New Ministry! KasCare

Do you want to help children in Africa with aids? Would you like to help them stay warm and let them know they are loved? Then check out KasCare on the Ministries Page.  

21st Birthday

I was watching 16 Wishes. A fun-filled Disney comedy surrounding Abby Jenson and her 16 birthday wishes. As her wishes become reality, Abby realizes that sometimes what you want can become a nightmare.

As I turn 21, I tried to think of something that I would want for this birthday. But then I realized that I am becoming the person I always wanted to be. When I was little I had all these things that I wanted to do and be. As I’ve gotten older God has fulfilled my dreams and desires. He’s given me the chance to use what I have for Him. And though some of it has been in very unlikely ways, God’s helping shape me into the person I always dreamed of being.

So instead of wishing for things I don’t need, I’m going to name 21 birthday blessings. 21 things that I am so grateful for.

11.       A God who looked through all of time and space and chose to love me.

22.       An amazing family. They support me, love me, and keep me focused on what’s important. My mom and dad are my best encouragers and counselors. My sister Sarah, my best friend, a great cheerleader, and my best listener. My brother Michael, a neat Godly guy, who always defends me. My sister Grace, a great helper with a great laugh and a kind heart. My sister Rebekkah, sweet and thoughtful. She is always thinking of others. And Mikayla (yes, we had a lot of girls in our family :) ) With a youthful spirit, kind heart, and a great sense of humor. Then there’s Nicole (my oldest sister) and her husband and two girls. They are all so kind and fun. I have a big family and they are one of the biggest blessings in my life. And I love them all so much.

33.       Friends. Rachel and Jessica, you both mean so much to me. Rachelle, Julia, Cynthia, Melinda, RJ, Arianna, my online blogging friends, you light up my life. You encourage me in my faith and challenge me to do better. And Debra and Christina, I love getting together with you ladies. Whether it’s at the mall or at your house, I love hanging out with you ladies and talking.

44.       Crafting! Cross stitching, crocheting, scrapbooking, card making, quilting, sewing, and embroidery have kept my hands busy and productive. I love taking things like canvas, paper, or fabric and making it into something beautiful.

55.       Books and audiobooks. Whether reading or listening, I’m so grateful for everything I’m able learn. I have a whole library in my house. That’s a huge blessing.

66.       Texas. I’m so thankful to call the lone star state my home. It’s so beautiful here. With woods and fields to walk in. *sigh* There’s nowhere else I would rather be.

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77.       Baking! I love baking and cooking. And seeing my family smile when they taste a new batch of cookies, is a bakers dream come true.   

    

88.       Movie characters to inspire and entertain me. The Narnia movies, the Chipmuncks, Belle, Rapunzel, Cinderella High School Musical, the Visual Bible, Overcome, Period Dramas *Swoon*, romances, and Sue Thomas (to name a few).

Pictures via Pinterest

99.       Journals. I enjoy writing out my thoughts, life, hopes, and dreams.

110.   The ability to dream about the future. I don’t know all of what it will hold, but it’s so wonderful to imagine how my life will turn out.

111.   Facebook (to chat on), E-mail (to communicate with my friends), and phones.

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112.   Flowers. Roses are my favorites, but I have so many that I like.

113.   Teddy bears, dolls, and miniature tea sets.

114.   My laptop. I’m so grateful to have something as nice as this to work on. 

115.   Dancing. : D

116.   Music. No matter what mood I’m in, I can find a song that fits it. It also help me to turn my eyes back to God.

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117.   For the ability to write plays. It’s so neat to be able to write down ideas that I’ve had in my head for years. 

118.   Blogs. I love having my own little corner of the cyber world that I can post on.

119.   Acting Adventures! It was so cool to act in 2 short films and in a play and in numerous skits. I also enjoyed getting to know the process of making a film.

220.   Great clothes. It’s so neat having pretty, fun, and pink clothes to wear.

221.   And last, but not least, I’m grateful for the journey of life God has allowed me to travel on so far. It’s been an amazing, scary, adventurous, crazy, and wonderful 21 years. And I trust that no matter where the road takes me from here will be perfect. Maybe not everything in my life will be perfect, and I’ll probably do some kicking and screaming about it, but I know that He will be leading me where I’m supposed to go.

New Ministry! Warm Forever

At for the last new ministry of the month, we have Warm Forever. This charity focuses on providing parents of stillborn children with a baby blanket to wrap them in. For more information, visit the Ministries Page. 

Book Review: How Should Christians Vote?

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By Rose H.

I received this audiobook courtesy from ChristianAudio for the purpose of writing a review.

Narrator thoughts –

He has a very strong voice. Perfect for a political book. It sounded like a voice meant of debate and speaking out on political issues.

Book Thoughts –

To be honest I didn’t agree with this author personally. He seemed to feel that if we didn’t vote for the right people that God would condemn us. While I do think the way we vote is important, I do think that God is big enough to work through any and every situation. I believe that God works through the lives of individual people to change hearts, not through political circles.

I did like his point that we should preserve life at all costs. No matter whether it’s protecting unborn babies or protecting the rights of people, we should protect the quality of life that we enjoy for all. Granted we did disagree on how that should be accomplished, but it was a good point none the less.

Personally, I didn’t like this book very much, because I believe that my God is bigger than any one country or political view. Yes, sometimes He uses them to accomplish His work, but more often than not, it’s through hearts that He works. 

To read more about this book, please visit http://christianaudio.com/review/product/list/id/24126/

Audiobook Review: Forgiveness

I received this book courtesy of Christian Audio for the purpose of reviewing and promoting this book. 

I was so excited to begin my reviews for Christian Audio. I love audiobooks and spiritual books. This is the best of all worlds.

Narrator thoughts – 

I like this narrator. He has a very clear distinct voice. Some narrators just show up and say the words and you can tell that in their voice. This narrator sounded like he tried to put himself in the authors shoes and read from the authors point of view.This added a great dimension to the audiobook.

Book thoughts –

As far as the book went, I liked that he described forgiveness as a process. Some people make forgiveness sound so easy and fast. I appreciated the Adam Hamilton’s advice on how to reconcile relationships and restore peace. It’s not a one size fits all process, it’s God working in us that brings about forgiveness. “True forgiveness happens when we accept the truth of God’s forgiveness for us. Only then can we forgive others.” This is my favorite quote from the book. One of the other things I like is that he emphasized prayer in every situation and getting personal help. I liked that he didn’t try to fix everyone’s problems, but tried to help you toward forgiveness.

  

For more on Forgiveness and other great audiobooks go to http://christianaudio.com/forgiveness-adam-hamilton

New Ministry! Christmas At Sea

This ministry helps our military that are on ships far from home. Learn more by checking them out on the Ministries Page. 

New Ministry! Spirit Jump

If you would like to send cards and gifts to someone who is fighting cancer, then look no further. Here is a ministry that connects you to cancer patients. Check it out on the Ministries Page!

New Ministry! Contagious Hope

This month I found some new ministries, so I decided to take this month and tell you about them. 

We have a new ministry to tell you about. One that helps provide food and clothing for the poor all over the world. Check it out on the Ministries Page!