dad. So, I had totally forgotten about it but I did get to read the book and I do want to share it with you.

Beside Still Waters had me intrigued from page one. I can’t tell you why because it would totally ruin it for you but you have to read this book. It wasn’t just the story of a girl and her family. Or the girl’s discovery of life beyond all that she had ever known. It wasn’t even about the impending romance or critical decisions that were to be made. It was about God. It was about His hand in all things and trusting that He will work it out. I have to think that God wanted this book to land in my hands when it did. We had just lost Mark, the boys’ dad and just a couple months later we learned that my grandma’s health was declining. I had to look at my boys day after day and remind them, while holding back my own tears, that God is in control and that even though life isn’t fair He has a great plan for us.

I see that in this book, on every page.

You should also thank me for waiting to post this review. I have had to anxiously wait for the release of the second title. I wanted it in my hands just seconds after finishing this one. You, on the other hand, only have to wait a few weeks. Lucky dog, you.

I’ll be giving away one of these books. No jumping through hoops to enter although I would be very appreciative if you did subscribe to my email updates, “like” Cajun Joie de Vivre on Facebook, or “follow” me on Twitter. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment telling me what your favorite fiction book is or if you don’t have any yet, why do you want to start with this one. That’s it!

I’ll post the winner on Friday, August 12th. The winner is Katie M!

I was not compensated for this post but I was given a copy of the book for review. I am paying for the giveaway book. The opinions are my own.

Please take a moment and visit my sponsors to see how they can benefit you!

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• Feasts in 15: One of the best "quick cooking" cookbooks around.
• Tell Your Time: A revolutionary way to get more done!
• List Plan It: Get life in order.
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Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. James 3:1-2

I don’t want to scare you with that. I only hope to encourage you to seek His word for yourself. The majority of us are or will be teachers to someone at some point in our life so we must know how to study the word. So for your kids, your friends, your readers… seek His word. I’ll give some tips how. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list. It is simply meant to be used as a guide to walk you through practical ways you can get the most out of your study time and to find out for yourself the meaning of scripture as well as it’s origin. Over time you will develop your own techniques and style for studying God’s word and that is how it should be!

Helpful tools:

• Bible (several translations if possible, including the KJV and Amplified) This list is an explanation of the most popular versions.

KJV (King James Version) – This is the original English version written in the 1600s. Over time, as Old English was spoken less and less, it became increasingly hard to read and understand this version. It was predominantly written word for word from the original Greek and Hebrew even though English is not spoken using the same word order. It is the most widely accepted version and most all bible study tools use it as a reference which is why it is important to own this translation.
NIV (New International Version) – This translation has tried to balance between emphasis on word-for-word translation and emphasis on meaning. It attempts to preserve the literal text, while bringing forth the concepts and ideas of the message.
NKJ (New King James Version) – This version is similar to the KJV but it was translated putting less emphasis on word order making it somewhat easier to read and understand. It still contains idioms and metaphors which are highly suited for more advanced readers.
NLT (New Living Translation) – This text is clearly written and easy to understand. It is translated thought by thought from the original Greek and Hebrew and places more emphasis on overall meaning instead of word for word translation.
NASB (New American Standard Bible) – This version translates the original texts as literally as possible, preserving word-for-word equivalency and original sentence structure in English wherever possible.
Amplified Bible – The Amplified Bible captures the full meaning behind the original Greek and Hebrew fully defining the words along the way.
The Message – This vivid meaning by meaning translation provides the reader with an easy to understand and applicable approach to the original language. It is not translated word for word and uses modern slang.

• Colored pencils (for highlighting in your bible) It is important to note that liquid highlighters leave marks, fade, and bleed so it is typically better to use dry colored pencils on the thin sheets of the bible.
• Notebook (for recording your findings) – Any notebook will do. JUST GET ONE!
• Concordance (preferably Strong’s Concordance) – The Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance is the most complete, easy-to-use, and understandable concordance for studying the original languages of the Bible. Combining the text of the King James Bible with the power of the Greek and Hebrew Lexicons, you can gain a clearer understanding of the Word.
• Bible dictionary- The bible dictionary contains a wealth of varied information in an easy-to-find alphabetical arrangement. It cross references scriptures for most translations. It is filled with facts and pictures as well as a guide to the arts, cultures, geography, geology, theologies, philosophies, maps, and lifestyles of biblical times.
• Bible handbook (preferably Halley’s Bible Handbook) -The bible handbook provides time-tested help for understanding the Bible—not just with the mind, but also with the heart. It includes a concise Bible commentary, important discoveries in archaeology, related historical data, church history, maps, and more.

The basic formula for study could be derived from these key elements:

1. Choose a book or topic to study
2. Pray
3. Read and ask who, what, when, where, and why
4. Study using tools
5. Record findings
6. Apply
7. Continue to pray

We will dissect one scripture as a guide. Let’s use John 3:16.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

1. Read the entire chapter of John to get a greater understanding of the time, place, people spoken to, and relevance. 2. Look it up in a couple of different translations. Do you notice anything different? 3. Look it up in the concordance. We’ll use the word “believeth” as an example. We find that the Strong’s number is G4100 and it is used 248 times in the bible. The original transliterations is pisteu? meaning:

1) to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in a) of the thing believed 1) to credit, have confidence b) in a moral or religious reference 1) used in the NT of the conviction and trust to which a man is impelled by a certain inner and higher prerogative and law of soul 2) to trust in Jesus or God as able to aid either in obtaining or in doing something: saving faith 3) mere acknowledgment of some fact or event: intellectual faith 2) to entrust a thing to one, i.e. his fidelity a) to be entrusted with a thing

4. Look up belief in the dictionary. Look at some of the scriptural cross references. 5. Record you findings.

“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.” –2 Tim. 2:15.

Find the rest of the series here: 31 Days to Online Ministry

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• Tell Your Time: A revolutionary way to get more done!
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“Everyone can be great because anyone can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve… you only need a heart full of grace – a soul generated by love”
~ Martin Luther King, Jr. ~

Quite a few years back I remember being in a seminar that would teach me how to be more successful at the direct sales business I was then a part of.

“Tell me who you are and what you do.” the instructor said.

“My name is Amy and I am a Future Director with the Pampered Chef!” I said with a smile and spunk in my voice.

“Incorrect,” she said. “your name is Amy and that is who you are but ‘Future Director with the Pampered Chef’ does not tell me what you do. Try again.”

“What?” I thought to myself. “Who is this crazy woman? Does she know who I am?”

At the time I was pretty successful at my business. I didn’t just sell products. I gave a live cooking show complete with a take home manual on how to accomplish some of the finest culinary skills that I had mastered at the time. I was asked to give my presentation at a large Pampered Chef event and my “show” was even recorded for training purposes. I already had recruits, my sales were high, and I had only been at it for a few months. I thought I was “it”! Can you tell?

That is right about when I got a dose of humble pie.

So then this little woman with a big voice says to me again, “C’mon. Tell me what you do.”

“I’m a consultant with the Pampered Chef.”

She shakes her head no.

” I’m an independent contractor?” (now she is rolling her eyes) “I’m a salesperson?

“All titles.” she says. “Do you cook?”
“Yes.” I said.
“Do you help people buy the most efficient products for their kitchen?”
“Yes” I said once again.
“Well that is something that you do!” she said. “If I’ve never been a part of anything to do with Pampered Chef then I have no clue what ‘Future Director’ means. You must tell me what you can do and better than that, show me how it works!”

Lightbulb moment.

People don’t care about our fancy titles and how we refer to ourselves. They want to know what we do and how we can help them. I can say that I am a Christian or a child of God till I am blue in the face but what does that mean to someone who has never been to church or recognized the hand of God in their lives? It means nothing.

Who am I and what do I do?

My name is Amy and I have a desire to serve people. I pray for others. I have to repent daily but I always try to go the extra mile to help others if they are in need. I try to bless others when no one else is watching because it isn’t about the glory. I serve a God who is bigger than me and He can help me overcome anything.

That is what I do and that my friend is part of who I am. So the next time you are in a position where you are about to say, “Well, I am a Christian.” or “I’m the Assistant Pastor” or “I am a ministry leader”, remember that you could be the only one within ears reach who knows what that means and this is your chance to sell some kitchen tools, er uh, show the love of Christ by serving someone else! That is what a Christian is and that is what we do!

For you have been called to live in freedom–not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in love.
~ Galatians 5:13 ~

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In an attempt to always earn gratitude, attention, and worth, I became an overachiever. I made A’s. I cleaned my room. I took care of my siblings. I took on my mother’s problems. I helped my sister pay for her wedding. I took in my brother at age 14. I worked 40+ hour weeks on top of being a mother. I tried to do everything. By the time I was an adult I was burnt out and bitter. I had resentment towards those who didn’t give me their approval. It became so bad that I was angry at myself for not achieving certain things. But God revealed something to me one day.

I was in bondage.

Approval had become a false god in my life.

He revealed to me that my expectations of myself were causing others to expect the same of me. When I couldn’t deliver I began to have the same expectations of others to soothe my pain. After all, if they couldn’t do it then they shouldn’t expect me to. This was a vicious cycle. After all, if my mother wasn’t capable of raising her son then how could she expect me to be a perfect mother to him? I was only 24. What did I know about raising a teenager? That is what I thought. However, I still felt it was my responsibility to be the mother he never had. I felt like I had to save him.

I began to fervently seek God and pray for the bondage to be broken. At a woman’s conference I prayed as loud as I could for the generational curses to be stopped at my generation. I got on my face and begged God to take this away from me. Then, one night He said, “I did.”

When? I still feel the same! Why do I still feel like I am shackled? I could not lift my arms in praise since they were bound to my ankles. I could not sing songs of worship because the posture I had to take constricted my voice. I was not free. Why? I began to feel the words that were coming forth in worship:

Where the spirit of the Lord is
Where is freedom
Where the spirit of the Lord is
There is freedom
If you’re tired and you are thirsty
There is freedom
If you’re tired and you are thirsty
There is freedom
Freedom reigns in this place
Showers of mercy and grace
Falling on every face
There is freedom

Tears began to stream down my face. I felt God holding me. He was speaking to me through this song…

We lift our eyes to Jesus
There is freedom
We lift our eyes to Jesus
There is freedom
Freedom reigns in this place
Showers of mercy and grace
Falling on every face
There is freedom
Jesus reigns in this place
Showers of mercy and grace
Falling on every face
There is freedom

I heard Him say “let go.” “Let go of what?” I asked. “Control” He said.

Whatever you’re burdened with tonight
Whatever you struggle with tonight
There is Freedom
There is freedom
Nobody is looking at you tonight
Nobody is looking at you tonight
The eyes of the Lord is moving to and fro throughout the Earth
Seeking an heart that’s completely his

“But how do I let go?” I asked Him.

God said to me, “Look down”

When I looked down at the chains that bound me… …they were already unlocked. All I had to do was take them off. They had been unlocked the whole time. I had prevented my own freedom.

With my eyes closed and tears pouring from my eyes, I went through the motions of removing chains from my wrists. I didn’t care who saw or what they thought. I just did it. I had just been given a spiritual breakthrough and this was my way of accepting it and acting in faith towards it.

I raised my hands higher than I ever had before. I began to smile and sing louder than I ever had before.

Jesus you reign in this place
Showers of mercy and grace
Falling on every face
There is freedom
Freedom reigns in this place
Showers of mercy and grace
Falling on every face
There is freedom

I gave up control of my emotions and mindset to God. I accepted my freedom from this bondage. What are you holding on to?

“I will walk at liberty and at ease, for I have sought and inquired for [and desperately required] Your Truth and Your Wisdom.” – Psalm 119:45

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed.” – Luke 4:18

Please take a moment and visit my sponsors to see how they can benefit you!

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God has really been doing a work in our hearts about giving and serving – wait for it – in spite of our lack. Yes, Ryan recently got a much better paying job. The problem was that we had to go a few weeks with no check and we were already getting behind because we had so little income prior to this new job. After almost two years at the other job we had gone through all of our reserves and now we are just trying to catch up. So at the end of all of this when we really have very little and are just waiting and waiting for that nice pay check to come in what does God do?

He s – t – r – e – t – c – h – e – s    u – s!

I had this all planned out. I really did foresee it coming. I was holding on to lots of eBay merchandise just waiting until we absolutely had to have some money and then I was going to list it. Remember this: Some really good yard sale finds? Yeah, those clothes that I know I could have made a lot of money on AND Matthias’s clothes that he had outgrown. Matthias’s clothes were expensive brand name clothes too. We’re talking Gymboree, Gap, and Osh Kosh because I know how to shop and get WalMart deals on high end clothing. I was going to sell all of this stuff but God clearly had other thoughts about it.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.   Isaiah 55:8-9

Let me backtrack just a tiny bit. About two months ago Ryan and I were discussing ways to stop “planning to be broke” and we decided to make a list of things that we would do when we had the finances. Both of us wrote down and discussed what we felt God had put on our heart. One of the things I wrote down was that I wanted to bless a mom who had chosen “life” over “abortion” with things she needed for her baby. Now this was not a new desire. I even wrote about here years ago during a blog hop by my bloggy friend Kim Uden. This is something I have wanted to do for years.

Well over the last year while I was pregnant I was given an abundance of clothes: boys and girls. I had also received many baby things that I needed: bed sets, crib, slings, bath tub, bouncers, swings, etc. Some Matthias outgrew quickly and others we just had duplicates of so I put things aside to sell them when we needed the money. That day came and I sat in the midst of all of this stuff organizing it and looking up the going rates on eBay, getting excited about the potential profit, and that is when I saw the email from Freecycle. It said, “Needed: Crib for baby”. I did have the fleeting thought that I should reply and offer ours but I heard Dave Ramsey in the back of my mind saying that if it can be sold then I need to sell it.

Then another email came in. It was from a woman who was pregnant and had a list of things that she needed. Most of it was stuff I had and I heard God whisper to my heart…

I am giving you the opportunity to provide for several women who chose life instead of abortion.

I had to sit there for a moment to let it sink in. This was an opportunity. It wasn’t the way I planned it though. I thought God would bless us with lots of money and I could just go out and buy what these girls needed but God doesn’t work that way. While I was pregnant He put it on the hearts of other moms to give to me with the intention of allowing me to be a blessing to someone else later on. When it was all said and done one person got the baby bed, someone else received the maternity clothes, another lady got a whole slew of girl items and clothing, some even new with the tags. Another girl got the boy bedding set, swing, some bottles I had but didn’t use, and Matthias’s cloth diapers that he had outgrown. I even found some little girls clothes that my niece could use.

God allowed me to be a blessing over and above what I had desired.

Isn’t that so like Him?

Ryan also has had amazing adventures over and over again where he was able to bless someone that was in need. He is keeping them to himself for now because the story may not be over but I hope to share them with you one day as well.

By the way, as it turns out, we always had just enough money to make it. It always came from somewhere. God is so good. He is so faithful. I so love Him.

Trusting in Him…

Please take a moment and visit my sponsors to see how they can benefit you!

• True Simplicity in Life: Truly inspiring ways to simplify and be content in your home.
Simply Clean: Guide to Homemade Cleaners!
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• Feasts in 15: One of the best "quick cooking" cookbooks around.
• Tell Your Time: A revolutionary way to get more done!
• List Plan It: Get life in order.
• The Fresh 20: This is the service I use...FABULOUS!
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What makes it so special to me is not the fact that my grandpa gave it to me when I was pregnant with Carsten or that my grandma picked out the cushions just for me. No, it is so special to me because God always meets me there. There in the uncomfortable, squeaky, but still perfect for me chair given to me by my grandparents.

He hast taught me lessons over and over again while I sang and cuddled my small babes as they do-do.

One night after a long day of wrestling with the emotions of having unpaid bills I sat down in the chair only to hear my Lord whisper to my spririt, “You have more faith that this chair will hold you when you sit than you have faith in me.”

What? Me?

*sigh*

I never question whether this inanimate object will hold me when I need support. I simply let my body go completely in the direction of the seat fully trusting that it will catch me.  Yet, I hesitate to allow my circumstances go with God and allow Him to deal with them as He has promised to do.

Then one day as I sat in the chair at my sister’s (she used it for her babies too) I was speaking to my grandma. We were talking about babies. Ryan and I had just been told that we could not have children without expensive medical intervention and even then the chances were slim.  So, as I sat in that chair, I made the comment that I had lots of baby clothes that I had been holding on to just in case I ever got pregnant or we decided to adopt. Even with the slim chance of it happening I was holding on to these clothes just to make sure he or she would be well dressed.

My grandma asked me why I was keeping them and I said that way I’d have some clothes in case we didn’t have money to purchase them when and if we did have a child. I promise you I felt a warmth come over me before she even said anything so I know it was God using my grandma to speak to me. She said, “You need to stop planning on being broke then.”

Wow. I was planning – regularly – by my words and actions to have no money. I planned on being broke. God sent a friend of mine to my home at just the right time and she was in need of the clothes. I gave them all to her. Just five weeks later I found out that I was pregnant with Matthias. It was the worst possible time since we had lost a good bit of our income just a couple of weeks before. Can I tell you that we have more than enough clothes for him? Yes, we do. Some of my dearest, sweetest, online friends even sent him clothes without ever knowing about this lesson from God or just how poorly we were doing financially.

On another occasion after I sat down I heard Him whisper to my heart, “Did you ask this walnut rocking chair to become maple before you sat in it? Would that change it’s purpose or your need?”

Now that may seem strange but I knew what He meant. We are sometimes preached to about being specific in our prayers with God and telling Him exactly what we want. At the time Ryan and I were praying for a new vehicle and at one point were told to pray for a specific vehicle. I know for some that has worked and could be a test of faith but as a genie prayer to God it isn’t recommended. Instead of just praying to God to “give us this day our daily bread” or in other words, giving us exactly what we needed at the time, we were trying to tell God what we needed but in a form that we wanted it to be delivered.

I do have trouble with trust but I have more trouble with giving up what I perceive to be the control over my life. God knows me best. He knows what I need more than I do. He provides for me so well that I have no need for anything.

God’s ways aren’t always comfortable. Sometimes listening to him can be a bit annoying to our flesh. But, He is always giving us just what we need and there are no lasting effects when we allow Him to have control. Kind of like my rocking chair, eh?

Tomorrow I’ll tell you about the adventure he took Ryan and I on over the last few weeks.

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I almost seemed to have no trouble trusting God for most things unrelated to money. Maybe it is because my childhood was riddled with lack or because I had to struggle as a single mom. I say that but He always provided. We have never done without. Still I always think that I have to find a way to provide. It has gotten to a point where if Ryan even mentions that we need money for something then I immediately try to figure out a way earn it. I have designed blogs; sold items on eBay; sold books on Amazon; and I’ve even sold those kitchen gadgets.

I’ve blogged about it before and mentioned it during the A Woman Inspired conferences but for those who don’t know, Ryan and I had one of the worst years last year as far as financial issues are concerned. We were expecting Matthias, had no second vehicle, Ryan’s job was not paying him what we needed, and we lost all of the support for the boys.

all.at.one.time.

I was spending $65 a week or less on groceries and we didn’t do anything extracurricular. But we didn’t stop tithing and we didn’t stop trusting Him but it was hard at times. He answered in big ways. Maybe not the way we thought he would be he definitely answered big.

Ryan has a job now making so much more than he did before. We got a second vehicle for much less than it was worth. We were able to come up with our percentage (after insurance) for Matthias’s birth. And, God blessed us in abundant ways during that drought. I was able to attend She Speaks in 2009 and Carsten was able to go to the Little People of America conference in July of this year. All was completely paid for.

Still, many times during this last year or so I lacked trust and God had to remind me, over and over again. Why?

Do you have issues with trusting God even though he has proven himself to you over and over again? Or is it just me?

Tomorrow I’ll talk about the journey God took Ryan and I on over the last couple of weeks and what he taught me through my favorite chair.

Please take a moment and visit my sponsors to see how they can benefit you!

• True Simplicity in Life: Truly inspiring ways to simplify and be content in your home.
Simply Clean: Guide to Homemade Cleaners!
• One Bite at a Time (52 Projects for Making Life Simpler)
• Feasts in 15: One of the best "quick cooking" cookbooks around.
• Tell Your Time: A revolutionary way to get more done!
• List Plan It: Get life in order.
• The Fresh 20: This is the service I use...FABULOUS!
• ProBlogger's Guide to Your First Week of Blogging

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Trust is something God has dealt with me about for a while now. In fact, recently, he whispered to my heart as I sat down in my favorite chair, “You have more faith that this chair will catch you than you have trust in me.”

*sigh*

He was right. I never questioned whether or not the chair would stop me from hitting the ground. I never thought that maybe I could hold myself up better or that maybe the chair was too busy to allow me to sit in it at that moment.

Now I know God is not comparable to a chair but he sure did teach me a lesson through one just as he taught Sheila through a swing. It was an insightful revelation. And this book, well, this book dove deep into the recesses of trusting him. I enjoyed and appreciated that she not only used her own experiences but gave us experiences from people right out of the bible. Trust is an issue. We have to be vulnerable to him. Sheila’s words can help you along that journey. It is an abundant resource. I can’t wait to read it again…

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book for review and promotional purposes. I was not given any additional compensation. The opinions are my own and they are honest and forthright.

Please take a moment and visit my sponsors to see how they can benefit you!

• True Simplicity in Life: Truly inspiring ways to simplify and be content in your home.
Simply Clean: Guide to Homemade Cleaners!
• One Bite at a Time (52 Projects for Making Life Simpler)
• Feasts in 15: One of the best "quick cooking" cookbooks around.
• Tell Your Time: A revolutionary way to get more done!
• List Plan It: Get life in order.
• The Fresh 20: This is the service I use...FABULOUS!
• ProBlogger's Guide to Your First Week of Blogging

Print this entry