Month: October 2019

My sweet daughter. She had her first ballet class yesterday. I was sort of sad because they didn’t let me in the room with her during the class. Though, I was very proud when after bringing her home, she started showing me some moves that she learned!

Heaven is more outgoing than I was as a child. She’s got a great personality and is just so full of energy. I wanted to get her involved in something. But it was actually my husband who urged me to look up a dance class for her to be involved with in our area.

Looking at this picture of her and me, I wish I had put some gel in my hair so it wasn’t so frizzy, but Heaven is front and center so it’s okay!

It’s so exciting that I get to put my own daughter in a dance class to get her involved in something to focus her energy. I got involved with a Brownies Girl Scout group once when I was around 7 or 8, but never anything much else than that besides some youth group trips at a Youth Bureau when I was a teenager. I am grateful that we are getting her involved in something early on to focus her energy. If she stays in dance classes or wants to try something else later, I won’t care. As long as she does stay involved in activities that help shape her into a confident and assured young woman.

I believe that getting your kids involved in something to focus their energy and talents early on is great for their development. Heaven is strong-willed, funny and can’t sit down. I actually was not surprised when she picked up so quickly on what they taught her at her first lesson. Because she is smart and quick-witted.

After seeing the other moms, I had a feeling that some of them were very serious about the future of their daughters’ dance careers! I saw one older girl there who had the body and form of a true dancer. I was pretty sure that she started at Heaven’s age.

Whether she be a dancer, a doctor, a teacher, a writer, a nurse or whatever!… I will be happy for my daughter as long as she makes it to my age, successful and happy with a heart pure before God. Even with the evil there is in this world, I still believe in the promises of God. I believe that as long as my life is based on the morals and teachings of the Word of God, that good things will come my way and I will see the goodness of the Lord! I believe that I will have a covering of Almighty God surrounding me and my family.

When my children get older, they will make their own choices. With that being said, I also believe that as long as I show them the best example I can of a woman after God’s heart, that they will follow Him too!

Even if they go astray for a time, I believe that they will serve the Lord. Is it possible that they won’t? Of course! I have no control over them. They were given free will, just as I was. But I choose to pray for them daily, teach them the ways of the Lord and love them every step of the way.

I want my children to be able to come to me and talk about anything.

So that I can give them counsel.

So that I can encourage them.

So that I can give them good perspective and insight.

So that I know what’s going on with my babies.

The Lord is good, and I see his hand all over me and my family.

I want to become a better woman so that Heaven will become the best woman she can be because she had a great example!

Deep thoughts after one dance class, right? I just want the best for her. I want her to have what I didn’t. Someone to talk to and confide in. I want her to want to be like me. I already see her mimicking several of my own traits and actions. That makes me check myself even more. She sees me and I want her to see love, confidence, capability, honesty, kindness, and success.

Christians are not perfect people. We were once sinners, now saved by Grace through faith in Jesus Christ. That being said, we all have weaknesses. Places inside of us that are more susceptible to certain sins than others. The Lord knows what these weaknesses are, the enemy knows what these weaknesses are, and it’d do us good to know what they are as well!

When I first accepted Christ, I had a profound revelation of just how sinful I was, and I prayed a quite foolish prayer: “Lord, make me perfect now!” Having been on this walk for a significant amount of time, I have learned that sanctification is a process and I must do my part!

I struggle with being negative. I have gotten better because the Lord has done amazing work in my heart and life, but I have a long way to go. Negativity starts in the mind, with your thoughts. If the enemy can control our thoughts, he can trap us in sin. That’s where the battle for our souls begins! “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” – Ephesians 6:12. We are tempted to fight against people when they hurt us, but the real enemy is the influence of the spirit behind what that person did to you. To be victorious, we need to keep that in perspective.

This is a preview of a guest post I wrote for Kelly R. Baker. To read the full post, click below!

You Won’t Get Freedom From Negative Thoughts Until You Do This

I believe we will live out what is in our hearts. Jesus told us to be like little children in order to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. “Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”  (Matthew 19:14 NIV)

Small children, not yet tainted by the world, are pure. They love, naturally. As any person grows into the teenage years and into adulthood, we learn what is modeled to us. We start to make our own choices, and a lot of those choices are not good. We all meet new people throughout life, and some of those people hurt us. Whether emotionally, physically or whatever, we get hurt sometimes by someone in life. It’s sad, but in this fallen world, we as humans hurt each other. None of us is perfect in this world. Most of us just do our best to live a good life. Some people are full of evil, though.

You won’t meet everyone you like, and we all will have to forgive someone for someone at one point or another. Romans 12:9 says, Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good (NIV). So how do you sincerely love someone you don’t like? It is not the easiest thing to do, but with God, all things are possible! For myself, when I meet someone and find myself thinking some not so nice things on a consistent basis and feeling things like jealousy, hate, impatience and strife, I go to the Word of God and I begin to pray about it.

This is a guest post I wrote for One Lost Coin. To read the post in  it’s entirety, click below!

“Let The Children Come To Me”: Studying Romans 12 Through Matthew 19:14

When I had one child, I thought two would be too hard to handle.

When I had two children, I thought that three would be hard to handle.

Until I got pregnant with my third.

I found out that I was pregnant again, and I said, “Okay, here we go,” and just accepted it.

I just started preparing.

Having done two children for three years, I had a good idea of what it would take to have a third.

When my second child was born, my oldest went through a jealousy stage.

He was visibly upset that I was paying more attention to his baby sister than to him. He wasn’t number one anymore.

In my third trimester with my second son, I started to think about that.

Would my 3 year old daughter be jealous of her baby brother?

This is a guest post I wrote for Imperfectly Perfect Mama. To read the full post, you can find it here:

How I’m Adjusting To Baby Number Three on Imperfectly Perfect Mama

As a blogger, there are certain items that are mandatory to have. In all reality, you must have a computer and an internet connection. Here, I talk about a few things that I use and have to have. There are different aspects of blogging. Yes, I am a writer, but I also have to use pictures. I make videos and I use social media. The ins and outs of blogging can sound complicated, but not when you have learned from someone who is at the top. Read to find out about the equipment for blogging that I use on a regular basis.

My Computer: HP Pavilion X360 Laptop

I love this laptop. My husband bought it for me and I spend a lot of time on it. For a while, it just sat there and collected dust, but then I got it out and started blogging! I also started editing my videos and putting out better content on YouTube. This laptop features a touch screen, so if you like that feature, this one may be the laptop for you. It also folds in half so you can use it like a tablet. I don’t use those features much, but what I like is the ease of use of the keyboard. It is the perfect size; The screen and everything. It’s not too big, so if I want to carry it around, I’m not lugging a huge computer around. I think I like my computer so much, if I needed to replace it, I’d go and get the same one!

SEO keyword tool: https://keywordtool.io 

This keyword research tool has a paid version, but I just use the free version. It’s limited (you can’t see certain things, like the keyword search volume), but it works for my purposes! It is important to use a keyword search tool so that you are using relevant keywords in your blog posts.

Ubbersuggest:

Ubbersuggest is an advanced SEO and website research tool that helps you rank high in Google by seeing what blog posts are already ranking high in Google, written by the competitors in your niche. I heard about it from Neil Patel in this video:

My Cell Phone: The Samsung Galaxy S10 +

I use my phone to take pictures for my posts. I also use it to share posts and other content on social media. This is the best phone I have ever had. The pictures are high quality. There are 3 or 4 cameras on this phone and I don’t feel I need to even start using a DSLR because this phone’s cameras are comparable.

Free Stock Photo Sites:

I use Pixabay and Unsplash for my feature images as well as throughout my posts These sites both have free images.

Blogging Blastoff Blogging Course

If I hadn’t taken this course, I would be clueless in the blogging game. I’d sort of be guessing. I have a page on my blog about the course. Check it out here: Start A Blog.   I also posted a YouTube video review of the course. You can watch it below.

My advice to you:

If you want to start a blog, take a course. Join a blogging Facebook group. Watch other bloggers’ YouTube channels. Utilize social media to get traffic. If you have already started a blog and are new, don’t give up if it seems daunting! Do what you know has worked for others and be consistent. Try new strategies and treat your blog like it’s your business.

Father,

You are holy. You are worthy of all praise! I thank you for my husband; his life and his testimony. I love my husband. But I know you love Him more. I want to say a prayer for my husband that moves your heart for him, Lord. I want so much for him, Lord. I want him to be healthy, happy and whole. In your word, you have given us promises that come with action on our part. So I pray that my husband honors your word and lives by your commandments every day, growing in truth and character.

I also pray that you change me, God! As his wife, I want to be a blessing in his life. Help me to respect my husband so he feels appreciated and valued. Help me to fulfill his needs as a man and support him in all endeavors you have placed in his heart to pursue. Praying for my husband is one of the best things I can do. So I pray you give me a heart to always pray, and with faith!

I pray a protection prayer for my husband. I pray you will guard his life against the plan of the enemy. Protect him from any hurt, harm or danger and from untimely death. I pray that my husband will live a long life in order for our kids to have him throughout their childhood and into adulthood. Keep his health in tip-top shape. I pray my husband will take care of his body; with a proper diet, exercise and rest. Keep him from stress and keep him out of the company of bad influences.

The tongue is powerful, whether we use it for good or evil. So I pray that he will watch what he says and learn to be silent unless his words are true and helpful. Give him self control, Lord; and help him to be patient. When he prays, give him great faith so that he prays, claiming victory. You are more than able to do mighty things, my God! Lord, let your will be done in my husband’s heart so that he continues to produce good fruit and glorify your name with his life.

I pray for my husband to consciously set boundaries in his life to keep sin far away; never to play with temptation but to live far away from it. Let evil be displeasing to him. Instead, give him a hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Keep his mind on you, Jesus. I pray he hungers for your Word and applies what you reveal to him to his life. I pray he loves you more than anyone or anything in this world. I believe that whatever he does for you will last Lord. And that this world is not his home, but his reward is in heaven.

Let him have a love for me and his children that exemplifies your love for the church. I pray he puts our marriage as first priority and parents our children in love and discipline according to your word. Give him wisdom and understanding so that he knows your word for what it really means, not in his own interpretation.

I pray his faith in you grows stronger, from glory to glory. Perfect that which concerns him, Lord. Be with all the days of his life. As changes happen, I pray he holds on to you, his rock of salvation. In every season, be his hope, his strength, his grace, his righteousness… And Lord, please give him the desires of his heart. And I pray he finds those desires within your will.

I claim victory in this fight we are up against every day! Victory over the battlefield of the mind, victory over sin and victory over the enemy’s plan to steal, kill and destroy him. Bless my husband all the days of his life Lord. Where the enemy tries to plant fear, give him faith. Where the enemy tries to harm him physically, give him strength. Where the enemy tries to plant anger or bitterness, give him peace.

In Jesus’ name! Amen.