From Frazzled to Fun

Here's a good word for the times, from Alex Cravens. I agree with him and want to spread this faith-filled word! I hope we will all, no matter how difficult, take it to heart:

Imagine the map of the United States of America decked out in red, white & blue and lounging on a long couch as the doctor sits beside taking notes. "Doctor, I'm afraid I'm in a bit of an identity crisis," it said.

While identity crises typically happen for teens, I believe events the last years have landed the United States of America in its own identity crisis.

Identity Crisis (n): A developmental event that involves a person questioning their sense of self or place in this world.

Could we agree that the past years' events have left our country questioning its sense of self and place in this world? 

Quotes from our Founding Fathers clearly show our foundation and identity. Research of Founding Fathers' writings shows they considered God and the Bible an important part of government and that America was founded in partnership with, and under, God.

George Washington, the first President of the United States, is a great example. He once wrote,"Of all the...

A few reflections you might share with your children on what makes America so beautiful and praiseworthy...

The U.S.A. is the only country, ever, (including ancient and modern day Israel), to be founded on an idea and not an ethnicity.

Our founders boldly declared this idea in the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self evident. That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

It is clear that they believed that the God of the Bible was involved in the birth of our nation. In the Declaration of Independence they used words like "Creator", "Supreme Judge of the World", "Nature's God", and "Divine Providence".

We can also see the same theme in countless writings of historians.

• In his private journal, George Washington gave credit to the "finger of Providence" when it came to both the formation...

Happy Memorial Day!  Some interesting things about today...

Your child is gifted.

 We all know Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” In translating from the original Hebrew language, which is more precise than our English, the Amplified Bible reads:

“Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Prov. 22:6, TAB

From the original Hebrew we see each child has a gift or bent -- a direction he should go that fits with his God-given passion -- that he will never abandon once trained in it.

Discovering this is one of the most important things we can help our children do.

God might even use it to reform that sector of society for His glory.

George Washington Carver is a great example of using his gifts.

Though he was from a humble background, he did great things that had an impact worldwide and , revolutionized the farming industry.

In Carver's day peanuts...

I heard someone say this last week,

"People ask, 'Why is the world so evil?'

I answer,'Because we as believers are not taking our authority and executing Heaven on earth.'"

What? Are you saying it's our fault?

It made me think of a verse that keeps coming up lately, Matthew 16:19: "I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven..."

Then it became clear to me how important it is for us to receive the keys when I saw a father toss his keys to his 4-year-old daughter....

Hear the story here.

I pray your mama bear rises up and you pray with a new resolution and authority.

Comment below and let me know one thing you are standing for in prayer right now.

I dare you to pray this aloud...

An Easter Prayer

Jesus my Lord, you defeated death and the grave! 

I reflect on your amazing grace and rejoice in your salvation.

Shine your light in me, through me, over me.

Remind me as a believer in Christ that I have your Resurrection Power fueling my daily life.

Lord, help me to live in the gladness and grace of Easter Sunday everyday, proclaiming your good news to everyone in my path.

May I reflect your peace and hope to a world that so desperately needs your presence and healing.

Thanks be to you God, for your indescribable gift! To you be glory and honor, on this Resurrection Day, and forever.

In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Praying you and your family have a blessed Easter!

Have you ever wondered why you should persevere in prayer?

• To persuade God to overcome his reluctance?
• But what if we know it is God's will?

Dutch Sheets shared an insightful message on this a few days ago that has me extra excited about the power of prayer and why we must persevere.

Dutch shared that "just as invisible elements of our natural world can be measured, such as oxygen or carbon dioxide, there are unseen spiritual substances, as well, which are no less real and exist in varying degrees or measures."

This is important when we realize the truth that God has made a decision to work on earth through humans.

In the Bible we see stories that demonstrate times when something was God's idea, God's timing, and God's will. Yet it took persevering prayer to accomplish it.

"I realized that when perseverance in prayer was necessary, it wasn’t to persuade God or overcome His reluctance. It was to release more of His power," said Dutch.

Click...

Do you ever just feel like giving up?

You have hopes, but keep hitting roadblocks...

it's just too hard?

I had that day a few months back and God sent me a message at just the right time --

It came out through my printer!

Please allow me to share the story with you through this video.

It encouraged me, and I hope it will also encourage you.

Comment and let me know that you are choosing to NOT quit.

If you have a friend who is ready to quit, please share this post with her.

Blessings, my friend!

“They say Aslan is on the move— perhaps has already landed.” Yes, I do believe He has.

In July, as I took long walks in the Eleven Mile Canyon while my husband fly fished, I spent hours in prayer. I rarely encountered people, so it worked really well to just go ahead and talk out loud to God.

Over and over again I heard out of my mouth “Roar, Lion of Judah” and I imagined that great lion Aslan, from the Chronicles of Narnia series, standing boldly up on the high cliffs.

When I came home and told a friend about all the “Roar, Lion of Judah” proclamations, she asked what that meant. I told her I was not exactly sure.

All of 2020 I had my phone screen saver set to a Lion and Lamb in the clouds picture, and I had been reflecting much on Jesus, the Lion of Judah.

I was captured years before by the lion Aslan, the central figure of the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and the other Chronicles of Narnia books.

He shows up in chapter twelve as...