Open the Door, for Cryin' Out loud

If you are new here and would like to subscribe, simply click here.

Here we are. The 11th day of 2012. Those resolutions, goals, and dreams are they still burning bright. Have you adjusted to a new schedule and new habit as you've walked through the door to accomplish that goal? Or maybe you're still standing outside the door saying, "Here I am again, a New Year, and no luck."

What is that dream? Name that door you want to walk through. That goal or resolution of a better education, a more flexible body, seeing your ideal weight, a more intimate relationship with Christ, better communication with your children or beginning your own business or ministry? What is it? Name it. Or are you too afraid to name it for fear you'll only fail again?


Friend, I've had my share of doors I've left unopened. Regrets. Disappointments. I've had situations when I was afraid to walk through and times yet when I flat out didn't want to walk through. READ HERE.

As you approach today, now is the time to decide, dedicate and determine your plans and goals to accomplish that dream. Don't be afraid. Don't feel like you've failed. Just pull up a chair and sit with God and gaze at the door their in your midst. Spend time in prayer to decide what His goals are for you. For He alone knows the plans He has for you (Jeremiah 29:11). He knows what doors are supposed to open. Ask Him. Listen. Hear the vision, the dream. Write it down. OBEY.

Dedicate this years goals to the Lord. As you dedicate them, determine each and every day to live your life by those goals. Walk through that day. Open the door and walk through it. Open the door over and over, if you must, but open it. Be not afraid, begin each day praying, “Lord, today, I dedicate my __________________ to you. Help me open the door and walk through. ” In your urgency to accomplish, this is not a once a year prayer, but yet a prayer to be recited each new day of 2012.

Can you hear yourself praying that prayer every day? 
Can you see yourself opening the door and walking through? 


(wait) I hear the Father beckoning, "Open the door, for cryin' out loud!"




Tomorrow we'll look at what's on the other side of that open door.


Stop by Ann's at A Holy Experience as we look at new practices on Wednesday's in 2012.

Surround Sound

As I head off to speak this weekend to the Annaville Baptist girls at a retreat, I am amazed at how loudly God has been speaking.

Can you hear Him too?

This week I am hearing God loud and clear. It seems at every crook in the road, there He is whispering the same message to me. Have you ever had that experience?

You read your Bible and God speaks a sweet word to you. It's not only a sweet word, but one you know He expects you to hear and obey. Obey! You ponder. You question.

You go to a church service and out of nowhere your pastor begins speaking the same word. God is stirring something within your heart. You know the word is for you. How did the pastor know?

You attend an end of the year appreciation banquet and you are in your happy spot. The leader begins sharing and there it is again ---- those words from God! It's hard to question any longer. It truly is a word to obey.

You visit with friends over coffee and WOW there are those words AGAIN!

Lord, I'm hearing you in surround sound this week. Help be OBEY!

Are You Bothering Jesus?

I went to bed last night in anticipation of what this week would bring. It will be a busy week, with much to be done. When there is much to be done it seems I begin questioning my self, my motives, my ways, my abilities, my, my, my . . . You get the picture!

As I sat down with the Lord this morning, so many of the questions and uncertainties seemed so insignificant to bring before the Lord. Why would He care if the week was busy? Or if I had the right words? Or if I was able to juggle family, work, friends? Would He really want to hear about my worries about our kitchen renovation taking place? And worst of all, surely He didn't really care what I wore? I sat wondering, should I really bother Him with all these little things running through my mind?

Turning to the passage in my One Year Bible to hear from God, the reading was from Mark 10:13. "One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him."

The disciples scolded the parents for bothering Jesus. That sentence stopped me in my tracks. Not only was I thinking I was bothering Jesus this morning with all these little trivial things that were on my mind, but I realized I often hear girls say, "I don't need to bother Jesus with that, He has bigger things to worry about." And today I was basically saying the same thing! Mercy!

Verse 14 says, "When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, 'Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children."

If you have children, you should be able to relate to the fact that when they are young most of the things they come to you with are "small". Even at times they can seem to bother you. When are we going to eat? Where is my favorite toy? Can we go outside? Will you play with me?

Jesus goes on to say, "I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."

Friend, let's remember that we are not bothering Jesus with our small cares. He wants us to run to Him as these little children - unconcerned and with no preconceived notions - and lay our wants, fears, stresses, and burdens at His feet in prayer. Amazingly, Jesus wants us bothering him.

Will you bother Jesus with your cares today?

Google Searches

I’m a little baffled, honored, and curious about something.

I have a statistic counter locked into my blog. It lets me know where you all are visiting from. I am always amazed how the world of the internet has opened so many doors for communication. I love the fact that you come from all over the world, yet you stop by my “bloggy home”. I love it when you leave me comments too!

My curiosity lies in the fact that over the course of the last year I have had numerous hits from Google searches. The search that interests me most, because it comes up quite often, is “prayer for safety”. I noticed after I posted a blog about A Prayer for Safety about a year ago that the hits would come every now and then. The hits got to be so frequent that I blogged another post on prayer.

In the last two days, I have had visitors to my blog from Singapore, Washington DC, New Jersey, Montana, Ohio, Australia, California, and the Philippines. These seven visitors all came searching for one thing: prayer for safety.

If anyone has any insight, I’d love to hear it. Maybe it is all due to the fact that we are living in such unsettling times.

If you are one that is stopping by looking for prayer, please shoot me an email. I’d love to pray for you and your situation.

I’m curious and amazed!

Something Beautiful

Recently, I was the Director for a three day retreat. The team met for four months preparing, praying, and practicing everything that was to take place during the retreat. The team was incredible – every woman had such love for our God.

I wanted something special that would commemorate our weekend together and decided to build a cross. Well, Hubby helped quite a bit. This cross will always be very special to me!

A little about this beautiful cross:

OK - the cross didn't start out as much. But you'll love it by the end. The team wrote their prayers for the weekend on the back of tiles. (you can barely see them they are in pencil) I took the tiles and broke them into smaller pieces to build the cross. The tiles symbolize us: we are broken, different, a little rough around the edges and fragile.

Hubby built the wooden base. The wooden cross is Jesus as He is our foundation and every so sturdy. He is the one who holds us up continually.

I then plastered all the tiles onto the wooden base. Each tile special and unique. Each tile not much on its own, but together they form something beautiful.

Hubby begins to put the grout in. It's hard work to get the grout where it needs to be - in every crook and crevice. The grout is Jesus' blood and grace. Just as with building this cross, it is hard sometimes to let Jesus fill us to the very core. We fight it, don't we? And we begin to look like a big mess. But once we let Jesus in to our heart and soul we begin to be something new and beauitful.

I will post the finished cross soon. It is gorgeous! Something beautiful from the inside out.

Christ is beautiful - I'm amazed at how He sculpts our hearts daily into something beautiful!

If you know me, you'll also be amazed that I finished this project! hehehe

I Had a Dream

I had a horrible dream last night. I normally don’t dream, so why a bad one? I would have much rather have had a happily-ever-after dream.

In my dream, I had so much going on. I don’t remember all the details but it was one of those days when responsibilities were high and I blew out the thermometer. Nothing was accomplished with excellence and everyone seemed to be mad at me. Sigh!

I awoke from this nightmare in a panic. A friend I was supposed to have picked up from the airport came walking through my front door. I had left her stranded at the airport for hours and she had to call someone else to pick her up. She was upset as she walked into my home. I was hosting a dinner and the whole party was falling apart – food wasn’t prepared and guests were agitated.

The uneasiness of this silly dream has left me asking this morning – is my life out of balance?

I have determined it is time to sit down with my goals in hand and do some praying, pondering, and prioritizing. AGAIN!

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending." ~Maria Robinson

Hopefully, tonight I’ll dream of a peaceful balanced life!

Prayer for Safety

God is our king. God runs this place and he'll keep us safe. Isaiah 33:20 MSG

With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this: Our Father in heaven, Reveal who you are. Set the world right; Do what's best— as above, so below. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil. You're in charge! You can do anything you want! You're ablaze in beauty! Yes. Yes. Yes. Matthew 6:7 MSG

In view of all the tragedies happening recently this post receives hundreds of hits. We want to pray for you in your time of need. Please email us and we will begin praying for you. Email prayer requests HERE.

If you are looking for comforting words to pray yourself, please feel free to copy the prayer below and use it often as your guide for prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for being the God who runs this place. I pray that you watch over us, our families, and our children. Lord, as the world seems to spin out of control we realize daily we are not in control – You are.

Lord, keep us safe from ourselves and protect us from the chaos that is unfolding. You are in charge and can do anything you want. Lord, we lift up to you at this moment those we love and ask you to keep them safe in their jobs, schools, and environments.

You know our every need Lord and we thank you for that. We thank you for being there so we can run to You for safety, refuge and shelter. Hear our prayers, Lord. Keep our hearts tuned in to You as we dwell in the shelter of Your tabernacle. Amen.

For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. Psalm 27:5 NIV

Do you need prayer today? If so, please let us know.