Surprise, it's the Mannings

Rebekah Smith Whitehouse

2012-01-11T23:35:00.003-07:00

You will be missed. Thank you for being such a beautiful woman of God and such an inspiration to everyone you met. We will meet again.

Rebekah Smith Whitehouse
Dec. 9, 1969 - Jan. 11, 2012

Thirty Days of Thanks Wrap Up

2011-12-02T12:31:00.002-07:00

Well I missed the whole last week of November, but that's o.k., cause that is where grace comes in. So to wrap it all up, I am thankful for every breath I take, every moment that I am alive and able to be around the ones I love so dearly. I am thankful for life itself and how precious it is.

Thirty Days of Thanks - Days 21, 22, & 23

2011-11-23T11:51:00.004-07:00

This is a linky blog post.

Day 21: I am thankful for Etsy because it gives me an outlet to sell some of the things our family makes. You can visit our Etsy store by going to http://www.etsy.com/shop/huggyfish .

Day 22: I am thankful for Vision Forum for the great books, publications, and toys they put out, you can find them by clicking this link Vision Forum.

Day 23: I am thankful for programs like Donor's Choose, that provide a way for others to support Brien in his classroom. Check it out by clicking here.

Thirty Days of Thanks - Days 18, 19, & 20

2011-11-23T11:41:00.002-07:00

Day 18: I am thankful for babies...Priscilla, Seth, Elijah to name a few. They are such a blessing to all the lives they touch. There is just something about new life that calms my heart.

Day 19: I am thankful for friends. Today I had a great time playing cards with some of the people God has put in my life.

Day 20: I am thankful for my mother-in-law. She has always been so generous to us when we are in need.

Thirty Days of Thanks - Days 15, 16, & 17

2011-11-17T00:29:00.002-07:00

Day 15 - I am thankful for music, wonderful music. Every kind of music, well maybe not every kind of music.

Day 16 - I am thankful for laughter. I love my husband and kids, they are some of the funniest people I know and we get each other when it comes to our sense of humors. I love laughing with them, it is priceless.

Day 17 - I am thankful for books, marvelous books. I love to read and I am thankful that I have that luxury to own books and the ability to read them. We are truly blessed living in America.

Thirty Days of Thanks - Days 12, 13, & 14

2011-11-14T13:31:00.002-07:00

Day 12 - God's mercy. I spoke on an earlier day about God's justice. Today I am thankful for God's mercy, that He doesn't always give us what we deserve. He is patient and long-suffering. I am forever thankful for that. Recently we saw God's justice in a situation, I totally believe that God was showing mercy for a long time in hopes that there would be true repentance.

Day 13 - I am thankful that my mom taught me to crochet. I know it may sound silly, but crocheting is something that brings me great enjoyment. I love to create things. I love the fact that I can bless people with things I make and also make a little bit of money to help our home.

Day 14 - For my health, though I do have many difficulties physically, I am still thankful for what I have. Please remember to pray for all of those that are fighting for their lives because of cancer. I know so many right now. My prayers are with them: Rebekah, Christopher, Monica, Donita, and Aaron.

Thirty Days of Thanks - Day 11

2011-11-11T22:39:00.002-07:00

Today is 11-11-11 and that makes it Veteran's Day. So today I want to thank all of the men and women who have served or are currently serving our country so that we can have the freedoms that we do. Thank you!!!!

Thirty Days of Thanks - Day 9 & 10

2011-11-10T21:41:00.002-07:00

Seems like I am making a pattern of posting every other day. Well here it goes:

Day 9: I am thankful that God provided the perfect job for Brien. He is a natural when it comes to being an art teacher. It is just amazing to see how God worked everything out in order for him to get that job. That's what you call the providence of God. If you want to hear a great message about this go check out the message on it at www.yourhorizon.org .

Day 10: I am thankful that God pays attention to what others do and that vengeance is His and that with a little patience God will take care of things on His own timeline. Sometimes it is hard to be patient, but God is just and in the end it is better to leave things in His hands.

Thirty Days of Thanks - Day 7 & 8

2011-11-08T21:22:00.005-07:00

Troy and Libby - aren't they cute!!!!

Day 7 - I am thankful for the example that Libby and Troy are to their siblings and other kids their age. They have been "courting" for 2 and a half years. I thank God that they both have the integrity and fortitude to be so strong in a day and age that looks at them like they are from a different planet. This is something that is new to me, I was not raised with this mindset and was impressed that Libby chose this for herself. We are also very thankful for Troy and that God has placed him in her life.

Day 8 - I am thankful for modern medicine and technology. Please be in prayer for Alex as he learns to live with his new diagnosis of diverticulosis.

Thirty Days of Thanks - Day 5 & 6

2011-11-06T11:05:00.005-07:00

Day 5 - I am thankful for the internet and all of the positive things that you can use it for.

Day 6 - I am thankful for our Church home and a Pastor who speaks the truth and has a black belt in keeping it real. lol! http://www.yourhorizon.org

Thirty Days of Thanks - Day Four

2011-11-04T13:26:00.004-07:00

Today I am thankful for our pets. They bring a lot of joy into our lives. We have four cats, one dog, and one turtle. It amazes me how calming the cats can be to have around. They claim that petting a cat can lower your blood pressure, sounds good to me. I love playing with our puppy, she is so cute, a lot like a little kid. She is really funny and like to talk a lot. Brien has a lot of fun with her despite what he may say. :)

The girls are currently planning on crocheting some Christmas outfits for the animals for a Christmas picture. We shall see what happens with that.

Thirty Days of Thanks - Day Three

2011-11-03T07:55:00.000-07:00

Today I am thankful for my husband. Brien and I met when we were just 18 years old. We have now been together over 23 years, married for 22 of them. In this time we have had 4 kids and lots of pets. We have gone through so many things together, good and bad. I am just glad that God put us together, I can't imagine doing life with anyone else. He is truly my best friend and the love of my life.

Thirty Days of Thanks - Day Two

2011-11-02T08:05:00.004-07:00

Today would have been my mom's 84th Birthday, so I thought it fitting to be thankful for her. My mom and I did not always see eye to eye, but I loved her and am thankful that she was my mom. After all she was the one who taught me to crochet, something I enjoy very much. My mom had a tragic life in some ways. She was born in 1927 in the Bronx to an Irish mother and an Italian father. Her father spent most of my mom's early childhood in jail, so she was raised by a single mother during this time. She had one sister, who was 8 years her junior. She married her teenage sweetheart right before he left for war. She was 17 at the time and had to lie about her age. During their marriage they had six kids. Her husband fell ill and was diagnosed with cancer. He passed away leaving my mom a widow at 38. She then married my Dad not even six months later and then 4 years later had me. My parents divorced when I was 11 after a very tumultuous marriage. Later in life she would marry my step-father Jim and was married to him until her death in 2007 of ovarian cancer. At the time of her passing, she had 7 kids, 16 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.

Thirty Days of Thanks - Day One

2011-11-01T12:25:00.004-07:00

I haven't done this in a few years, but thought I would do it again this year. Join me if you like.

Day One: I am thankful for my kids. They bless me every day of my life. They encourage me when I am down and pray for me when I don't even ask them to. They love me unconditionally and I am truly thankful that God gave me them to love.

This post makes me realize I need a current picture of all of them together. I will have to do this and post it later, but for the time being I will post an old one of the the four of them.

Damaged Goods

2011-10-05T01:26:00.002-07:00

Written by Carol Davis

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." Psalm 51:17 (NIV, 1984)
I walked down the aisle of the discount grocery looking for a bargain that I couldn't live without. It's always hit and miss in this store...and I had missed...again.
But, I passed by a bin that caught my eye. "Damaged Goods." It was filled with dented cans and missing labels...no real rhyme or reason, just random items that were not shelf worthy. And suddenly, I knew just how they felt.
Life sometimes delivers the unexpected. Lessons learned in the school of hard knocks bruise us, dent us and remove the label that defines who we are. We feel as if we have been tossed into a bin, no longer worthy of a place on the shelf. Some people substantiate the lie that we are second class failures and all hope is gone.
So, I leaned over and intentionally chose a dented can with no label from the bin. I got it home and placed it on the can opener with anxious anticipation. The whirr of the can opener finally penetrated the metal lid to reveal....peaches!!! I let out a school girl squeal! I love peaches!! What a treat to open this can and be greeted by one of my favorite fruits. The can was damaged but the contents were still good...and sweet.
God must have smiled...because at that moment the sunshine beamed in my kitchen window. I knew in my heart there was a lesson.
I have been damaged. We all have to some degree. I am not living the life that I dreamed about when I was a kid. However, the damage that I have suffered has made the contents of my heart so much sweeter, so much more compassionate, so much more in pursuit of Jesus. I have been looked down upon and judged by many who have seen my label missing and slapped on their own.
I've wanted to say, "Don't judge too quickly. My damage has not defined me...but, it is refining me." I may sometimes be at the bottom of the life's bin, but Jesus paid as high a price for those of us at the bottom as He did for those that are proudly displayed on the top shelf.
Look around. Is there someone in your life, your family or your church that you consider "damaged goods"? Don't miss an opportunity to reach out to them, to love them. You just might find a friendship that is good...and sweet.
Dear Lord, my life hasn't turned out exactly turned out like I thought it would. But, I know that You can still use me. Please forgive me for labeling others and judging them by their outside circumstances instead of the work that You are doing in their heart. Help me realize that we all have dents but that's what keeps us desperate for a Savior. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

My Thoughts vs. God's Word

2011-09-14T00:12:00.002-07:00

I am probably at the lowest point of my whole life right now. Pray for me if you think about it. This was in my email and it did bless me.

Thanks,
Donna

My Thoughts vs. God's Word
by Melissa Taylor

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10 (NKJV)
Do you ever question if you are good enough? Are you more likely to dwell on what's wrong with you than what's right with you?
One day I realized I was scrutinizing myself to find out what my problem was. The more I picked myself apart, the more it dawned on me another voice was egging me on; the voice of the enemy, Satan. As I listened to his lies, my sense or worth and security were zapped.
For a long time I didn't even recognize him for who he was. The negative thoughts and deceitful suggestions simply sounded like my own voice.
The Bible opens with a serpent slithering into the lives of Adam and Eve. He filled their heads with lies they believed which separated them from God. Jesus, too, was tempted by this liar. He was ready though, with the Word of God, to defeat the evil one.
We too can have this weapon in our arsenal. As we fill our hearts and minds with Truth, we can defeat the lies we tell ourselves and the lies Satan whispers to our hearts.
When I compare my negative thoughts to God's Word, the differences amaze me:
My thoughts: I want to give up.
God's Word: Be committed. Matthew 5:33-37
My thoughts: I'll feel lost.
God's Word: He watches my paths and establishes my ways. Proverbs 5:21, 4:26
My thoughts: No one loves me.
God's Word: He loves me more than life. John 3:16
My thoughts: I'm ugly.
God's Word: I'm wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14
My thoughts: I'm all alone and no one understands me.
God's Word: He will never leave me. He has plans for my life. Deuteronomy 31:6, Jeremiah 29:11
My thoughts: I'm just not good enough.
God's Word: I was created in His image. Genesis 1:26
Are you ready to replace lies with God's truth, so when the enemy tries to slither back in with false accusations, you'll be ready to combat him with what God's Word says about you?
To get started, evaluate your thoughts and pray for wisdom to distinguish the voice of the enemy. Condemning thoughts that steal your confidence of who you are in Christ aren't from God. Let's commit today to renew our mind with the Word of God each day, and replace those worn-out, deceitful lies with Truth.
Dear Lord, thank You for Your life-giving truth. Please fill me with Your Word so that I can live in freedom and confidence! In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Friends in Action

2011-07-22T03:30:00.003-07:00

This was in my email this morning and it made me think about what kind of friend I am. Enjoy!!!

Friends in Action
by Marybeth Whalen

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13 (NIV)

What makes a good friend? Someone who runs errands for you when you're sick? Who takes your kids off your hands when you need a break? Who sits with you over a cup of coffee and listens? Someone you can count on to see the latest chick flicks with you? Someone who challenges you to be a better wife, mother, and follower of God?

In each of these examples, we see friendship taking an active form. As I have studied the Bible, I see three instances of friendship in action. Job 2:11-13 shows us how Job's friends came to help him as he faced hardship. Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar dropped everything to go comfort their friend — even if it was just to sit silently beside him. They knew that just their presence and willingness to listen would comfort him.

Acts 28:15 gives us a glimpse into how just the sight of trusted friends can encourage us. Paul's friends heard he was coming so they traveled a great distance to greet him. For Paul this was a huge blessing. Sometimes just knowing someone is willing to make an effort on your behalf will put wind in your sails. I love that Paul first thanked God for his friends. I want to remember, like he did, that friends are a gift from God.

Acts 12:12-19 tells us how Peter's friends couldn't be with him because he was imprisoned. But that didn't stop them from doing what they could. They gathered together to pray. The King James Version of Acts 12:5 says that they were literally praying "without ceasing." These friends knew that corporate prayer was an action they could take on behalf of their friend who needed them.

Whether we physically go to our friend's side or spiritually partner with them in prayer, we can look to these examples from the Bible as to how to be friends in action.

In a society that is more and more driven to social media, texting, and emailing as a way to stay connected, we cannot overlook what taking physical action in real time can mean. We can be active in faith, in love, in joy, in kindness. We choose to act because we understand that we are God's hands and feet to those He puts in our lives. Yes, it takes extra effort, time, and even money to be an active friend. But the blessings outweigh the effort as we live according to the examples God has given us.

Dear Lord, help me to be a friend who takes action. When You lay someone on my heart, help me to feel a sense of urgency to move on their behalf. Help me to follow these Biblical examples and be a friend in action, not just in thought. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Listen to Today's P31 Radio Show

She Makes It Look Easy by Marybeth Whalen.

A Life That Says Welcome, Simple Ways to Open Your Heart & Home to Others by Karen Ehman

Application Steps:
Look up the passages that were discussed in today's devotion and read them for yourself. Jot down any thoughts in your journal about the kind of friend you would like to have, and the kind of friend you would like to be.

Reflections:
Is God asking me to be a friend to someone that takes more effort than I want to give? How will I respond?

I'll continue praying for my good friend and won't give up! Today I'll persevere in prayer that God will provide for that special friend.

Power Verses:
Acts 24:23, "He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard but to give him some freedom and permit his friends to take care of his needs." (NIV)

Job 42:10, "After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before." (NIV)

© 2011 by Marybeth Whalen. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries
616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road
Matthews, NC 28105
www.Proverbs31.org

Fire Sale!!!!

2011-07-07T14:53:00.006-07:00

Thought that might get your attention. We are adjusting to a teacher's salary and need to sell some things to get through this summer.

Here is a list of things we are selling:

Verizon Smart Phone - LG Vortex, Purple, Android Froyo I believe - This was my phone, but I am downgrading to something simpler and less costly. It is in great condition, has a screen protector plus a couple extra if you need to replace the one on it. It also has a red cover and a clear cover that I purchased. It includes the box and the charger. To buy it new without a contract it retails for $309.99. I am asking $100 or best offer. This includes the two covers and the screen protectors. I will reset this to the factory settings so it will be like new. The phone is 8 months old.

Nook Color, Black/Gray Cover, Screen Protector, Charger. The Nook Color retails for $249.99, I am asking $200 or best offer for it all. I will reset this to the factory settings so it will be like new. This was purchased in March 2011.

Treadmill-$40.00 o.b.o.

Recumbant Exercise Bike - practically brand new, used a few times, purchased May 15th for $149.99, asking $100 o.b.o.

You can email me at manning.donna@gmail.com or hit me up on facebook if interested in any of these items.

Thanks

Say What????

2011-04-21T10:39:00.001-07:00

"Haughtiness goes before destruction; humility precedes honor." Proverbs 18:12

You can never be too small for God to use, but you can be too big. The way up is down. As the Scriptures say, "God sets himself against the proud, but he shows favor to the humble." James 4:6

Peter had learned quite a lesson on humility. His words are wise: "So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in his good time he will honor you." 1 Peter 5:6

The Amplified version translates this well, "Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you."

God will use humble-hearted men and women. "Fear of the LORD teaches a person to be wise; humility precedes honor." Proverbs 15:33

Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430) shared some great insight on humility, he said, "Do you wish to be great? Then begin by being humble. Do you desire to construct a vast and lofty fabric? Think first about the foundations of humility. The higher your structure is to be, the deeper must be its foundation."

Salvation, can you lose it?

2011-04-20T11:12:00.005-07:00

Do you believe once saved always saved? Or do you think it is possible to walk away from God and lose your salvation? And what verses do you have to support what you believe?

Here She is.....

2011-04-13T19:30:00.003-07:00

We still have not settled on a name for this sweet little girl. None the less we are in love with her.

A New Addition to Our Family

2011-04-12T20:43:00.002-07:00

We got a puppy today. I will post pics and introduce her tomorrow.

Thank You!!!

2011-01-16T16:54:00.006-07:00

Whew...we have almost made it. We are counting down the days until Brien's first paycheck since December 1st. To say the least things have been crazy over here. We found out that the reason Brien has not received his unemployment is because we were suppose to return some forms that we never got. So they are re-issuing us the forms and then once they get them, we will be receiving unemployment for the weeks that Brien was out of work. This may take some time, but at least we know what is going on. Praise the Lord.

I can honestly say that it has been a time to put my total trust in God, I knew that God would take care of us, I just didn't know how it was going to turn out. Fortunately, His plan did not include us living out of our van, He chose to use people to take care of us during this time, so I would like to thank all of those who have helped us during this time and were willing to be used by God to bless our family and encourage our hearts.

Brien's mom and step-dad, I don't know what we would have done if it wasn't for them.

Our kids, who gave as much as they could from whatever source they got it from, including Christmas money. The amazing thing is that they never complained about it and gave it without us even asking for it. Don't worry kids we are keeping tabs and you will get paid back.

My brother and his wife for giving us a special Christmas gift.

Our landlords for being understanding during this time and showing us such grace.

Catholic services for paying our electric bill so that we weren't in the dark, they also gave us food, which has helped incredibly. It's hard when you do not belong to a big Church family that has the resources to help. Many churches require that you attend their church and I understand that they don't want to be taken advantage of.

For a dear sister in Christ who told Brien about a position that had opened up at Rosefield, and encouraged him to go for it. Thanks for thinking of him.

For some precious other believers from our old church that God used to bless us during this time who gave out of love for our family.

For all of you who prayed for us...thank you!

Thank you all for your generosity and prayers it will not be forgotten.

Love,

The Mannings

In Tune

2011-01-07T09:46:00.004-07:00

This really met me where I am at. Please continue to pray for our family, especially for our finances. We have yet to receive any money from unemployment for the time Brien was out of work and Brien has not received his first paycheck from his new job. I know God is in control and who am I to worry but none the less I find myself worrying and then quickly and quite often having to turn it back over to God to take care of.

Thanks,
Donna

In Tune
by T. Suzanne Eller

"I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O Lord, I will make music."
Psalm 101:1 (ESV)

Devotion:
God seems to do an incredible amount of things for people, almost like a personal valet. "I found the perfect pair of shoes on sale," someone once told me. "It's like God knew I needed that little boost." Or the time that God helped another person find their glasses. They prayed and "poof" they found them.

This sometimes makes me question. How is it that people give God credit for helping them find shoes on sale, or that really great parking spot, and yet other people suffer? Loved ones get hit with disease. Financial problems cause sleepless nights. A hurricane hits Haiti as they struggle to overcome the effects of a devastating earthquake.

Maybe you too have pondered such things. Maybe it's caused you to question how much God loves His creation.

God is deeply interested in and intimately involved with us according to verses such as this one: "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing" (Zephaniah 3:17).

The fact that God allows you to find that perfect-for-you little blessing one day, and come down with the flu the next doesn't negate His love for you. God's song plays strong and consistent over you, regardless of the good times or the hard times. His individual notes dance around us, inviting us to find Him, and then to find our part in His song.

Living in harmony with God, and finding our note in His song can compel us to look for ways to reach out to others who are needing to hear Him sing over them in their suffering. I also believe it can help us live in joy despite our circumstances. And I believe living out those notes will lead us to live lives of peace, even when times are not peaceful.

Today, let's close our eyes and open our hearts as we listen for our God singing over us. And let's take the time, eyes still closed, to imagine what it would look like for us to live in tune with Him.

Dear Lord, You do care about the intimate details. Just like the sparrow, You feed us; just like the lily, you clothe us in beauty. Father, for that I am immensely grateful. Help me to stay in tune with You and not stridently sing my own song over top You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Forget to Remember

2010-12-27T09:56:00.002-07:00

As I sit here worrying about tomorrow(and today), wondering how God is going to pull this one off or maybe not(my lack of faith inserted here along with my wild imagination of what ifs), this pops up into my email. What timing! I sure needed this reminder...now only to put it into practice. God is good, He will see us through this and may He get all the glory!!!

Donna

Forget to Remember
by Marybeth Whalen
"Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits --"
Psalm 103:2a (NIV)
Devotion:
Sometimes it is hard to accept that God can bring about His purposes through our trials. It is hard to see past our circumstances to a future that, for us, doesn't exist yet. But God is not constrained by time. He is not reined in by our circumstances. Because of this, we have to trust that our limited perspective simply can not process His higher purpose.
There is a temptation during these times to wrestle back the control from Him, telling Him through our actions that He can't be trusted. We say to Him, "I got this one, God."
David writes of this tendency in Psalm 103:2, "Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all His benefits" (emphasis mine). David knew that he had to remind himself not to forget what the Lord had done for him—and what He would do for him in the future. Like the rest of us, David struggled with remembering that God has a purpose in every trial, and a benefit waiting for those who will persevere.
I remember a time I ran impulsively ahead of the Lord because I didn't want to wait on His answer. We were in need of a computer and had a little money we could spend. Since we were in the stages of still paying off debt, it was money that could have been spent elsewhere. As I prayed about this decision, I felt God telling me to wait on this purchase. "God," I responded, "we can't wait any longer. We need a computer." I couldn't understand why He would tell me to wait, so I moved ahead with our plans to buy a computer.
I had wrestled the control back once again.
About a month after we got this new computer, my mom called me to ask if we still needed a computer. "Well, no," I told her, "we bought one already. Why?" She went on to explain that her friends were getting rid of a nearly new computer because they had decided to buy a laptop. Did we want it? In that moment I felt God remind me, "I told you to wait."
Even though this was difficult, it was a very powerful lesson that I have not forgotten. We ended up with two computers— but were minus a large chunk of money (that could have gone to paying off debt) invested in an unnecessary computer. God used this lesson to teach me that I have to wait on His purpose to be accomplished. When I do, my financial journey becomes intertwined with my spiritual one. This is part of growing in faith as we simultaneously grow in our relationship with Him. I can't forget to remember what He's done in the past, or I won't be able to cling to His promises for the future.
Dear Lord, I don't have this one. But You do. Help me to trust fully in You. Please bring to mind the things I can remember that will comfort me as I wait on You to act on my behalf in the future. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Merry Christmas!!!

2010-12-22T22:17:00.000-07:00

Job Update!!!

2010-12-18T19:10:00.003-07:00

Here is the latest at the Manning's house: I am no longer working at the video store, they fired the manager who hired me, so therefore, I would have to under go the full hiring process again. I decided it wasn't worth all the garbage for what they were paying me. So I kindly declined. I may look for another job, but will wait until after the new year.

The big news is Brien will be starting his new job in January. He will be the art teacher at a local charter school. We are so excited that he will be doing something he loves and we get medical benefits, something we haven't had in years. God is so good. The day Brien was let go from his job, the art teacher resigned at the school where some of our friends work. It was totally God ordained. There is no other explanation. I don't believe in coincidences to that degree. He also has been approved for unemployment, so he can collect for the time he is off.

I hope this finds everyone in good health.

Merry Christmas!!!

Donna and the rest of the Manning Family

December Update #2

2010-12-13T23:55:00.002-07:00

Just thought I would give an update to our last update. LOL!

Brien went to the doctor today and his blood pressure is doing much better, praise God. He is still unemployed, but is persuing unemployment until something comes his way. In the meantime, I was able to get hired back on at the video store I worked at a few years ago. It is 69¢ Video, you should come and see me sometime. Libby and Caty are also looking for work, I'm really hoping Caty can find something. She has been getting some work helping with some face painting and also babysitting, but it would be nice for her to find something a little more steady.

On a more solemn note, my step father Jim passed away on December 13th from lung cancer. He survived my mom by 3 and a half years. It brings up so many emotions for me, so I ask for your prayers.

I will keep you all posted on the job front,
Donna

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2010-11-25T07:53:00.003-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!! Hope you all have a wonderful day with your family and friends. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!!!!

Psalm 145

A psalm of praise of David.

¹ I will exalt you, my God and King,
and praise your name forever and ever.
² I will praise you every day;
yes, I will praise you forever.
³ Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
No one can measure his greatness.

⁴ Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts;
let them proclaim your power.
⁵ I will meditate^b on your majestic, glorious splendor
and your wonderful miracles.
⁶ Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue;
I will proclaim your greatness.
⁷ Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness;
they will sing with joy about your righteousness.

⁸ The Lord is merciful and compassionate,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
⁹ The Lord is good to everyone.
He showers compassion on all his creation.
¹⁰ All of your works will thank you, Lord,
and your faithful followers will praise you.
¹¹ They will speak of the glory of your kingdom;
they will give examples of your power.
¹² They will tell about your mighty deeds
and about the majesty and glory of your reign.
¹³ For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.
You rule throughout all generations.

The Lord always keeps his promises;
he is gracious in all he does.^c]">[c]
¹⁴ The Lord helps the fallen
and lifts those bent beneath their loads.
¹⁵ The eyes of all look to you in hope;
you give them their food as they need it.
¹⁶ When you open your hand,
you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.
¹⁷ The Lord is righteous in everything he does;
he is filled with kindness.
¹⁸ The Lord is close to all who call on him,
yes, to all who call on him in truth.
¹⁹ He grants the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cries for help and rescues them.
²⁰ The Lord protects all those who love him,
but he destroys the wicked.

²¹ I will praise the Lord,
and may everyone on earth bless his holy name
forever and ever.

The Formula

2010-11-18T08:10:00.002-07:00

I could have written this article myself even down to the ages of the kids....

This is so true,
Donna

The Formula
by Lysa TerKeurst

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..." Romans 12:2a (NIV)

Devotion:
When I was a young mom, I was desperate for a formula. I truly thought there must be a formula I could plug my family into that would yield great kids. And there were plenty of moms that tried to convince me they had the formula.

"Bottle feed and never let them sleep in your bed."

"Breastfeed until they are 3 and give them the security of sleeping between you and your husband every night."

"Don't ever send them to pre-school. It will be detrimental to their social development."

"Send them to pre-school right away - it's crucial for their social development."

"TV is good."

"TV is bad."

"They must read by age 5."

"Let them take their time learning to read. You'll ruin their love for books if you force them."

"Step in and model healthy conflict resolution when they argue with their siblings."

"Let them handle things on their own."

"Be there 24/7 for your kids."

"Don't be a helicopter mom. Give your kids room to discover who they are without you hovering over them."

Seriously, it's a wonder we moms figure anything out with all the conflicting information and advice we get. I spent the first five years of motherhood convinced I was messing my kids up beyond repair. And it wasn't for lack of trying. Heavens no. I was serious about gathering every morsel of information I could and trying with all my might to decode "the formula."

Well, here's the deal. I now have kids ranging in ages from 22 to 11 and this is my very best advice in regards to the formula. There isn't one.

There is no perfect parenting formula. What works for one kid may not work for another. The seemingly perfect algorithm one family follows could be disastrous for another.

We weren't made to follow formulas. We were made to follow Jesus. Period.

This is true with parenting but it's also true with every other aspect of our lives as well. We were made to follow Jesus' lead in our marriages, our jobs, our ministries, our churches, our friendships, our everything.

In Romans 12:2 Paul so powerfully reminds us, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing, and perfect will."

We weren't made to be robotic followers of this world's formulas. We were made to be transformed into the unique person God appointed to fulfill the assignments set before us. So, on a practical level what does this look like?

It's a simple woman who humbly acknowledges how much she doesn't know about life and readily admits how much she needs Jesus. Not just in spiritual sense...this woman needs Jesus in every way. All throughout her day, she can be heard whispering heart-felt pleas to her Jesus saying, "Show me the way, show me the way, show me the way."

And as she does this, she loosens her grip on all the formulas thrown at her and courageously embraces His gentle voice behind her saying, "This is the way, now walk in it" (Isaiah 30:21).

Dear Lord, help me to follow You and You alone - not a pre-planned formula. Help me to see that I need You more than anything today. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Greater Love

2010-10-05T21:34:00.004-07:00

I related to this so much I had to share. When I was growing up we moved anywhere from 1 to 5 times every year. Only starting and finishing at the same school twice in my whole school career. Because of this I struggle with the whole friendship thing, not quite sure how it works long term. I wouldn't quite go so far as to say I am a friendship killer as much as friendship illiterate.

Donna

Greater Love
by Luann Prater

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
John 15:13 (NIV)

Devotion:
I'm a killer. Yes, you read that right. I'm laying it out there and admitting it. Although, it's probably not what you think ... I've been a friendship-killer for much of my life.

I've wondered if it is from my dysfunctional home life as a kid. We moved annually, which meant a different school every year until I was a teenager. For an extremely shy girl this was terrifying. Dread and cold sweats came the night before I had to face another new classroom, new stares, new whispers and new giggles.

The layers built up; I figured it didn't really matter if classmates liked me because I probably wouldn't be there long anyway. Occasionally I would open up just a bit. Then Mom would say, "Pack up," and along with the boxes, my heart would seal up too.

It just hurt too much to hope that friendships could ever last. I was certain they couldn't, so I killed them before they ever developed deep. End it now before I'm too invested, was my mindset.

Maybe you know exactly what I'm talking about. We can fool ourselves into thinking that we don't need to open up and risk the pain of rejection or the devastation of potential loss.

Girlfriend, let me tell you what I discovered. The apostle John paints a portrait of a warm, real Jesus. Through that portrait Jesus reached out to me. He came into my heart and at that moment the love of the Savior began changing my life. I now have a greater love. I have found the same living water that Jesus offered to the woman at the well in the gospel of John.

It's been a spring welling up to eternal life! And I've discovered that when you begin to live that effervescent life, it becomes contagious! The joy that bubbles up from the inside cannot be hidden. Others are drawn to you and wonder how you can have joy in all circumstances.

And then it happens. Friendships develop. The old me would shut down, walk away or sabotage a relationship. I just didn't think I had what it takes to keep a friendship alive and healthy. And I don't, but God does. The new me embraces friends!

Maybe you've struggled with friendships. God crossed our paths today on purpose. He is asking us to take a risk. Let your guard down and love, as He loved us.

Dear Lord, thank You for loving me and teaching me how to welcome friends into my life with a greater love. Open my mind to see beyond myself today and take the risk of relationships built on You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Being Busy at Home

2010-09-28T15:10:00.006-07:00

“Homeworking--being a full-time wife and mother--is not a destructive drought
of usefulness but an overflowing oasis of opportunity; it is not a dreary cell to
contain one’s talents and skills but a brilliant catalyst to channel creativity and
energies into meaningful work; it is not a rope for binding one’s productivity in
the marketplace, but reigns for guiding one’s posterity in the home; it is not
oppressive restraint of intellectual prowess for the community, but a release of
wise instruction to your own household; it is not the bitter assignment of
inferiority to your person, but the bright assurance of the ingenuity of God’s
plan for the complementarity of the sexes, especially as worked out in God’s
plan for marriage; it is neither limitation of gifts available nor stinginess in
distributing the benefits of those gifts, but rather the multiplication of a mother’s
legacy to the generations to come and generous bestowal of all God meant a
mother to give to those He entrusted to her care.” Dorothy Patterson

Here is a link to a great message to encourage all stay at home moms. Click here for the mp3. There is also a pdf file that goes with it, you can download it by clicking here. I hope you enjoy the message, I'm sure some will not agree.

Oh yeah, I think I should mention that the following presented by Sovereign Grace Ministries and if you like this audio you can download the whole series at their website for free. Just follow this link to get the mp3s and the pdfs. If for some reason this doesn't work, let me know and I will help you out.

The speaker's name is Carolyn Mahaney and she is an awesome speaker and encourager.

God bless,
Donna

Living as an Alien

2010-09-24T09:02:00.002-07:00

This was taken from parentingbydesign.com daily email devotion.

1 Peter 2:11-12: "Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us" (NIV).

Sometimes, we go to great lengths to avoid receiving the "tourist" label when we travel, but it usually doesn't take long before someone asks us where we're from. The way we talk, dress and act are clues that identify us with our home.

This passage reminds us that, as Christians, our citizenship is not of this world. Christ calls us to act in a way that reflects our heavenly citizenship, but sometimes we blend in with the culture so well no one would dream of calling us "tourists".

As Christians, our customs and values should be remarkably different from the world. They should be reflected in our words and actions and displayed in our parenting. Sometimes we'll feel like aliens. Eyebrows may be raised when we say "no" to inappropriate movies or provocative clothes. Maybe someone will be intrigued by your family's "unusual" customs and values.

Shouldn't your family's lifestyle reflect your citizenship?

Visit us at parentingbydesign.com for more resources and updates to help you parent by God's perfect design.

Letter from Caty.

2010-08-08T23:08:00.003-07:00

Dear Family and Friends,

I hope all is well. As some of you might not know, my faith family has been supporting an orphanage of 20 kids in Kisii, Kenya. We provide them with clothes, food, school supplies etc. We also donated plenty of livestock for these kids to raise and provide food for themselves. Along the way I now have the opportunity to go on a two week mission trip to visit our ministry in Uganda (Remember the Poor) and then help plaster the walls of our orphanage's dorms in Kisii.

I feel strongly that God is moving me to proclaim the truth to other countries. Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted among the earth!" And I am compelled to live by this.

I will need help. My funds to make this a possibility are out of my reach on my own. As I know God will provide, but God uses people to help His children. And I want to help His children in Africa and the other places He will lead me. This trip will cost me $3,500 alone. These funds will pay for absolutely everything. (Airfare, vaccinations, food, passport). My deadline is the end of September. I will also be needing A LOT of prayer. Prayer that I reach my goal (God willing), prayer for my team and their safety, and prayer for our ministry and our kids' health.

Thank you for your love, prayer, and support.
Jesus loves you,
Catherine Lee Manning. <3

Busyness

2010-05-17T11:22:00.002-07:00

This is taken from an email I received from parentingbydesign.com . I need to remember this:

Mark 6:30-31: The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest" (NIV).

Even though the apostles were busy doing the work of the Kingdom, Jesus recognized their need for rest and made sure they set some quiet time aside to replenish their bodies and souls. What a great lesson for us! When our days are scheduled tightly, we leave no margin for error and any unexpected hindrance is magnified. This creates unnecessary stress and can leave everyone irritable and exhausted. In a culture that glorifies activity, achievement, and "busyness", it can be hard to slow down the pace of our lives and the lives of our children. It takes wisdom to prioritize our activities and risk feeling "left out" of the mainstream. Are there areas where you or your children's lives might be over scheduled?

Make it a priority to provide time for rest and relaxation for everyone in your family... including yourself!

Driving myself uncrazy.... :-)

2010-05-15T15:43:00.004-07:00

This is why I am excited about driving, even though I am still not driving alone. I feel like this past week of driving almost everyday has been a very good start to me finally being able to drive alone in the very near future. The following is what I blogged about back in September of 2008. Donna

Posted originally on September 19, 2008 by Donna
I had my first anxiety attack at the age of 15. I didn’t know what was happening, all of a sudden my heart was racing 500 miles an hour and I couldn’t breathe. My dad rushed me to the hospital where they monitored me for a few hours and then gave me some Valium to relax me. That was my first anxiety attack. For the next few years I would have them occasionally and I really didn’t think much about it. I lived a normal life, going to school, working and doing everything a normal teenage girl would do.

After Alex was born in 1989 I had postpartum depression, but figured it was just normal for someone going through so many changes all at once. Getting married, moving into our own apartment, and having a baby all at the age of 19. Shortly after the postpartum left, I started having full blown anxiety attacks and ocd symptoms. I was afraid of germs, food, and things being tainted. Brien became my food tester.

I still deal with some of this. If something even remotely looks like it has been tampered with I will throw it away. The list goes on with rituals that I must go through to do certain things. Mostly these things involve things that go into my body. Medication for example. Before I will take anything prescribed or over the counter I will read the packaging in detail. If it is from a pharmacy I will go online and make sure the pharmacist filled the prescription correctly, I will compare the pills in my bottle with the picture online. If it doesn’t look the same I will call the pharmacy. So far they haven’t ever goofed up.

There has been periods of time where my anxiety hasn’t been as bad, but no real reprieve from it. It is very tiring, all that worrying for nothing. I have died at least 5 million times over the last 19 years, just ask Brien, the poor guy will confirm this. I know as an outsider this all sounds crazy, even to me it does but that doesn’t stop my brain from causing irrational thoughts and sensations in my body.

As the years progressed it has gotten better in some areas and worse in others, I do not like wide open spaces. I have trouble crossing the street by myself, so if I walk really close to you when crossing the street or grab your arm it is my way of dealing with this issue. I remember one of the most humiliating times of my life. I was picking up pictures from Olan Mills. I got to the curb of the parking lot and could not for the life of me get across the street. I actually had to ask a stranger to cross the street with me. I got in my car and cried the whole way home. I also do not like parks. I do not mind them if I can find a building or tree to stand under, but my days of running in the park or flying a kite are long gone. It is sad, one of my favorite things to do as a kid was to spin around real fast and then lay down on my back and watch the world spin. The thought of doing that now makes me hyperventilate to say the least.

I got my driver’s license when I was 17, I would have had it the day I turned 16, but my mom would not sign for me because I was living with my dad. Finally at 17 and a half she signed over custody to my dad and I got my driver’s license. I loved driving. I would drive everywhere by myself any time of the day or night. I was definitely not a home body. Even after getting married, I continued to be the one who always drove. I chalked it up to the major car accident I was in at 13 and that I felt I had to be in control of my situation at all times. Brien didn’t mind, in fact he preferred me to drive.

Over the last 8 years I started having trouble driving especially by myself. I started having rituals with my driving as well. I never liked being first at a light and I always wanted to be behind someone. I dealt with it and I still was the one driving. Then in January of 2005, I got lost out on the 303, my cell phone wouldn’t work and I started panicking. Finally after turning around, my cell phone worked and I was able to call my dad who talked me through it. Once I was in familiar territory I was fine.

After this incident it seemed my anxiety started to spin out of control, I quit my job in May of 2005. That was probably the worst thing I could have done. By July of 2005 I could hardly even get in a car without having an anxiety attack. The only good thing that came out of this time period is that I relied on my dad a lot more. My dad lived with us and Brien worked nights, so my Dad and I would go to the grocery store together and he would take me wherever I wanted or needed to go. I am thankful for that time, had I been independent I would not have spent so much time with him the last year of his life. We would have the best father-daughter talks. It was great!

Fast forward to now. I have driven a few times with Brien in the car. For a while I only felt comfortable if my dad or Brien was driving, but now I have expanded my drivers list. I even made it to the retreat last year which was a major accomplishment for me. My goal is to be able to drive by myself again by the end of the year. As I type this my heart is beating fast and I am actually shaking. I think it is the whole process of sharing this with the world that is causing me this distress. I will be o.k.

You might ask why I felt like opening up about this situation. I need people to understand where I am coming from. If I act a little strange or have some bizarre behavior I need you to know why. It is a very hard thing to put myself out there, knowing that some might talk and/or reject me because of this. I pray that is not the case.

You may wonder where I put God into this whole thing. I do trust God with my life, I know He knows my future and will not give me anything that I cannot handle. Sometimes I argue with Him about this, but for whatever reason God has allowed this into my life, I still know He is in control. My brain might not always know that but my heart does. I ask for your prayers that God would take this away from me, that I could regain my life and have some normalcy back.

Thanks for listening,
Donna
Agoraphobia
SYMPTOMS
The essential feature of Agoraphobia is anxiety about being in places or situations from which escape might be difficult (or embarrassing) or in which help may not be available in the event of having a Panic Attack or panic-like symptoms.

Agoraphobic fears typically involve characteristic clusters of situations that include being outside the home alone; being in a crowd or standing in a line; being on a bridge; and traveling in a bus, train, or automobile.

A person who experiences agoraphobia avoids such situations (e.g., travel is restricted) or else they endure with significant distress or with anxiety about having a Panic Attack or panic-like symptoms. People with agoraphobia often require the presence of a companion.

Anxiety or phobic avoidance in agoraphobia can not be better accounted for by another mental disorder, such as Social Phobia (e.g., avoidance limited to social situations because of fear of embarrassment), Specific Phobia (e.g., avoidance limited to a single situation like elevators), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (e.g., avoidance of dirt in someone with an obsession about contamination), Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (e.g., avoidance of stimuli associated with a severe stressor), or Separation Anxiety Disorder (e.g., avoidance of leaving home or relatives).

Agoraphobia is generally not diagnosed if Panic Disorder has already been previously diagnosed. As with all mental disorders, the symptoms listed above are not due to the direct physiological effects of a use or abuse of a substance (e.g., alcohol, drugs, medications) or a general medical condition.

Are you a Livingstone??

2010-05-14T10:19:00.003-07:00

This is taken from GraceMail a ministry of Calvary Community Church and Pastor Mark Martin.

"So you see, it isn't enough just to have faith. You must also do good to prove that you have it." James 2:17, TLB

I know you've heard of Stanley and Livingstone. When H. M. Stanley finally found his missionary friend David Livingstone at Ujiji, near the center of the African continent, he said, "I went to Africa as prejudiced as the greatest atheist in London, but when I saw this solitary old man there, I asked myself, 'Why on earth does he stay here? What is it that inspires him?' For months I found myself wondering at him, carrying out all that was commanded in the Bible to leave all things and follow Christ. Seeing his piety, his gentleness, his zeal, his earnestness, little by little my sympathy was aroused. I was converted by him, although he had not tried to change me. It was not Livingstone's preaching that converted me, it was Livingstone's living."

It was the godly life of Christians around me that impressed me that there was something more that I needed in life. Their joy, faith and care for me prepared my heart for hearing what they had to say. Their living led to my listening.

Oh, I want to live like that today, don't you?

*****************************************************************************
Donna's Note: I am thankful for all the Livingstones in my life and hope to be one as well.

Extending Grace

2010-05-05T15:25:00.003-07:00

My mom and I had a few rocky times in our relationship, first in my teen years and then again a few years before she passed away. I am thankful that we had a chance for reconcilliation before she went to be with the Lord. I hope the following will bless you and encourage you to reconcile if possible.

Donna :-)

Extending Grace
Francine Rivers, She Reads Featured Author

"'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" Matthew 22:37-39 (NASB)

Devotion:
Over the past three years, I have looked time and again at a small picture of my mother and grandmother together before they were estranged. I dreamed of having my mother and grandmother sitting with me and talking over a cup of coffee while I worked on a novel about the complexities of mother-daughter relationships. Both women were strong Christians who served in their churches. Each of them had a heart for others. And yet, conflicting loyalties dug a chasm between them in their later years.

What caused the estrangement? Quite simply, Dad wanted to retire to Oregon where he and Mom would have a better and more affordable retirement. This meant selling their California property, and the cottage in which Grandma lived. Mom had promised Grandma she could always live with them, and Mom and Dad planned to build the house and then move Grandma up north to join them. In the meantime, Grandma would live in Merced with my aunt. Upon completion of the house, my parents extended the invitation to Grandma to move in with them. They had built the house for possible elder disability: wider halls and doorways, and lower kitchen counters to make it accessible if any of the three of them ended up in a wheelchair.

Grandma refused to come.

Though my parents made numerous trips south to visit her, Grandma never changed her mind. Nor did she ever travel north, not even to visit or see the beautiful home my parents had built. A few years later, Grandma had a stroke. Mom and Dad rushed to be at her side, but Grandma died before they could arrive. Mom grieved deeply. In tears, she said to me, "I think she willed herself to die just so we'd never be able to talk things out." Those words haunt me.

After my mother's death, my brother sorted through the family papers and boxes of pictures. We talked about Mom and Grandma's relationship. I told him how I wished they had worked things out and could have loved one another the way they did in the picture he had sent. My brother believed the picture indicated they had. My aunt, on the other hand, felt certain Grandma never forgave Mom.

I look at their faces now as I write this. I see how they leaned into one another. Their lips are relaxed and curved, their eyes shining. And I pray whatever grievances Grandma held so tightly, she relinquished in the end. God can work right up to our last breath. Of this I am certain: Grandma believed in Jesus. So did Mom. I hold to Jesus' promise that He would not lose a single one who belonged to Him.

Yet, having seen their earthly pain, I do not want to make the same mistakes with my daughter. I want to share my life with her, offer my experience and hope - and, above all, my faith in the God who will watch over and guide her, and fulfill the plan He has for her life. In order to encourage, I will say often, "I love you." "You are God's gift to me." "You are a daughter of the King of kings."

Dear Lord, I thank You for the mother and grandmother You gave me. I thank You for the lessons they taught me. You have a plan for each of us, Lord, and it is a plan to build up our faith and not tear us down. I love You, Father. I trust You. I rest in You. In the name of Your precious Son, Jesus, I pray, Amen.

Are you suffering???

2010-03-27T10:57:00.001-07:00

This is from GraceMail..Pastor Mark Martin. It spoke volumes to me. I hope it blesses you as well. Donna

"So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you." 1 Peter 4:19

The NASB puts it: "Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right."

The word "entrust" is a banker's term and means to deposit. The Apostle is saying "let's take your life and let's deposit it in to the Father's hands. Let's stop carrying ourselves and living like we don't have a Daddy; living like we're orphans. Let's stop that nonsense and begin living like we have a faithful Creator." We have a faithful Father who is doing what is right in our lives.

In our home, we're going through trouble; Leslie isn't getting better, she is getting worse. It's rough watching someone you love suffer. It's rough on her to suffer as well. But you know, we're both convinced that God is doing what's right. I surely wouldn't have chosen this! When we got married, we never expected this. It's the pits! I'd be a basket case if I wasn't a believer. We've deposited our souls into God's hands and told Him, "This is Your life, Lord." It's not a one-time act though, because as she gets a little worse, I still struggle with it. I think, "No, Lord! I don't want to accept it! I wish I could confess it away by saying, 'I don't receive this!'" I know it's not sin in her life. I know it's not judgment from God. It's the will of God.

You're going to have trouble in life. You're going to have pain; perhaps your children will have pain. It may be that you're never going to make any money or get out of the neighborhood you're in. It may be that your marriage isn't going to get better; it may be that your marriage won't be healed. It may be that you're never going to meet Mr. or Mrs. Right.

Deposit your life into the hands of a Creator who is faithful.

Let's pray:

"Lord, I thank you for the Word. Oh, Lord, there are days we wish that You would promise skies of blue, sun without rain, and peace without pain, but You don't promise that. What You do promise is strength for today, light for the day, help from above, and You're undying love. Right now, Lord, we would like to make one great big deposit into the Heavenly ATM. We'd like to deposit our souls into Your hands. Lord, give us the ability to spiritually let go and to stop fighting. Help us to trust You. In Jesus' Name, Amen."

In response to: Another great GRACEmail by Pastor Mark

2010-03-10T09:34:00.001-07:00

Here is an orphan that you can help today. This is John. He is an orphan in Kisii, Kenya. John is 3 years old and loves to play games. Click here If you are interested in finding out how to sponsor John or another child in his orphanage.

Thank you,

Donna

Another great GRACEmail from Pastor Mark Martin

2010-03-10T09:29:00.001-07:00

"Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you." James 1:27

There is a whole lot of "law" in the world. There are 613 laws in the Old Testament. The United States has thousands of laws. We can't possibly know how many laws there are.

This just came out in World Magazine: What book has 75,613 pages which no one has read completely, but its contents cost the nation hundreds of billions of dollars? The answer is the Federal Register, which lists the rules and regulations that businesses and citizens of the United States must follow. The Cato Institute, in a study called "The 10,000 Commandments," reports that the Register continues to grow under the Bush administration with federal agencies issuing 4,167 new rules last year. The unreadable book had nearly 74,258 pages in the final year of the Clinton administration, and now it is up to 75,613 rules. The estimated cost of all these arcane rules to business and their customers is $860 billion dollars or five times the current projected budget deficit.

Wow! Law is expensive. How on earth could we possibly keep that many laws? God says that no one keeps all the law. Someone came up to Jesus and asked, "What is the great commandment, Lord?" He was thinking that there were 613 laws. Jesus said, "The first of all the commandments is: …'And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." Mark 12:29-31, NKJV

The great commandment is this: If you want to fulfill the Law, love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. That summarizes it all, Jesus said. The law for human relationships for a Christian is to love your neighbor as yourself. Live that out!

"Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress [That is loving your neighbor as yourself] and refusing to let the world corrupt you [That is loving the Lord your God with all of you heart, soul and strength]." Very practically, James is saying that he doesn't care so much whether or not you're technically theologically absolutely right. He wants to see it lived out in your life because, you can "talk" it, but can you "walk" it? Can you live it? He said, "Let's get really down to earth. The most basic thing you have to do is to help those in need."

None of us are immune to this....and it can be deadly

2010-02-10T08:49:00.005-07:00

This was taken once again from GRACEmail by Pastor Mark Martin.

Proverbs 18:17 says this: "Any story sounds true until someone tells the other side and sets the record straight." (TLB)

It's really true that some people will believe anything if it's whispered to them. People can spread groundless conspiracy theories and gossip. Internet rumors and unsubstantiated stories whirl around the globe, and very few people check their validity. Have you ever passed those kinds of things on?

The sin of gossip is one that we cover up with phrases like, "I'd just like to share this with you." "Let's pray for..." "I'm really concerned about…" "The Lord's put on my heart to…" and all this baloney that's really just a cover-up for the sin of gossip.

"I'VE GOT SOMETHING TO TELL SOMEBODY BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY, REALLY JUICY!"

Really?

Proverbs 15:28: "The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking; the mouth of the wicked overflows with evil words."

Some people wake up in the morning and just have to have their "fix" of getting on the telephone and gossiping. It's sin. People need to repent and turn away from this sin.

Do you know the difference between a gossip, a bore, and a brilliant conversationalist?

A gossip is someone who talks to you about somebody else.

A bore is someone who talks to you about themselves.

A brilliant conversationalist is someone who talks to you about you.

Outnumbered and Overwhelmed

2010-02-05T16:33:00.004-07:00

This was in my mailbox this morning and I needed to hear it. I have been having anxiety attacks the last few days and need to remember that God loves me and He has my back.

Donna :-)

Judges 7:7: The Lord said to Gideon, "With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands" (NIV).

The Midianite army of 135,000 badly outnumbered the Israelites, who only had 32,000 men ready for battle. But even that was too many. God instructed Gideon to reduce his army to only 300 men! Before the battle, Gideon worshipped God and then divided his men into three companies. Their weapons were only trumpets and empty jars with torches inside them!

God wanted Israel to know that victory does not depend on strength or numbers, but on obedience and commitment to Him. As proof, the Midianite army fell before them without the Israelites drawing a single sword.

What in your life seems too hard to conquer? "Midianites" sometimes come in the form of parenting challenges when we feel outnumbered and overwhelmed. Whatever you're facing, remember that the battle is God's. Don't let fear overcome your faith. But like Gideon, remember that we are never prepared to do battle until we bow in worship to God.

Make your choice for faith and trust that God will fight for you.

Words from today's Gracemail by Pastor Mark

2010-01-31T01:16:00.005-07:00

Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing." Proverbs 12:18

Words are important. The words we speak can have incredible potential for good. Our words can nourish life, or our words can kill. Think of how words have effected the world. Sermons are made out of words. For two thousand years now, by the power of God's Spirit, words spoken from the Word of God have transformed many lives. God didn't just choose to have us bump our heads together and have thoughts go through each other's craniums! He decided to use our mouth and to use communication. It's pretty incredible, isn't it?

In speeches, words have established great nations—bold words, brave words. These words, communicating great ideas, have set people's hearts on fire and have overturned tyrannical governments and changed the world! Words! Words little children hear communicate love and security that will bless them the rest of their lives.

Words can also be used to perpetrate horrendous evil, can't they? Words of hate have raised dictators to power. Words of gossip and slander have destroyed years of reputation. Lying words can dupe millions. Sarcastic words or words that put children down can be like a brand on that child's brain, and the rest of their lives they hear those mean words that were said to them. They were made fun of, and now they see themselves like that the rest of their lives unless the Lord really intervenes. When the Lord intervenes, you can see who you really are in Christ. That's the most important thing—what God thinks about you.

*********

Lord forgive me for using my words in such a way that they might hurt others. My prayer is that my words would bring healing.

Donna

Drawn from Water

2010-01-25T10:07:00.005-07:00

There is a tribe in a Africa that has a culture rich in tradition. However, this tribe lives in fear of evil spirits who they believe bring ill fortune to their villages. They use the word “Mingi” to describe persons they consider cursed or otherwise imperfect. Those deemed Mingi face severe consequences, as they believe the presence of these children on their land curses the tribe. Their solution to this perceived threat is to drown Mingi children in the river. Last year, 7 percent of the children in this tribe were associated with Mingi, resulting in the deaths of at least 77 children. If the two other nearby tribes practice the Mingi tradition at the same rate, then combined 3,000 children would have their lives at risk.

Drawn From Water is a Christian ministry that helps save the children from being drown. I know it sounds like some movie out of Hollywood, but it is true. Please take the time to check out their blog at http://www.drawnfromwater.org/ .

Donna

Titus 3:1-12

2010-01-22T15:08:00.006-07:00

Brien shared these verses with me today, with emphasis on the text in bold and extra emphasis on the underlined, and I wanted to pass them on.

1Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 3For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.9But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

Youth Christmas Party

2009-12-19T10:30:00.004-07:00

This year we got the opportunity to spend time with our Youth group (Jr. and Sr. High) from our church.

We enjoyed Christmas Carols from the choir.

My little girl singing soprano.

Our tree with all of the crazy cool white elephant gifts. I have no pictures of Bunco, which I assure you, was absolute chaos. :-)

Settling in for the White Elephant madness.

Libby hams it up with her White Elephant gift, a bag of vending machine balls with little trinkets and junk in it. For some reason I want to throw a boudler hat to her.

Caty chose the redneck, handle-bar mustache.

Day 21

2009-11-21T11:09:00.011-07:00

I have been a bad blogger lately. The problem is, is that I don't really get a chance to be on the computers much because everyone else is always on them. I'm not going to list all the days that I have missed and what I am thankful for, but will start from this day forward and try to keep up with it.

Day 21 - I am thankful for Salvation through Christ alone.

I was raised in the Seventh Day Adventist Church. The church I was raised in was very legalistic. We lived under the law and fear of God's judgement. Our church taught that you could not know that you were saved, that it was based on our works and hopefully when we died our good works would out weigh our bad. Ha! I wasn't stupid, I knew that there was no way my good could ever out weigh my bad and I was a good kid. We had so many things that we weren't allowed to do: have our ears pierced, wear make-up, go to the movies, dance, wear jewelery, eat pork, spend money or do any kind of work on the sabbath, and the list goes on. All of these things would keep us out of heaven for sure. We also lived in fear of the Sunday keepers. We were taught that everyone who went to church on Sunday had the mark of the beast and that one day they would turn against the Sabbath keepers and kill them.

I always loved Jesus and wanted to know that He loved me. When I was little I would play sabbath school with my stuffed animals and dolls and read my Bible all the time. I tried hard to keep the ten commandments, but failed often. When I was baptised at the age of 12, I thought all my sins were washed away. I promised to myself and God that I would never sin again. To my dismay my sister and I got in a fight on the way home from my baptism. I knew I was doomed to fail. When I was 14, I walked away from the church. I knew that there was no way I could please Him and so I stopped trying, well not completely. I would still pray and seek Him, but I knew it was too late for me.

After Alex was born, I started to feel the need to raise Alex with some sort of religion. I knew Jesus was the answer, but I still was under the misconception that I had to earn my salvation. Then when I got pregnant with Caty, I really wanted to go back to church. I had tried a few churches but always had my hangups because of my upbringing.

Then one day this lady that Brien worked with invited us to her house, she told us about the church she went to. It just happened to be right down the street from where we were living at the time. She then persisted that we check it out. I appealed to Brien's love of singing and history. The Bible is full of history, you know. :-) He agreed and we went on a Wednesday night. We knew nothing about the Pastor, not even his name. We dropped Alex off in the nursery and then I proceeded to do my pregnant lady bathroom check. As I was getting ready to check it out, a familiar face from my childhood was walking down the hall. It was Mrs Martin, my seventh grade teacher at the adventist school that I attended. Her and her husband Pastor Martin were asked to leave our church 10 or 11 years earlier. We were told to never talk to them, that they were teaching heresy and had started a cult. She quickly said to please call her Leslie, I reminded her of who I was. I had changed quite a bit since the last time she saw me, when I was eleven. We chatted a bit and then she told me to make sure I said hi to Mark, that he would love to know I was there.

During the service, I was a bit apprehensive. I didn't know what to expect. I was warned that he had started a cult. Everything he taught was straight out of the Bible, there was no need for the prophetess Ellen G. White anywhere. I didn't hear anything that sounded an alarm, in fact he seemed to bring the Bible to life in a way I had never heard before. Brien even enjoyed it. Brien was still an agnostic who believed strongly in evolution and the occult. You can ask him about his testimony later. :-) After service, we met with Pastor Mark and spoke for a while. He gave me some tapes on adventism. I couldn't wait to listen to them.

The next few days I listened to the tapes and watched as my belief system was unraveling before my eyes. Things I believed were in the Bible weren't really there. I was still afraid that maybe I was being deceived by the Martins. Brien agreed to go back on Sunday. Mark had just started teaching in Revelation and that piqued both of our interests. I'm not sure how many services we attended before Brien got saved, I think it was only two, he thinks it was more, but it isn't really important. The important thing is that Brien accepted the Lord. :-)

As for me, it took me a little longer to come to grips with salvation by grace. I listened to more tapes and through Mark's messages on the covenants I came to know Jesus in a more personal way. He became my Lord and Savior through grace. It was very freeing. I now serve God out of gratitude and love for what He has done for me and no longer out of fear that He will reject me one day. I now rest secure in my salvation. Do you?

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

Galatians 2:21 "I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain."

Ephesians 2:8,9 "For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."

To learn more about the SDA church go to www.exadventist.com .
To visit Pastor Mark Martin's Website go to www.calvaryphx.com .

Because He lives,
Donna

30 Days of Thanks ~ Days 1 - 7

2009-11-07T15:31:00.006-07:00

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

O.K., so I know I am way late starting this, but I figure better late than never. So here goes what I am thankful for so far:

Day One: I am thankful that Alex's heart seems to be recovering, we will hopefully know more this month. It is exciting to see his physical heart changing as well as his spiritual heart for the lost and the poor.

Day Two: I am thankful for our dwelling place...you know the place that we hang our hat. I am thankful that God has provided for us a space that is big enough to have lots of friends over.

Day Three: I am thankful for my relationship with Brien. We have had a great year of building on our marriage, it has been awesome to get our priorities in order in this area of our lives. We celebrated 20 years in April, I guess you can say that it's about time. Love you, honey!

Day Four: I am thankful for healing. I went to the Doctor on Wednesday, which is Day 4 of the month. I was given my lab work, everything is looking great. My liver is back to normal, in fact it looks better now than it did back in 2005. My cholesterol is also really good. I never have had a problem with it being high, but I figured because I am almost 40, that it might be higher. It is actually lower now by a few point then in 2005. Thank you Jesus for giving me good genetics. I also believe that He completely healed my liver. I am still anemic, but I can now take vitamins and iron to build my blood back up. I can also take pain relievers for my back, which hasn't quite helped, but this is a thanks post, not a whining post. :-)

Day Five: I am thankful for homeschooling Tommy and Libby. Libby is actually doing AZVA, but I am glad to have her home. Tommy is doing great and I enjoy spending the time with him as well. It was a rough start with me getting hepetitis right at the beginning of the school year. I took lots of naps while kids did their reading assignments.

Day Six: I am thankful for all 4 of my children. They are such a blessing to me. It is neat to watch them grow so much spiritually as we have been going through a study with them called Radical. I have seen their hearts changed for God's kingdom. Alex even believes that the reason he had the heart problem was to keep him out of the military so that he could hear these messages.

Day Seven: I am thankful for faithful teachers who do not compromise the Word of God. We have been blessed with so many of them through the years.

Because He lives,
Donna :-)

Alex turns 20 and other stuff...

2009-10-18T11:52:00.003-07:00

Yikes, Alex is now 20 years old. We celebrated his birthday with some friends and a four layer cake that Brien decorated. I was only 19 when Alex was born, so I he has been a part of my life for more than half my life. I am very thankful for him and am excited to see what God is doing with him. I will post a picture of the cake shortly.

We have been listening to an awesome series called "Radical". Please do not listen to it unless you are ready to take a good hard look at your life. You can listen to the series by clicking on the above link.

Another yikes, is that since the last time I blogged, Caty turned 18. We had a big party for her and I will also be posting some pictures.

Libby is enjoying doing AZVA at home. She went on a scavanger hunt at the mall with others that are doing the program as well.

Homeschooling is going great for Tommy, we have changed it up a bit, even since the beginning of the year. We really enjoy doing Rod and Staff for Science and History. We are trying Alpha & Omega Lifepacks for Language Arts, not so sure if we would do it again. Bob Jones for Math, definitely will not do again. Any suggestions in the math area are welcomed.

God has also brought some awesome friends into our lives and we are enjoying our times of fellowship with them. This is something we have been missing in our lives for a while.

I have been recovering from Hepatits A and now a kidney infection. The last few months have been very hard on me and my family due to this. Please keep us in your prayers and that I would make a full recovery.

Because He lives,
Donna :-)

Grand Opening @ Calvary Chapel Surprise Youth Ministry

2009-08-16T18:38:00.010-07:00

So, this morning was the first day in our new church building. Thanks to Rancho Gabriela Elementary who put up with housing us on Sundays for the last 3.5 years. The following are some photos from today in the Youth room (HS & Jr. High)

Troy led worship, I taught from Hebrews 10:11-39.

We ALSO had a stage signing, where the young men and women got up and shared their favorite verses, prayers and artwork.

It's too bad we have to cover the verses up with carpet, it would be awesome to continue to decorate it on a regular basis. :-)

Reasons to carry a camera ...

2009-08-15T22:37:00.012-07:00

This was shared with me via email, and was just too cute not to share with y'all. God gave us some wonderful little creatures to enjoy. So, enjoy !!!

Whats up with the Mannings?

2009-08-15T11:58:00.004-07:00

You may ask or not. Well, here it is anyway.

Alex went in for his results on Friday. We met with a new doctor because his doctor just had a baby. This doctor was very optimistic, but being that he isn't Alex's regular doctor did not really provide as much information as we would have liked. The good news is that Alex's heart function has gone from 40% to 50%. He can now start doing lite exercise and work if he can find a job doing something where he can sit down and not do anything too physical. That is probably a challenge at this point, most entry level jobs require some sort of physical labor. Pray for him. We are very encouraged by the news. He will meet with his regular doctor in two months if nothing unusual happens.

Libby is busy with friends, church, and school. She is in the ninth grade and doing AZVA. For those of you who don't know, AZVA is a charter school that you do from home. Her electives this year are web design and journalism.

Tommy was going to do AZVA this year, but it seems like a lot of paper pushing in the younger grades, plus, I would rather be more in charge of what he learns. He is in the 5th grade and is excited about the freedom homeschooling grants us as a family. He has a lot of friends that our homeschooled... this helps quite a bit. Here is what he is doing this year for school:

Literature and Bible: Further Up and Further In, He gets to read all the Narnia books (CS Lewis), which he loves. It also incorporates Bible and scripture memory.
Math: Bob Jones 5th Grade
English: Shurley English 5
Science: Rod & Staff 5th Grade
Spelling: Rod & Staff 5th Grade
History: Some from Further Up and Further In, plus we are going to read "The Story of the World" Vol 1.
Geography: Which he will be taking on Thursdays in a homeschool group that our church provides.

Caty is saving up for a laptop and getting ready to turn 18. She is also deciding on what type of schooling she is going to do. She graduated from High School earlier this year.

Brien and I are now serving in the Youth Ministry again, we love it and all of the young people and not-so-young people we get to hang out with. We also tried out Pastor Brett's bible study on Saturday nights and we are planning on making that a part of our regular weekly schedule. We have been going to Calvary Community on Wednesday nights, but now that our church has moved into a building, we will more than likely cut back on that and just attend Youth on Wednesday nights.

Well I must go, our busy Saturday is calling my name. See a lot of you at church tomorrow. I am so excited because tomorrow is the first service in our new building. We have been meeting in a school for the last 4 years. Praise God, He is so good to us!

Donna

Update on Alex

2009-08-06T03:25:00.003-07:00

Thought that might catch your eye, LOL! We are still waiting for the results of the echocardiogram. We should be getting them on the 13th of August. Please pray for peace while we wait.

Thanks,
Donna

I Choose NOT to be Offended

2009-08-06T03:22:00.001-07:00

written by Wendy Blight

"A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense."

Proverbs 19:11 (NIV)

Devotion:

What did she mean by that?

Why does she always hurt my feelings?

Why does she treat me that way?

Do any of these phrases sound familiar to you? It took my 15-year old daughter to show me that these words played through my head on a continual basis. She ended many of our conversations over the last few years with, "Why do you get your feelings hurt so easily?" or "Gosh, Mom, we are always hurting your feelings." Or, "Mom, you're so sensitive." At first, her words angered me.

Over time, I finally began to hear what she was saying. God used my daughter to teach a powerful truth to me. For years, I allowed people's words to hurt my feelings. In turn, I harbored anger for those words. The anger took root. Satan fed the words to me over and over again. I replayed them in my mind. Each time I replayed them, the anger grew deeper roots.

I would find myself sitting in church listening to a sermon and saying, "I wish ______ was here. They really need to hear this sermon." I never heard the sermons for myself because the words of others consumed by thoughts and stole my time.

About this time, God called me to teach a Bible study on the book of Proverbs. I spent days and weeks absorbed in this amazing book of Wisdom. One afternoon, God brought this verse across my path, "A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense" (Proverbs 18:11). Wow! It leapt off the page and into my heart.

I had a choice here. Up until now, I received people's words, jumped to a conclusion, and chose to be offended. God's Word spoke and said, "Wendy, you have another choice...choose to look past their words and not receive them with an offended heart." I discovered that I needed to LISTEN objectively and ask: What is driving their words? Do they have a valid point? Do they have a deep hurt? Do they need something I am not giving? Are they someone who is just plain mean and negative?

The responsibility was on me to stop the words from entering my heart and taking root.

I discovered in this process that I NEEDED the approval of others. Yet, God's Word clearly says that He is the only One whose approval I need. When I accepted this, my heart changed.

Yes, it took time, and I am a work in progress. But, now when someone speaks a hurtful word, I check it at the door of my heart. I hear the words, I recognize my issue, and I speak Truth over my heart. I literally say, "It is to my glory to not receive this as an offense." God is pleased because I honor Him with this choice. It is a win-win for everyone because I do not ruin the rest of the day by pouting and making it all about me. I do not soak in self-pity. I let the words go.

Heavenly Father, thank You that I am created in Your image. Thank You that in You I find my identity. Thank You that it is only Your Words and Your opinion that matters. Lord, give me Your ears to hear. Help me not to be easily offended and easily angered. Help me lay down any offenses to which I am currently holding. Let me live in the freedom of Your love and forgiveness. Help me live not in my flesh, but supernaturally in the fullness and freshness of Your Spirit. I ask this in the powerful name of Jesus Christ, My Lord, Amen.

Back to Blogger

2009-08-01T11:16:00.001-07:00

I personally found that once I moved back to wordpress I quit blogging. I find blogger much easier and I love all of the neato widgets.
You can always find us at www.azmann6.com , so you really don’t have to try to keep up with my OCD.

Love,
Donna

Life

2009-08-01T10:43:00.001-07:00

Things have been crazy. Summer vacation is over and school starts for both Libby and Tommy. We had a very fun summer with lots of friends and late nights. Now to try to get back on a normal schedule of sleeping at night and waking up before noon.

Alex will be getting the results of his echocardiogram on August 9th. We shall see what happens from there. Hopefully we will get some sort of idea of what the future holds for him.

Caty is looking into some type of art school. We haven’t really sat down and taken a look around yet, but we need to do that soon.

I am going to Walmart tomorrow and having them recheck my eyes. I got new glasses on Tuesday and by Friday I was having horrible headaches. I have had vertigo since getting my glasses and haven’t been able to see the computer screen. Silly me thought that my eyes needed to adjust, but they never did. I think either the doctor may have messed up on my prescription or they messed up on my glasses. I seriously think it was the prescription that wasn’t right. I was questioning it before I even ordered the glasses. Things just didn’t look clear enough and some things were distorted. The doctor thought that once I got used to them I would be able to see. Wrong!!!!

Brien is working hard and thinking about possibly going back to school himself. Not quite sure what for, but we are open to God’s leading.

We've Moved Again

2009-06-18T01:17:00.001-07:00

No not to a new house, but back to Wordpress. We just really like it a lot better. You can now catch us at www.azmann6.com .

Peace out,
The Mannings

God's Eternal Plan

2009-06-12T14:08:00.003-07:00

This is one of my favorite verses in the whole Bible. It seems I am using it a lot lately in my own life. It is always fun (not) to wait and see what the good is that comes out of a bad situation. I also had to explain recently to one of my children, that we may never see the good in our lifetime. We may have to wait until heaven to find out.

Love,

Donna

God's eternal plan

Genesis 50:20: "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives" (NIV).

Joseph endured the evil intentions of many people - his brothers selling him into slavery, Potiphar's wife's false accusation, the cupbearer's neglect, and seven years of famine. Yet God was able to use all these events to bring about the deliverance of the Jewish nation. Through all the disappointments (and the victories), Joseph remained confident that God was in control.

The Bible encourages us to adopt this perspective with our children. They are certain to experience trials and disappointments - injuries, sickness, lost elections, rejection by friends, failed tests and dropped balls. At times, we may wonder if God truly has a plan. Joseph's story reminds us that God is bigger than our circumstances. Although we may not be able to grasp His overall plan now, one day we will be able to see the beautiful tapestry that has been woven out of all the events of our lives and the lives of our children.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him" (Rom 8:28 NIV).

Look past trials and wait for God's response.

Visit us at parentingbydesign.com for more resources and updates to help you parent by God's perfect design.

Alex is home.

2009-06-01T23:21:00.003-07:00

Alex was finally discharged today at noon, he came home and slept. The doctors will continue to follow-up with him, but a lot of his treatment is up in the air due to the lack of information about his long term condition.

The military is off the table for right now, so we are encouraging him to look into schooling options.

Please continue to pray for God's guidance though these interesting times in which we live. :-)

We also want to thank all of you saints for interceding on our behalf to our Father, the Maker of Heaven and Earth.

The Creator of the universe, and of the cellular machinery in each and every one of us.

Latest pics from Del Webb

2009-05-31T07:20:00.006-07:00

I wanted to share some pics with y'all, of Alex and of his homies who lent their gift of encouragement to my son.

Alex stays in the Hospital.

2009-05-30T22:32:00.002-07:00

Today was a better day for all of us. We learned that as of today, Alex's heart is working at 80% efficiency.

He is on a bunch of medication, and got his first taste of nitro before breakfast this morning, yum. He says it was an eye-opener. Pow !

The doc's told us that at this point they are going to continue to monitor him over the next few days to insure that his enzymes go down.

If all goes well, he could be out of the hospital by Tuesday.

Please pray for his continued recovery over the next 3 to 6 months, and for the spiritual work that the Lord is doing inside Alex as well.

Thanks to those of you who just couldn't stay away and had to visit. :-) Alex loved it.

Alex goes to the Hospital

2009-05-29T23:18:00.003-07:00

Hey gang. Many of you already have heard that my oldest boy is in the hospital. "Big Al" and I started our adventure Friday morning at 2am after he couldn't sleep. He has had trouble sleeping lately.

He complains to Donna about tightness and mild tachycardia (fast heartbeat), after a few good solid shots of pepto bismol, he is still not finding comfort. I finally allow myself to be woken up at around 4am, and rather than poo-poo this, I agree that we need to go in.

Now, I am usually pretty good at finding logical reasons not to go to the ER, I've had a lot of practice at it. Dell Webb Hospital insituted the '12-visit' punch card based on my family visits alone. (13th visit is free, Yay !) Ok, there is no 12-visit card, but I wish we had had one a few years ago. ;-)

Where was I?

Ok, so after a completely uneventful set of vital signs, and EKG, the ER doc is suggesting that Big Al has had an anxiety attack or something. I start to worry about Alex because he is a pretty deep-feeling kid to begin with. The chest x-ray is also nothing serious.

The bloodwork is a different story. I have come to understand that the stress enzymes in Alex's blood were at the 'heart attack' level. These enzymes actually thicken the blood in a person's veins, body, heart, where-ever to help the repair process, and make for a frustrating blood-draw.

The term cardiomyopathy was thrown out there for us to chew on, and I know enough medical-speak to know that you never want to hear 'path' or 'pathy' in your diagnosis. Pathologist was what leapt to mind. The thought of something dying inside one of my kids chilled me to the bone, especially their heart.

A few hours pass, and the term they are using now is 'myocarditis'. Which is better, but still doesnt help us explain why this happened. 'itis' of any kind means 'inflammation'. Hmmm, swollen heart tissue sounds better than the alternative.

Donna and I were out of the room when most of the professionals made their rounds. I know they were just lurking behind the desk in the nurses station, waiting for us to leave to call some of you back and then they made mad rushes to the room to privately pass on information to our son. Don't laugh, you know it's true.

We missed a conversation where one cardiologist asked my son about 17 times if he had experimented with Cocaine prior to this visit to the hopsital, that's pretty funny. I think that might have shown up in his blood, but I'm no doctor. :-)

We waited around after an echo cardiogram was done on Al, but we won't get the results till tomorrow. The offers to visit us right now are very nice, but his room is tiny, and they had a psych patient in the room next door which was very disturbing to the people we were sharing this room with. Therefore, visitations are not necessary.

Your prayers on the other hand, are very much appreciated. We are asking for God's will be done, peace, healing, & for the professionals to figure out how this happened. (They are leaning toward a virus theory right now...) We are also praying for the gospel to go forth and for the Lord to be glorified in this.

The Obama Deception?

2009-05-24T13:54:00.009-07:00

This is my my first time blogging. This video below is very interesting and has a lot of credible information. I had to look online using google to see if there was info backing it up, and I was surprised to find that there was (Don't take my word for it, I recommend researching for yourself as well). It is an unbiased view of our politics neither Left wing or Right wing. Just as a warning there is some Mild language, and some Disturbing Images/Video, if you are under the age of 18 I would advise watching it with your parents, or have your parents watch it first. It is about 2 hours long and I recommend halfway through taking a 10-20 minute break before continuing. Enjoy.... Big Al

Mercy - Gracemail from Calvary Community Church

2009-05-23T21:48:00.000-07:00

"God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy." Matthew 5:7

Jesus says that "...In the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it shall be measured to you."Matthew 7:2, NASB

We experienced God's mercy when we trusted in Christ. God didn't give us what we deserved. Now Jesus asks us to have a merciful heart to other people. Show your family members mercy. Live mercifully at work. Drive with mercy on the freeways!

God's mercy is always tied to His grace. Mercy is not getting what we deserve, but grace is getting what we don't deserve. "Mercy relates to the negative; grace relates to the positive. In relation to salvation, mercy says, 'No hell,' whereas grace says, 'Heaven,' Mercy says, 'I pity you;' grace says, 'I pardon you.' " MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Moody Press and John MacArthur, Jr., 1983-2002

When we pray "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy upon me, a sinner," Jesus will grant that request, but He expects us to pass on that mercy to others.

The apostle Paul never lost sight of the mercy that God had shown him."This is a true saying, and everyone should believe it: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners — and I was the worst of them all. But that is why God had mercy on me, so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life." 1 Timothy 1:15-16

Little i

2009-05-05T09:46:00.002-07:00

Little i

by Marybeth Whalen

"He must become greater; I must become less."

John 3:30 (NIV)

Devotion:

The other night my husband and i were at an event where the words to the worship music were placed on a screen for all to see. But this night i noticed something: every time they used the word "I" on the screen, it wasn't capitalized. My editor's eye was drawn to this glaring error, and i spent much of the time that i was supposed to be singing trying to discern why they had done this. Oversight? Trying to be cute? It bugged me.

Then i felt God's whisper to my heart, causing me to go a bit deeper. "Why are you stressing about capitalizing the i?" He asked me. "Why does it need to be capitalized? Who decided that? Maybe these folks recognize that "i" am not important -- but I AM is."

While i am not proposing a little i revolution -- shaking up tradition and causing a crisis in the grammar world -- i am wondering, what does a little i life look like?

Sacrifice?
Surrender?
Slaying self?
Setting apart?
Seeking Him?
Serving others instead of doing what i want?

This little i thing could catch on. It should catch on, because it's the life Jesus called us to. We don't need to be capitalized. We need to be small, insignificant -- just a jot and a tittle, the littlest marks in the alphabet. Instead of a capital letter that announces our importance. At least, that's what i am learning these days -- and trying to live out.

Sacrifice, surrender and servanthood are hard. But i know that's what God calls us to do; laying down our wants, needs and desires and straining towards His.

Dear Lord, I want to make Your name famous and mine unimportant. Help me to be mindful of my tendency to make things about me. And help me Lord to keep the focus on You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Amazing grace commercial

2009-04-27T21:42:00.001-07:00

Have you seen it ?

Pizza w/ Big Al

2009-04-25T22:01:00.009-07:00

We made pizzas today. There was too much dough. We did get a shot of Alex in his trademark pose, and of the fullest crusted pizza.

Please ignore the box of apples in the background, that is a mirage, er something.

Our Blowout

2009-04-24T20:48:00.021-07:00

The kids were dying to come home, it was Friday. He was looking forward to some chill-time. She was mentally planning for the '30-Hour Famine'. The Dad was in go-mode, planning the weekend mentally, knowing that he was going to visit Discount Tire Saturday morning, but no one asked the tire what it wanted. The tire was ... tired. Stressed by the heat, the streets, and Dad's lead feet, er... foot. Anyway, the little tire went to heaven today.

Here it is dirtying up the back of the van.

Mom has to touch it, "no Mom, don't !"

Eww... too late, and hand sanitizer will just push the dirt around, not clean the yuckiness.

Pretty nifty, eh ? Put some duct tape on it Dad.

You're Still the One - Happy 20th Anniversary Brien!

2009-04-24T10:50:00.006-07:00

I do not care for country music, but I fell in love with this song years ago. It is sung by Shania Twain.

All because of Jesus,

Lyrics:

(When I first saw you, I saw love.
And the first time you touched me, I felt love.
And after all this time, you're still the one I love.)

Looks like we made it
Look how far we've come my baby
We mighta took the long way
We knew we'd get there someday

Bridge:
They said, "I bet they'll never make it"
But just look at us holding on
We're still together still going strong

Chorus:
(You're still the one)
You're still the one I run to
The one that I belong to
You're the one I want for life
(You're still the one)
You're still the one that I love
The only one I dream of
You're still the one I kiss good night

Ain't nothin' better
We beat the odds together
I'm glad we didn't listen
Look at what we would be missin'

(Bridge)
(Chorus)
(Chorus)

I'm so glad we made it
Look how far we've come my baby

Coach, the most annoying survivor ever ?

2009-04-23T21:02:00.004-07:00

Have you been watching Survivor? The most annoying contestant in the world in my opinion is Coach. The fam and I love watching Survivor as a pastime, and there is the typical lying and deceiving each other. Alliances formed, and quickly broken. Cool challenges, and the starvation diets.
What I really am enjoying is when Jeff Probst (the moderator) even tries poking fun at this guy and his huge ego.
I need prayer, I have a hard time with pretentious people, and this guy is the perfect "nickel trying to be a dime."

Chime in. Do you agree? Disagree? I absolutely can't wait for this guy to get voted off. :-)

On a side note, who thinks Joe should've lanced that infected area of his knee early on to potentially stay in the game? I think I would have. :-)

30 hour famine

2009-04-18T19:56:00.002-07:00

Hey this is Libby! I'm going to be participating in the World vision 30 hour famine.
Here is some info about what I'm doing. (Taken right off the World Vision website)

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.

Motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ, World Vision serves alongside the poor and oppressed as a demonstration of God's unconditional love for all people.

World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.

World Vision's 30 Hour Famine is an international youth movement to fight hunger. Students typically fast for 30 hours to spread awareness and raise funds to help provide food and care for children worldwide, including here in the US. Every $30 raised helps provide food and care for a child for a month (worldwide average).

For Fiscal year 2007, World Vision's overhead rate was 14%, meaning that 86% of total revenue went directly to our efforts in the field. For more information about World Vision's financials and stewardship, visit World Vision's web site at www.worldvision.org.

If you'd like to sponsor me please go to the site below and donate:
http://www.30hourfamine.org/portal/onlinegiving/donate/102856532-010

Thank you for your support. :D

A broken record....

2009-03-24T19:52:00.002-07:00

that's what I sound like. Please just pray for us...I can't get into the details right now, but God knows them. I thank you for lifting us up.

The Manning's

We are all moved in...

2009-03-22T23:25:00.001-07:00

It has been a fun week to say the least, but we are finally in. We cleaned the old house today...whew! I think that is the worst part. Now to put everything away.

Donna :-)

And now for a cuteness break...

2009-03-10T17:45:00.000-07:00

Prayer request for our family.

2009-03-10T16:14:00.006-07:00

Update 3/13/09....Thank you for your prayers. Things with Brien's job will not be changing for now. Please continue to pray for his work and that God would bless the company he works for.

Please also pray for our marriage and family. That God would do a work in all of our lives and that He would restore the time the locusts have eaten. Thank you.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3/10/2009
Please pray for us. It looks like Brien may be losing his job. Pray for God to give us wisdom, mercy and grace in this tough economy. I also pray that God would give us peace during this time of our life. I know no matter what, that God is in control of our lives and that we have no option but to be o.k.

We are also in the middle of moving to a new home that is actually a little less money but quite a bit larger. Please pray that this will go smoothly for us.

Thank you prayer warriors,
Donna :-)

Gracemail 3/8/09 Confession of Sins

2009-03-08T16:18:00.004-07:00

"But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness." 1 John 1:9

Sometimes I'm asked if we need to confess our sins since they're already forgiven by the grace of God. I'll share our verse with them and they respond, "but that was written for unbelievers."

My answer is "No, if you read the whole letter of First John you'll see that it's written that we might believe and know. It's written to Christians. Every bit of it is written to Christians."

But why do we have to confess our sins if they've already been forgiven?

We confess our sins for the same reason that we want our children to come and say they're sorry when they misbehave. Is that because we won't forgive them until they say they are sorry? No, you've already forgiven the little pumpkins! They're already forgiven. But, the point is, now that they are forgiven they need to be brought into oneness with you.

You know, when our children were younger, after Leslie or I would discipline them we would always hug them afterwards. We still always asked them to say that they were sorry. I would say, "Are you sorry?" "Yes, Daddy!" Then I would give them a big hug. But, if they were to say "No," then it was evident that they hadn't received my forgiveness yet. The forgiveness was there; they were not receiving it, but they were still always my children.

We don't confess our sins in order to be saved; but, we confess our sins as believers in order to stay in a happy family relationship with God. We will never be kicked out of His family for not confessing our sins, but we certainly will be miserable if we don't. Proverbs says: "Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy." Proverbs 28:13, ESV

David testifies: "When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat... Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, 'I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.' And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone." Psalm 32:3-5

If there is something you need to bring to the Lord, do it right now.

Gracemail is a ministry of Calvary Community Church in Phoenix, Arizona.

Now for a good laugh!

2009-03-04T09:21:00.001-07:00

Peace-full

2009-03-04T09:14:00.002-07:00

by Renee Swope

"You will keep in perfect peace, [her] whose mind is steadfast,
because [her] trusts in you." Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)

Devotion:
One of my favorite things to see is a rocking chair on a front porch. Looking at it makes me feel peace-full. I don't have a rocking chair, or a front porch, but I sure would like to!

Worry is the opposite of peace-full. It leaves me peace-less!

There are times when I don't even realize I'm worried. My mind is wired to think a lot so I get used to the constant flurry of motion in my brain. Worry will start to slowly creep in, and then before I know it, there's a stirring in my heart, my neck is tense, my mind won't shift gears and little concerns have kicked into full-blown worry.

Author Linda Dillow says, "Worry is like a rocking chair, it will give you something to do but it won't get you anywhere!" So much for my image of peace-full! Oh, but she is right. Worry, like a rocking chair, gets me nowhere! And when I stop worrying, I realize I've wasted valuable time and mental energy thinking about something I can't change when I should've been talking to God - since He's the only one who can change things.

In Philippians 4:6-7, Paul tells us how we can find peace to replace our worries. He reminds us the Lord is near and tells us, "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." (NLT)

In the NIV translation, verse 7 reads, "...the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." I love the promise that God's peace could transcend my need to understand! Sometimes that's my biggest problem; I wouldn't be so worried about what God is doing if He'd just explain why so I could understand better.

But God doesn't say He'll give us understanding in this verse, He says He'll give us peace in the midst of not understanding. And that's what I want. I want God's nearness to be my good and trusting His sovereignty to be my goal. According to the Word, all I have to do is:

1. Stop worrying -- press the pause button on my consuming concerns.

2. Start praying -- open my mouth and tell God what I need.

3. Start thanking God -- remind my heart of God's faithfulness by thanking Him for what He's done.

Now that is doable! So why is it so hard to do? Why do we naturally do the opposite? I think it's because we listen to the enemy's whispers: Do not be calm about anything; instead worry about everything. Tell God what He should do and take control if He doesn't listen. Before we know it, our concerns are consuming us and our worries are robbing us of God's promised peace.

But we don't have to live that way. God promises to provide just what we need -- to keep us in perfect peace, as we put our trust in Him and not in our worries. So, today when our concerns consume us, let's choose to stop and empty our hearts of our worries, talk to God about what we need and thank Him for His faithfulness and provision. It's amazing how "peace-full" comes when we stop worrying, start praying and begin thanking God for what He has done and will do.

Lord, thank You for the promise of Your peace that comes when I put my trust in You! When worry or concern threaten to consume my thoughts, help me remember to stop, pray and thank You so that my heart will remember how faithful and capable You are of taking care of me. In Jesus Name, Amen.

What if I was Broken?

2009-03-02T16:43:00.001-07:00

by Tracie Miles

Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.

Micah 7:8 (NIV)

Devotion:

His question made me stop and think. It was a simple comment, said in a teasing manner, but it instantly struck a chord in my heart.

I was cleaning out a kitchen cabinet, which had become cluttered with items that I rarely used. One of those items was an old broken can opener. I handed it to my nine year-old son and asked him to throw it away, but instead of just tossing it into the trash can, he asked if he could keep it. Why in the world would a little boy want an old, dirty, useless can opener?

He continued to try to convince me that he needed to keep it, until I finally said, "Honey, it is broken, I don't want it or need it anymore, so throw it away please." Then came his question, "Well if I was broken, would you just throw me away?"

Huh? This conversation about a silly can opener had gotten way too complicated. I assured him that I would never throw him away, no matter what, because he was too valuable to me. I gave him a hug, and he skipped off into the den to watch TV, while I stood there stunned, pondering his question.

I was reminded of a time when I was so broken, and felt dirty and useless. I remembered how a bad decision I made as a young girl caused me to spend years believing that I had no redeeming value in God's eyes. I recalled the regret that suffocated my heart for years, and how I felt God could never really love a sinner like me. I vividly remembered the overwhelming pain and regret of feeling broken, and void of worth, beauty or value.

But a smile came to my face as I remembered the day when God healed that brokenness. Sitting alone on a pew during a worship service eight years ago, tears were pouring down my face. I begged God to forgive me for my sins, just as I had done for fourteen years, but this time it was different. This time I felt God's presence and believed in His forgiveness. For the first time, I had heard His voice ring in the ears of my heart, reassuring me that I was way too valuable to be thrown away.

The following day I realized something was different. My past was still my past, but I was no longer broken. The damaged pieces of my heart were mended, and I set out on a wonderful journey to discover my worth in Gods eyes, not my own eyes. I believed that I really was too valuable to be thrown away, and that God not only could love someone like me, but that HE DID.

Are you feeling broken today? Do you see yourself as someone who God could not possibly love? Do you spend each day condemning yourself for past sins, current habits, damaged relationships, poor choices, or even self-harming behavior?

Do you wish you could stop feeling broken, or stop continuing a pattern of sin in your life, but simply do not know how? Do you ever feel like you are just too messed up to be "fixed"?

Friend, despite what you may think, you are not beyond repair. You are nothing like that dirty, broken can opener. As a child of God, you are precious, beautiful, and yes, even more valuable than gold. Whatever your situation, God can mend that crushing feeling of hopelessness and brokenness. With faith, ask Him to.

Will you delight Him by accepting His grace, mercy and forgiveness? Will you give Him the opportunity to mend you today?

Dear Lord, forgive me and heal me. Mend my brokenness. Give me hope. Help me to see myself through Your eyes only. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Jelly Telly

2009-02-19T17:16:00.003-07:00

Here is a free site for your kids to enjoy. It is from the creator of Veggietales. Hope you have fun! Just click on the picture below to go to the site.

Pause Before Reacting

2009-02-19T14:56:00.003-07:00

Once again I am posting something that showed up in my email. This is so true, but not always the easiest thing to do.
Love,
Donna

by Lysa TerKeurst

"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Proverbs 15:1 (NIV)

Devotion:

A few years ago, Art and I hit a rough place financially. Some investments we'd made went bad and we lost nearly our entire life savings. I was knee deep in 3 small children at the time and hadn't a clue that financial danger was looming on the horizon.

That is until Art came home one day and the look on his face spoke of utter defeat. How could we have lost so much? He'd been wise with our finances. He'd done his research. He was a faithful saver. I stood stunned in our foyer that day, as Art told me the news.

There were many different directions my reaction could have gone in the minutes that followed. I was upset. When Art first talked of making these particular investments, I shared with him that I didn't have a good feeling about it. But, in the end, I let him make the final decision.

So many times in my marriage, I've chosen the wrong words - words that were tainted with bitterness, words that were emotionally toxic. But I'm so thankful the Lord had been working on preparing my heart for this moment and instead of reacting immediately with what would have been a disastrous response, I paused. I allowed the Holy Spirit a few seconds to interrupt my natural flesh feelings.

Then, because of God's Spirit working in me, I was able to wrap my arms around my husband and speak life-giving words into his weary heart. "I love you Art. I loved you yesterday when we had everything. I love you today when we have nothing. I love you for who you are, not what you have."

A few years later, Art and I were on Dr. Dobson's Focus on the Family radio program. On the show Art was asked, "I know you and Lysa had a rough start to your marriage. But what happened that made you know you'd stick by her forever, no matter what?"

Without hesitation, Art recounted my reaction over the lost investments.

I cried.

Had I been left to my own flesh reaction that day, it could have set us on the road to marital disaster. But, because of God's response being stored up in me, this situation wound up bringing us closer together than we'd ever been.

I realized how crucial it is to always be aware of God's preparation in our lives. Because He stands in our yesterday, today and tomorrow, He sees all. And He knows the perfect way to prepare our hearts for every situation.

When we embrace His preparations, even a girl with firecrackers in her blood like me can have reactions that honor God and breathe life into relationships.

Dear Lord, remind me to pause before I react. Sometimes the stresses of life pull at my emotions, which cause me to have reactions that tear at my relationships. Please forgive me for poor reactions in my past. Thank You for second chances. Thank You for the way You prepare my heart for everything You see that I'll be facing today, tomorrow and in all my tomorrows to come. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Meet Logan....

2009-02-17T21:23:00.001-07:00

This video touched my heart...

Enjoy,
Donna :-)

2009-02-12T08:33:00.001-07:00

Unexpected Treasure by Amy Carroll

2009-02-12T08:16:00.002-07:00

This truly blessed me today. I hope it does the same for you.
Love,
Donna :-)

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." 2 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV)

Devotion:

"Where is that goat?" the young Bedouin shepherd muttered under his breath in frustration. He clambered over the rocks as he moved up the cliff on his search. It was hot, and he was impatient. Rather than going into the darkness of the cave near him to look, the shepherd tossed a rock into the opening and listened for a protesting "Bahhhh!" Instead, he heard the breaking of a pot. Suddenly the goat was forgotten, and the shepherd's curiosity prevailed. He entered the cave to find one of the greatest archeological and religious treasures ever discovered--the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Visiting an exhibition of the Dead Sea Scrolls recently captured my imagination, and my mind pictured the story above. The tale continues that this nomadic shepherd took the scraps of paper rolled in a cloth and stored in the pot to a merchant in Bethlehem. From there, the treasure passed from hand to hand until they came to rest in a special museum at Hebrew University named the Shrine of the Book. The fact that these ancient documents of God's own Word lay moldering, unfound in a cave for over a thousand years before being found in the search for a wandering goat seized my heart and mind.

Paul tells us that each believer is a jar of clay that contains treasure. When we look through scripture, we can see that we contain peace (Philippians 4:7), the forgiveness of sins, redemption, the riches of God's grace (Ephesians 1:7), joy (John 15:11) and the resurrection power of Christ (Philippians 3:10).

The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls provides a powerful and biblical picture of how a broken vessel can release the power of God into our lives and those around us. Brokenness, although painful, is one of God's means of showing His all-surpassing power in our lives. Even when the cause of our brokenness is the result of living in a fallen and sin-filled world, God is able to show Himself as the Redeemer by pouring out His treasures through us.

Are you a broken or crushed pot today? Are you suffering because of the loss of a job or the current financial crisis? Are your emotions broken and bruised because of the rejection of a friend or husband? Are you experiencing crushing loneliness because of the loss of someone dearly loved? Is your heart torn and bleeding for a wayward child? If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, He says even in catastrophic times He is not only with you but longing to pour out through you. God's Word that you have been storing away in the quiet times with Him can be revealed through your brokenness. He sees your pain, and His heart breaks with your every hurt. You are dearly loved. Hold on to His promise that your brokenness is not wasted but releases His Spirit to do works of perseverance, power, character and hope.

At times, I've been a very intact pot, moldering and hidden in a cave while the world around me sinks into the abyss of the absence of His Word. I pray with my broken sisters today that God would use the broken places in each of us for His great glory and our ultimate good. I pray even as He walks with us through the broken places of our lives that His Word would be exposed and powerful in a lost and dying world.

Dear Lord, I come to you in brokenness today. I give myself over to you even in my weakness and frailness. No matter if I've been broken by sin or circumstances, I ask you to fill my broken pot and pour out through me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Thankful I have the Good Shepherd

2009-02-11T10:30:00.003-07:00

"Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God..." Psalm 42:11a, NKJV

Being a shepherd, David understood that downcast sheep needed special care. He knew there are times sheep might be downcast and roll over on their back. This would happen because they would roll over into a depression in the ground. The sheep would be lying on its side, and if they lean back into a depression on the ground, all of a sudden they wouldn't be able to get up. Right off the bat, the blood circulation is cut off going to its legs so that even if you turn that sheep over, you'd have to stand there and hold the sheep while massaging each leg until the circulation is restored. A good shepherd would do that.

It's the same for us Christian sheep. You can just be sitting there, enjoying life and all of a sudden something happens that rolls you over into a depression. It could be:

Something someone says to you.
A letter you received.
A phone call.
Something in which you've failed.

At another time in your life, it wouldn't mean anything, but right now it's just enough to cause you to be downcast in your soul, and you can't get out of it without your Shepherd's help. Some of you are there, aren't you? You're downcast. Look at the Scripture again:

"Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God..."

Notice that David says, "Hope in God." How can you say this when you're downcast? It's because God will not leave you in that position. God will come for you, His sheep, and will lift you up! He will come and lift you out of that depression; he'll lift you to your feet and begin to spiritually bring back the circulation to your legs, and you'll be able to walk again like you used to walk. You'll begin to serve the Lord the way you used to serve Him.

*GraceMail a ministry of Calvary Community Church in Phx, AZ

This is freaky and definitely not for the sqeamish. PG 13

2009-02-09T10:52:00.005-07:00

The Goal of Discipline

2009-02-05T12:44:00.000-07:00

Prov. 3:11-12: My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD or loathe His reproof, for whom the LORD loves He reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights (NASU).

These verses show parents what their attitude should be as they discipline their children. Notice that God loves and delights in his children even as He corrects them. His discipline is not intended as harsh punishment, but as a loving act to encourage growth and maturity.

All of God's children disobey and yours will, too. Sometimes, however, we react in ways that are designed to meet our needs instead of recognizing the bigger purpose of our discipline. We can avoid being reactive if we come up with a game plan in advance. When you are calm, think of appropriate consequences for the ways your kids are likely to disobey. Recognize your weak areas (a tendency to rescue, lecture, or yell) and think of alternative ways you could respond. Discipline that is delivered calmly, consistently, and empathetically will be less likely to receive a rebellious response.

Discipline helps kids grow when it is delivered with empathy and love.

Good-bye January 2009

2009-01-31T22:18:00.001-07:00

I'm glad to see you go.

You are My Perfect Peace

2009-01-25T18:29:00.001-07:00

Lord, thank You for the perfect peace I can know in You, a peace that passes all human understanding. I am so blessed to know You personally and to live a life of peace in this world of confusion and chaos.

I love You for all the times You have carried me through troubles that could have overwhelmed me. And I love You for those times when I have cried out to You and You have answered. Thank You for those times that I thought there was no way and You made a way. I praise You for Your amazing peace.

Lord God, the next time my peace is broken by problems that come, remind me that You are always there caring about anything and everything that concerns me. I want to praise You through the painful places I walk through so I can rest in Your perfect peace.

In Jesus' name, amen.

taken from Prayers to My King

Happy Birthday Dad

2009-01-24T20:36:00.003-07:00

Today is the third birthday my Dad has celebrated in heaven. I love and miss you Dad, but know that you are in a much better place. I miss your hugs, but most of all I miss talking to you, can't wait to see you again.

Great Video...

2009-01-23T15:22:00.001-07:00

Pray Pray Pray

2009-01-22T12:26:00.002-07:00

Pray for me.

Thanks,
Donna

Perspective - Wise Counsel

2009-01-19T09:10:00.001-07:00

This was taken from Grace Mail a ministry of Calvary Community Church.

"Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding." Proverbs 3:13

A Middle Eastern family was faced with the difficulty of settling an estate.

The estate was to be divided, with one-half of the possession given to the widow, one-fourth to the oldest son, and one-fifth to the second son. This seemed fairly easy until they began to distribute the 19 camels.

The family consulted a wise man, who said, "I'll give you my camel and you'll have twenty. One-half of them can go to the widow, that will be ten; One-fourth or five, can go to the oldest son; And one-fifth belongs to the second son; that is four. That makes a total of 19 camels. When that is settled I'll take my camel and go home."

Getting a perspective from a person outside of your situation can be very wise! It sure can bring peace to a frustrating dilemma. Seek wise counsel!

Releasing our children

2009-01-14T22:05:00.001-07:00

Ps. 127:3-4: Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth (NIV).

Children are gifts from God, but we must remember they will leave our home in 18-20 years. Our purpose as parents isn't to hold onto these gifts tightly, but to prepare them to be released like the arrows of a warrior.

What a challenge! These verses should encourage us as we see our kids growing more and more independent each day. Just like arrows, we can guide and direct them, but at some point we have to let go.

How do we prepare them for life on their own? By letting go, bit by bit, each day. By speaking messages of encouragement and confidence, rather than skepticism and worry. By giving age-appropriate choices and responsibilities to even the youngest of children. For example: "Now that you're five, you're big enough to help me with dinner. Would you rather set the table or stir the muffin mix?"

Release your kids a little bit each day and remember that your goal is to let go one day.

This was taken from Parenting by Design.

A simple request

2009-01-13T22:35:00.003-07:00

Please pray for us, we have some things going on right now, decisions to make. Pray for God's will to be evident to us in all things.

Thanks,

You Know What's Best for Me

2009-01-13T00:04:00.001-07:00

This was taken from the book " My Princess... Prayers to My King". It really blessed me and I hope it will bless you as well.

Lord, sometimes I am so discouraged by the way situations work out--by the way my plans for my life fail. My hopes and dreams dissolve into disappointment, and I find myself feeling hopeless. When I'm at that place, help me trust You more. Help me know that You are working on my behalf even when I don't see things happening the way I want them to. Give me the strength to keep doing the right thing--to keep obeying and trusting You--even when everything seems to be going wrong. I ask You to renew my hope and open my eyes to the spiritual significance of life's disappointments, challenges, and frustrations. I am choosing to believe that You, my Father, know what is best for me, and that You're in control of the tiniest details in my life.

In Jesus' name I pray.
Love, Your princess, who wants Your will for my life

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

Pigs in a blanket.

2009-01-10T19:15:00.000-07:00

In a zoo in California , a mother tiger gave birth to a rare set of triplet tiger cubs. Unfortunately, due to complications in the pregnancy, the cubs were born prematurely and due to their tiny size, they died shortly after birth.

The mother tiger after recovering from the delivery, suddenly started to decline in health, although physically she was fine. The veterinarians felt that the loss of her litter had caused the tigress to fall into a depression. The doctors decided that if the tigress could surrogate another mother's cubs, perhaps she would improve.

After checking with many other zoos across the country, the depressing news was that there were no tiger cubs of the right age to introduce to the mourning mother. The veterinarians decided to try something that had never been tried in a zoo environment. Sometimes a mother of one species will take on the care of a different species. The only orphans" that could be found quickly, were a litter of weanling pigs. The zoo keepers and vets wrapped the piglets in tiger skin and placed the babies around the mother tiger. Would they become cubs or pork chops? Take a look...you won't believe your eyes!!

Pray for Libby

2009-01-09T18:48:00.000-07:00

It looks like Libby has strep again. Poor thing just had it last month. Hopefully it will not make it's rounds again. Pray, Pray, Pray!

Being Real

2009-01-08T19:05:00.000-07:00

While the last post may seem like I know what I'm doing in the future and that I am content with this, I should let you all know that I am not. I am living a life that I do not want to live. I do not want to have to work, I would love to stay home with my kids and home school them. When I became a believer, I knew for me this is what I was going to do, but we have never had the means for me to do this. When I tried it earlier this year we had to go to the food bank to get food and even had another charity help us with our electric bill so it wouldn't get turned off. In my heart I feel like a complete failure and hypocrite.

While my desires for this life do not really matter, I get frustrated because I feel God would like me to be able to do those things. I am thankful for my job and I enjoy working, but I would love to be able to do the things I do at work as a ministry and not for pay, but that is not possible.

I would also love to take a vacation with my kids. We have never gone on vacation, ever. My kids have never gone to Disneyland or any other amusement park unless you consider Castles and Coasters an amusement park. Then I am reminded that there are kids in other countries that would think living here was vacation enough for them. How quickly I am snapped back into reality.

Pray for me, that I would not let the things around me, the wants of this world get in the way. And that I would be content in all situations.

I am thankful we are all healthy and that we all know the Lord as our Savior. That my kids all love the Lord and have never rebelled against us or walked away from God. They all serve Him willingly. Really what more could I ask for?

*note* This post was not written or intended to make anyone feel sorry for us.