Always on My Mind

Irritation. It was quick, gone in an instant, and hopefully inconceivable to the eye, but I felt it and along with it immediate conviction. I wanted to be alone. I had more “important” things to do. I was writing and did not appreciate being interrupted. That’s when God spoke to my heart…

"Ashley… I'll call you to do a lot of things, but your first and primary call is to slow down, stop, and remain aware of the needs of those around you. Be compassionate. I work through people, but you're of no use to me if YOU are always on YOUR mind. Your words are not enough. I'm calling you to action."

That is when I was afforded a glimpse of my day. I was short, distracted, and half present in the vast majority of my interactions. If there was a need I'm sure I missed it in my desire to write. I want to be everything that God has in store for me. Nothing I write matters if I'm unwilling to be inconvenienced for another. Nothing I'm called to do will ever flourish if I'm always on my mind.

"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." Galatians 5:16--NIV

It's unlikely that our selfish tendencies will ever go away completely, but with the help of His Spirit we can overcome them DAILY! We must choose to truly listen, actively engage, and remain fully present despite our personal desire to fulfill what we deem more important.

Today ask God to free you...from yourself. Ask Him to help you...get YOU off your mind. Allow God's spirit to continually break you from your selfish tendencies. Ask Him to expose, draw awareness to, and help you tackle your current heart condition. Strive to remain attentive to the needs of those around you. Be mindful of how you respond to people. Words aren't enough. He's calling us to action

Drop It

He forgot my birthday.

That day I witnessed a bitterness within myself that was startling. I found myself engaged in a discussion and before I knew it I had rattled off every wrongdoing that person had committed against me. I was angry. I was angry that I had to remind this person that it was my birthday. I was angry that after all these years they didn’t have the date etched into their brain. But, what I realized was that more than anything…I was hurt. It wasn’t so much the birthday that angered me. I had a storehouse of transgressions that I had tucked away—calling it “forgiveness.” The forgiveness I had verbally confessed failed to align with the bitter resentment that resided in my heart. I hadn’t forgiven. Not really. Not all the way. Not at all.

So, I prayed that God would deliver me from my present heart troubles. However, I prayed in vain because the desire wasn’t really there. I didn’t know if I wanted to forgive. You know how sometimes you feel entitled to your anger?!? When someone does us wrong it’s easy to feel justified in our anger and we want to hold onto it because we’ve been done wrong, but who are we really hurting?!? Bitterness had latched on to my heart and instead of bestowing this individual with any grace or mercy I walked into my storehouse of transgressions, loaded up my “ammunition,” and fired. That’s not forgiveness nor am I displaying the fruits of love.

And when you stand praying, if you hold against anyone, forgive him, so that your father in heaven may forgive your sins.”
Mark 11:25--NIV

We can’t afford to allow our hurt feelings to dictate our actions. God impressed upon me the need to “drop it.” I had to be willing to drop every single transgression committed against me if I ever expected to be forgiven because let’s face it…I fail to meet expectations too. I hurt, disappoint, anger, and sadden many people. However, despite how often I falter in doing what’s right I’m afforded instant forgiveness from my Heavenly Father.

So, I revised my prayer and asked God to give me the DESIRE to forgive. We’re human. We get hurt when our expectations aren’t met. We get hurt when we invest energy, time, and love into other people only to watch it go unnoticed and unappreciated. It can be difficult to forgive, but God is unable to use an embittered heart. So, whatever past or present hurt you’re dealing with ask God to instill in you a desire to forgive. Then take that desire that He places in your heart and make the decision to forgive. Refuse to be buried under the weight of hurt and resentment. Allow God to free you from the bondage of bitterness. Choose to be led by the Spirit versus carried away by your hurt feelings.

Overwhelm Me with Your Love

by Cassie Timberlake

The longing, the craving, the gravitating towards comfort and love can be and is very intoxicating.  It is overwhelming at times. When you have gone through trauma of any kind, when you do not currently have the love in your life that you desire, or when you do not completely and wholeheartedly love yourself sometimes you look for others to overwhelm you with “love”.  Allowing God to shower you with the blessings that you deserve is the most comforting healing love you can ever experience.  So, how do we as women satisfy this insatiable craving for acceptance and love?  Letting God pour his love over us and into our hearts is ideal, however, for many women one answer to this question is to get into a relationship just for the sake of not being alone.  

Many people have a thought process where they say, either internally or out loud,” It is better than being by myself, something is better than nothing.”  Saying negative statements will begin to translate into something deeper within the heart of a woman.  When your “longing” becomes “desperate” it is a recipe for danger.  It will become problematic for the core of your being… the essence of who you are as an individual.  God does not want you to feel incomplete or lost.  In John 5:6, when God asks “Wilt thou be made whole?” to the sick man lying there before him, God is not just asking if he wanted to get well, but to impart an expectation for healing … to believe with everything in your being that God’s will and love is all you need.

Have you ever heard the phrase “you are what you eat?”  Well, an equally important saying is a phrase that states, “You are what you SPEAK!”  Something better than nothing means you will accept almost anything and everything into your life.  There is no boundary in place.  There is no protection established for yourself.  There is no room for true love.

I know because I have been there before.

I came from a childhood of not having love from my biological father and being molested at an early age.  I grew up without efficient coping skills, so I allowed myself to let people into my life that did not honor God, honor me, and that did not love themselves. I looked for love elsewhere instead of allowing God to overwhelm me with his love.  I did not take the leap of faith in knowing that God’s plan and destiny for me in all of its goodness was staring me right smack dab in the face.  I was too afraid to step into my blessings because I did not love myself enough to do it.

I had to learn to depend on God in a new way.  I had to open my heart more.  No more fear.  No more procrastination.  I laid all of my fears, my hurt, and my pain out before The Lord.  Within my prayer I also began to worship God and praise him in a new way. This allowed me to feel closer to God.  See, many times we block our own blessings … you have to remember to get out of your own way.  When you are out of the way and let the blessings flow from heaven you WILL receive your hearts desire.  

I have four beautiful scriptures to share with you that I hope will encourage and empower you to allow God in to shower you with love.

Joshua 1:9, “Have not I commanded you? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be you dismayed: for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

God is the source of our strength.  He made it so that you are who you are and who you are destined to be.  You are special and he loves you.

Romans 15:13, “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”

He is the God of Hope, love, understanding, and forgiveness. Just believe.

Isaiah 43:1  But now thus said the LORD that created you, O Jacob, and he that formed you, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name; you are mine.

You belong to God and you are his child.  All of your blessings are before you.  All you have to do is reach out and grab it.

Isaiah 12:2, “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation”.

Let God heal your heartache. When your heartache begins to heal you will be able to accept all things new that he has prepared for you.  This includes new careers, friends, relationships, and a new life.

When you feel like no one cares about you or loves you, when you feel like there is a void that cannot be filled, when you are feeling sad and miserable, give God a real 100% chance to come in and change your life.  To have a healthy relationship with someone takes healing within your heart.  It takes patience in waiting for an individual that is beneficial for you.  It takes you allowing God to overwhelm you with his love.

I would love for you to comment and join in on the discussion! How has God touched your life?

Melibeha Timberlake is a Mompreneur, Certified Professional Life Coach, Mentor Speaker Writer, and Victorious Survivor. She is Owner of The Heart Hub, a company that she started to help others discover and execute their full potential in life. Her loving heartfelt and supportive coaching method uses her talent for bridging the gap for others to navigate from the beginning of despair to the road to greatness. This is what brings her joy.

You Are the Apple of God's Eye

by Marquisha Harden

Everyone needs to rely on someone to some extent. Before we were born, we relied on our mother to nurture us in her womb, to take care of herself so that we would have the opportunity at life. Children rely on their caretakers to answer their million “why questions”. Teenagers often believed they have all the answers to life, but rely on their parents to steer them in right direction as they enter adulthood. And the need for nurture and attention continues in every stage of life. The type of attention received during the early stages of life often determines how adults reciprocate attention. Some women have expressed their need to give and receive attention in an unhealthy manner.

Women need attention. We need someone to recognize our accomplishments, complement our new look, encourage our dreams, listen to our daily news flashes, love us at our best and worse; the list could go on. Unfortunately, we don’t always realize our need for attention robs us of developing healthy relationships because we are focused on the praise. As a result, we sometimes compromise who we are to receive attention from anyone. We become promiscuous, wear revealing clothes, point out faults in others, or behave obnoxiously. We may even become overachievers to appeal to others, regardless if it’s God’s will or not. We choose to market, or accentuate “certain” body parts and personality traits to make ourselves noticeable, even if it’s for a moment. Some women have accepted unhealthy attention, from family, friends, or lovers, because they lacked healthy attention as a child, or in their current relationships. Some have yet to accept who they are and whose they are; if someone is handing out attention, they’re next in line to receive it (good or bad).

Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the things he planned for us long ago.”

“Good” attention will push you towards your goals and purpose. It plants seeds to help you grow in areas other than your ego. It helps develop love for others. You won’t feel the need to be the center of attention. Others will naturally gravitate toward you because you are positive and loving. Good relationships help nurture your ministries; it also provides constructive criticism regarding your weaknesses. You’ll get busy nurturing others and God will send the right people to nurture you and give you healthy attention. It gives balance to your life so you can see yourself the way God sees you. However, if you allow the wrong people to uplift you, they may place you on a pedestal higher than you should be; it will make you lose your balance in other areas like praising and worshipping God. You’ll worship the praises they give you instead.

1 Peter 3:3-7, “Do not let your adornment be merely outward – arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel – 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.” This scripture doesn’t mean you can’t dress nicely and care about your appearance; but realize your true beauty comes from within. And God is so wonderful because He tells you how to present yourselves to Him because he wants you to draw closer to HIM.

Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

“Bad” attention drains the best parts of you because you are constantly transforming yourself into the latest “it thing”. It masks your true essence and covers you with layers of other people’s opinions; people’s opinion of you will change. It’s like you’ve become a puppet waiting for the next person to tell you you’re beautiful, talented, or anointed. You start to join ministries because you are hoping the pastor or a fellow church member notices you. If they don’t, then you switch ministries still seeking praise to uplift yourself. While you’re busy seeking attention from others, you neglect your first command of loving and attending to the needs of others.

2 John 1:5, “And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have heard from the beginning: that we love one another.”

Isaiah 1:17, “Learn to do right, seek justice, rebuke the oppressor, defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.”

You are the apple of God’s eye! Allow him to love, nurture, and attend to your every need. His thoughts about you won’t change regardless of your status, accomplishments, or failures. His love for you goes beyond anything you could ever measure against man’s opinion of you. You have to reaffirm who God has ordained you to be. Spend time away from others and get to know Him; He will reveal who you are to Him. Set standards and follow through with them. Reward yourself for your accomplishments and let that be enough. Enjoy being who you are without waiting for someone else’s approval. Better yet, enjoy being who God says you are because only His approval counts.

Deuteronomy 32:9 -10, “For the Lord’s portion is His people; Jacob is the place of His inheritance. He found him in a desert land and in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He instructed him, and he kept him as the apple of His eye.”

Empty?

Guest post by Chanale Propst

We (or maybe just me) have all been driving on the highway, and through careless driving we’ve weaved off the side of the road, and become startled by those loud nerve-wracking grooves. But it is that noise, that disturbance that gets you back on track and gives you a sense of appreciation. The Federal Highway Administration explains that Shoulder Rumble Strips were created to prevent off the road crashes, and to notify the driver that they had drifted from their lane. God puts the same type of strips in our lives, warning us that we have drifted and it is time to get back in our lane. It is very effective and can immediately wake you up (if you take heed), making you aware of the situation in front of you. I have had several occasions where God has used events or normal occurrences to get me back on board; even though it was nerve-wracking at the time I appreciate it now. This last time, God used a devastating breakup my senior year of college, my rumble strip, to force me to see what I hadn’t seen for so long; a hole, a gaping hole within my spiritual nature.

My dependence on men had become evident. I used their words, their actions, and the lack there of to define me, to VALIDATE me, to fill me. I was like a drug addict, addicted to the feeling that came with those actions, and words. On cloud nine one minute, and feeling worthless the next. Without those words…those actions, I felt like a speck of dust, floating in the air with no purpose.

My soul, my heart, and my whole being craved and longed for love, and a void that had been created and maintained by this world needed filling. So I tried filling it; I chased after, “you’re cute”, that long stare from across the way, and the “selection” in the club for a dance. Not realizing that each time I grabbed at that placebo filling it not only didn’t make me whole, but it also enlarged the void. I was pushing myself further and further away from where I needed to be, pursuing and craving something that always left me searching. I didn’t realize that God so desperately wanted to fill that void, and to become my everything. So He used a “rumble strip” to put me face to face with my hole. He made me realize that I was EMPTY, and no relationship would make me whole or give me complete satisfaction, except for the relationship that I needed to form with Him.

That was back in December of 2011, and I STILL face a daily battle to make God my sustainer and no one else, but making Him my source has been so rewarding. How many of us today are trying to play handyman and fill our void/hole with man-made things? Whether it is a man, material things, or yourself, I want to be your rumble strip today and tell you that those things will NEVER, EVER fill you up! You will end up back at square one, trying to figure out the thing that you think will fill in that missing piece. God is the only person that can satisfy that craving, and that desire. We must learn to seek God, and the purpose he has for our lives. Embrace God, and get to know yourself through Christ. I’ll admit it is a hard battle. I had been addicted to that way of life for so long; I didn’t think that this new way of life would give me what I needed. I was scared that I wouldn’t have what I needed to keep going each day; what would I be living for? But God has proved to be more than enough! Psalm 16:2 highlights it all, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.”

A well-known scripture, John 4:13-14, was highlighted at an event I was at a couple of weeks ago, and it helps to bring to focus that Jesus can fill any void: 13 “Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks of the water that I give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I give him will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’”

Jesus was speaking to a Samaritan woman who had had five husbands, and the man she was currently with was not her husband. He told her the water that HE would give her would quench her thirst forever; she would no longer have to jump from man to man to feel valued or worthy. She would know that her worth comes from Christ, and only Him.

What I was chasing left me thirsty, and I was constantly searching for something to satisfy that desire. However, like Jesus said He is the only source that can make you whole and put your searching to an end. So I challenge you today to look deep down inside and see your reflection. Ask yourself who is your SOURCE, who is your well, and what are you chasing after? Christ wants to fill that void for you, I encourage you to let Him and relinquish all control to Him.

Ephesians 3:19, “May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God” (nlt)

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Chanale Propst is a young adult who is truly starting her walk with God, and has realized how amazing that walk can be. Her aim in life is to put God first, and to remove any distractions that will prevent her from doing this. She is in love with Christ, and desperately wants young women to embrace this love as well. She spends her free enjoying her family & friends, and journaling.  

Don’t Take Your Eyes Off of Jesus

By Nadia Marinaccio

The woes of parenting are often too much to tolerate, aren’t they? One moment you are bringing home your bundle of joy, swaddled in a hospital blanket that you will no doubt save until you have grandchildren and can pass it on to them. Suddenly you are the parent of a teenager, and plunged head first into the most heart wrenching fight of your life. You wonder what on earth happened to your sweet angel who could do no wrong, your cuddle bug, your lil protégé that looked up to you and desired your approval and smile.

If you are entering this role of being the parent of a rebellious teenager for the first time you are no doubt trying to figure out what went wrong. How did we end up here? For me I can honestly say that because I was a child myself at the age of 22, I treated her as if she were my lil doll, and my friend. I couldn’t wait to dress her up, and take her out. I had messed up so much already in my short life and all I wanted was to prove to the world that I could do something right.( It wasn’t about her. It was about me validating myself. Wow, that truth is too deep and honest for somebody.) I thought it was adorable when she mimicked me, especially because I have a funny personality and like to do impersonations of various ethnicities and celebrities. She followed in my footsteps and became just as sassy and silly as her mamma. In hindsight, I remember some veteran parents warning me to get that sassiness under control, but I didn’t listen, after all I was a “grown woman” myself (NOT!) and had it all figured it out. Besides, they were talking to someone who didn’t think it was necessary to pick up a single solitary parenting book because “how hard could this whole parenting thing be?” How I wish I could reverse the hands of time and start over, but alas this is life and I have to endure the consequences of my hardheadedness.

The rollercoaster ride of being the parent of a rebellious teenager has just begun for me. My seatbelt is on, the roller bar pulled down tight to make sure I don’t fall out when we are upside down screaming our heads off, and finally we are lurching forward down the track. As we make our ascent I realize we shouldn’t be on this ride. What was I thinking? It’s too late to realize I am afraid of heights. Next thing you know, we are plummeting down at 80miles an hour, with your stomach in your throat hoping nothing comes out. Oh NO!! Here comes the upside down loops! I am too old to be doing this! Up and down, racing, spinning, screaming, holding on for dear life is the rollercoaster adventure of a teenage parent. Finally the ride is over, you exhale and thank God he kept you alive. You can’t wait to get off, but suddenly it starts again! Are you serious? How many more years of this do I have to endure? She is 13 now, so do the math!

The greatest lesson I have learned as a parent of a rebellious teenager is to remember Ephesians 6:12 which says our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. It is easy to direct our anger at the visible source of our frustration but we must be diligent to remember that there is a dangerous incognito enemy who is searching the earth, seeking whom he may devour(1Peter 5:8). He is the master of illusions and has disguised himself in the body of your teenager. Don’t believe me? Let me give you an example of how I know this to be true. We know the enemy was once an angel and a worship leader in heaven. He became selfish and wanted the worship for himself and of course he was cast out of heaven with a third of the angels. He was stripped of his ability to worship so he and his minions work diligently to have the world as we know it worship him. Most of the world is unaware of his subtle stronghold on them, but nonetheless it is present and dangerous.

One day my daughter and I were in the car and we were listening to her worldly, vile rap music which I loathe. She was happy as a clam, singing along to disgusting lyrics. I had enough of her music so I put in one of my worship cd’s. Visibly, within minutes she became very agitated at the sound of worship music and proceeded to cover her ears and shake her leg nervously. That spirit in her had been agitated and the more I sang along and praised God the more distressing it became to her.

The enemy attacks us because we have now been able to take his place as worshippers with the angels that remain. He attacks anything and everything in this world that has a purpose for Christ. You have never been assaulted until you start living for Christ and bringing precious souls into the Kingdom.

I believe one of the greatest ways you can defeat the enemy at his game is to remember who you are warring with. Your child is not your enemy. I know it feels like it at times. Especially when they are rebelling against you and God, but we must be mindful that we don’t allow our anger to control us. The negative behavior has to be addressed sternly and in love. So many times I have almost lost myself in my fury and acted in ways that God would not condone. It’s so difficult in those times to look at my child and say to myself “I don’t care what this looks like, Lord I trust you and I know we will come out of this and when we do, we will help to encourage others going through the same thing.”

Secondly, you have to know who you are in Christ. Know that you have been appointed by God to be the caretaker of this child. God has given you this child, for you to raise, love and encourage. I am not saying for you to be a rug and allow your child to trample all over you. What I am saying is stay focused on Christ who is the author and finisher of your faith. He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him and you must not faint in well-doing for in due season you will reap if you faint not.

Look at this passage in Matthew 14:22-26

Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, whileHe dismissed the crowds. After dismissing the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone. But the boat was already over a mile from land,battered by the waves, because the wind was against them. Around three in the morning, He cametoward them walking on the sea. When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost! ” they said, and cried out in fear.

What is beautiful about this passage of scripture is the time that elapsed. It was evening time that Jesus took notice of them. They were a mile offshore and were being battered by the waves, yet Jesus doesn’t come to them til 3 in the morning. I want to encourage you to know that just because he hasn’t come yet, doesn’t mean he doesn’t see your struggle. He knows you are being thrown around by the rebellion in your house, but don’t give up because he’s coming to you in His time walking on the water. We know immediately after this, Peter asks Jesus to bid him to come out on the water. While Peter is walking on the water the winds rose against him and he began to sink. Jesus doesn’t allow Him to sink though until Peter is within reach. It may feel like you have drowned in this season of parenting but take heart and know that you are within an arms-reach of your savior and he will pull you out and bring you to dry ground. Your job is to keep your focus on Him while you are sinking. Christ calls us to walk on water because it is impossible and he knows by ourselves we wouldn’t make it, but when we keep our eyes on him, all things are possible.

We are in spiritual warfare over our children. Satan wants them but he can’t have them. They are children of God, called and sanctified for God’s purpose. No matter what it looks like, you keep speaking God’s promises over your child. See your child healed and in their right mind, following Christ, lifting others out of darkness and into His marvelous light. Do not lose hope or despair, your labor is not in vain and Jesus will prevail in your child! If satan steals your hope, than you might as well give him your child. Your hope in Christ is the only thing you can count on. Don’t’ take your eyes off of Jesus!

Is Homeschool Right For You?

By Kris Bush

This is a photo of our small homeschool classroom. Right now it’s set to fit one maybe two children. Our daughter uses it mostly, however our son will join in every so often for art activities.

Homeschooling. Many people that I know tend to give our family the side eye because we home school our daughter and will home school our son when it’s his time.

So why do we homeschool? Well for two reasons, it is what works best for our daughter and more importantly we believe it is what God has led our family to do. I'll be honest I like having a job and being able to soundly contribute to our family financially, however since our daughter turned five, working outside the home has NOT been an option for me. And Lord knows that I have tried.

When it comes to following the prompts God gives us, we try to always adhere to what God tells us. So, one thing that has definitely been on this list is me being home; taking care of our family, our home, and homeschooling our children. I am quite aware that this arrangement cannot work for every family, I'm just thankful that it does work for our family. I'm aware of the families that need both mom and dad to work so the family stays afloat. I write this to the families who CAN afford to home school or have thought about it. I promise you, it is WORTH the headache, the constant answering of questions and becoming your children's teacher.

Now the great part about home schooling is the fact that when my daughter excels, guess who is front row and center to see and cheer her on? ME. And that is an awesome feeling to know that I am the person who got to help her learn to read, add and subtract. I enjoy watching my daughter flourish. I also homeschool her because there was a time when we suspected that she have ADHD/ADD because of how hyperactive she could be, but instead of going off the deep end, we just endeavored to really learn her and what works best for her. One thing we have done is cut down on sugar drastically, which has helped with how hyper she is. We've also given her a daily routine where she knows what's coming next so she doesn't put up too much of a fuss.

The program we use with homeschooling Kaylee, is Florida Virtual School Full Time. It’s probably not your "traditional" method of homeschooling, but it works for us. It allows us to keep Kaylee on track with state standards and still allows me to have an active hand in her education. I am able to add in bible devotion every morning and I try to do a person profile or family profile at least once a month. For example last month we learned about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob's family. I have heard of programs like Abeka, Charlotte Mason, etc… and I think they are probably really nice. I just know those can be expensive and when you don't particularly have a lot of money to shell out on a curriculum; it doesn't hurt to check to see if your state has a K-12 virtual online school since its FREE and they send out ALL of the materials your child will need...including a computer if you qualify.

Now if you choose to come up with your own curriculum or want to do it at your own pace picking what curriculum you use, I can definitely recommend a couple different websites; you can find free worksheets and workbooks. Of course, you will need to print them out, but other than that they're FREE.

• CurrClick
• Education.com
• KISS Grammar
• The Crafty Classroom
• Spanish Lessons
• Free Homeschool Deals 

If you are thinking of homeschooling, I hope this helps you understand. Remember that homeschooling is about what’s best for your child, in regards to how they learn. Take the time to study your child(ren) and see what their best mode of learning is, or ask them if they’re old enough.

The Pain of Obedience

by Salem Afangideh

For me, this season of obedience looks like a whole lot of sleepless nights, studying for 4-6 hours every day, an exhausted brain, constantly rejecting opportunities to hang out with friends so that my free time can be spent with my beloved, trying to squeeze out some time at the end of the day to hang out with my family.

In the past I have typically been content with whatever the LORD has called me to do. I have grown to be comfortable with waking up in the early hours of the morning (even though I am NOT a morning person) to spend time with Him. I have even embraced the fact that I will forever been known as weird because God has this idea often that I need to go up to random people and pray for them or encourage them with whatever Word He has put on my heart for them. But then, the LORD decided to stretch me even further, when He decided to call me to this crazy wild ride called "law school".

Now, I am not totally going to blame this on the LORD because although I know that this is how He specifically wants me to use my talents to serve the 27 million people in slavery today, I did have the desire to go to law school and I believe that when God calls you to do something, He will put a desire (sometimes it may be a really small desire) in your heart for what He has called you to do, but that does not mean it will be easy.

What does obedience to the LORD look like in this season of your life?

That is not an easy question to answer. If you don't spend a lot of time in His presence; enough to discern His will—It could be as simple as sitting with your sick neighbor and loving on them, or as complex as moving to another country to show people the love of Jesus. Either way, you play a very important role in His Kingdom coming to earth and sometimes you will be required to give of yourself and your resources until it absolutely stretches you and hurts.

In those moments when you are the most stretched for His Glory, let your heart echo the words of David in 2 Samuel 24:24 "I will not give to the LORD an offering that cost nothing"

When We Ask God Why

by Christina Stolass

As human beings who are greatly attracted to a life of ease, when hardships come, we are often tempted to question God and become frustrated. Many times we wonder “why me?” and if you’ve ever wrestled that question with God with the intensity of pain and struggle burdening you, it’s what I personally refer to as a circular question.

The answer always seems to be that we must trust that God is working in ways we cannot understand, that His ways are not our ways (Is 55:8), and that if we believe in His character we must trust that in His love for us He is working for our greater good throughout our lives in every situation. Honestly, it’s easy to talk that as truth, even easier to write it– but, when the rubber meets the road, most of us wrestle with that from time to time.

John Chapter 9 talks about a young boy blind from birth. His disciples must have wondered the question we often contemplate, why? They asked, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus responded in a way that is notable and sometimes troubling to believers, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” (vs 3)

Though, I do not believe that God would cause illness, disease, suffering as a result of the sin of others, etc… I do believe fully believe that a Sovereign God allows such things into our life for many reasons– one of which is “that the works of God might be displayed…”

Can I just shoot straight?

I don’t have easy sugar coated answers. Not for children suffering. Or diseases taking lives that have not been fully lived. Not for poverty and families without homes. Or war. Not for natural disasters destructive trails of homes, businesses, and lives. Not for murder, theft, and crimes of horrendous natures.

But here is what I know– I know– with every fiber of my being. God has the ability to work through any and every situation. Nothing is impossible, too big, too much of a surprise or headache for the All Powerful Great “I am.”

And, as we face unthinkable hardships and trials in this world, I believe His desire is to orchestrate our lives in a way that each of our individual stories is one in which, “The works of God are displayed.”

When we allow to God enter our brokenness… His healing power is displayed.
When we allow God to be sufficient in times of need… His provision is displayed.
When we choose to be obedient even when the cost is great… His faithfulness is displayed.
When we trust Him in the face of opposition and obstacles… His mountain moving strength is displayed.
When we surrender our fears and anxiety during emotional storms… His calming and peaceful presence is displayed.

Wherever you are, whatever you are facing– God’s desire is that your life is not only a reflection of your love relationship with Him, but, also that your life is evidence of the manifested power of God at work. Strive to live your life aligned with Gods plans, so that others too may see the miracle, and that their response will also be… to praise God!