Tonight...Jesus Spoke

Tonight was like any other evening in our home. Our daughter comes home from school, does homework, we eat dinner, have play time, do devotionals, then bed. *A little history* This year my eldest son has decided to read the Bible in a year and was doing so in his personal Bible (Dan's old one). We were clearing out some books to donate when I came across my Chronological Bible that I never used. (When I read through the Bible I prefer to use the Chronological schedule, but my own Bible, so I keep a print out of what to read each day in my ESV Study Bible.) Anyways, I thought my son would love it and he does! I ran across it on Monday and he has been in it every night and prior to Monday, he was in his personal Bible every night since January 1st.

Prior to this year, he has read through Revelations (yes, I know! Wow) and the Gospel of John. I couldn't be prouder of him...for REAL! He has cried a couple times this month because he lost track of time and it got too late for him to read his daily reading! It was hard on him, like really hard! Praying his future wife is growing in Jesus as well!

So, back to tonight --

Jesus spoke to me! After dinner, I came in the living room and sat down on my laptop to find "Duck Tape projects - Yes *shaking head as I picture duck tape stuck EVERYWHERE like hair and blankets. Oy!* *now shaking head and thinking maybe I should rethink these duck tape projects* Haha. Okay, so I am researching said projects and in comes Payton. He sits down, grabs a blanket from behind the sofa, grabs his Bible from the table, takes out his bookmark and settles in for his time with the Lord. My heart, friends!!!

So, here's the "thing" that God laid on my heart tonight! We have never made our children read their Bibles, we have never made them feel guilty for not reading. We encourage, we talk about how our relationships with God are nothing without time spent with Him. We have talked about how our lives are to consistently glorify our Lord. So, we read...we study...we intentionally put Jesus in our day!

So, seeing my kiddos read their Bible and know that this is because God has prompted their hearts to Him is unexplainable. I have seen many times how our children learn more out of watching, than by hearing, but this put a whole new look at what I already knew. Our kids see what we do (I know nothing profound, but can't explain this new feeling I got)! When we feel like reading is a task, or we get angry because we are interrupted, or when we only study when our kids are asleep, or when we "don't have time", our kids see! Our children, whom God has entrusted us to grow to glorify Him, are seeing that our time with the Lord is not a blessing. 

We need to live intentionally and know that our kids are watching! Our kids see our joy in God when we truly have joy in Him! We will mess up! Wow, do I mess up! Too often do I look at studying as a task or I want to rush it to get to something else. I know I do this, then I decide I'm not going to think like that, then two days later I think it again. Ugh! Satan get out! How many times do you say that? I feel I need to say it a lot! Like when Jesus turned to Peter and said, "Get behind me Satan!" He wasn't saying that to be funny or sarcastic, He was saying it because Satan was using Peter to temp Jesus away from His divine plan of dying on the cross for you and me!

I know that Satan uses my own flesh against me to keep me from my divine plan, to keep me from intentionally living for my children's divine plan. Like when I see my second oldest son and how amazing he is with the littles. I have NEVER seen a more helpful, loving, caring boy in my entire life. He will get his little brother's coat on and out in the car, grab Danté in his carseat and take him out, start the car, make bottles, etc without being asked. He is loving. So loving! However, sometimes he "gets in the way" as my flesh would say. Satan get out! I have to say this out loud and I have to say it often!

I want to live intentionally for my children to see the love of God we have in our hearts. I want to live so they see my faults and mistakes and how God uses them to strengthen, teach, and shape me. I want them to know that their faults and mistakes will bring them closer to God because He is the only one who can use them for something so much bigger! 

So, as God laid this gentle reminder on my heart I couldn't help but feel that I am not the only one who needs it... am I?? 

Here is to living and loving intentionally!

How I Study God's Word

I get questions all the time that include: what commentary do I use, when do I find time to study, what do I define as study, do I read only what I'm studying...

I would like to share just how I spend my time with the Lord in case anyone out there is wondering where to begin, what you can add, etc. I learned a lot of this in a session at a youth group summer camp for TEENAGERS :) We are never too old to learn :) This study style works for me and may not work for you! That is okay!

I always, always, always end with praying for my husband in our marriage journal! I blogged about that HERE if you would like to start that with your spouse or for your future spouse!

I sometimes study in the morning, sometimes late morning and other times after lunch. Honestly, I don't have a set time to study. I am a mom who homeschools and fosters, and my mornings are not always the same. So many people think you have to study first thing in the morning, well, you don't! We need our daily time with God, yes, but it does not have to be before a certain time in order to be a good Christian. It does need to be a time when we can truly focus and our hearts are with God. Pray before starting. Ask God to open your heart and eyes to what He is wanting you to see. Pray that He quiets your actions and stills your thoughts.

Secondly, when I study I get my tote with my pens, highlighters, notebook, and commentary out. Do you need all this? Absolutely not! I am a writer. I love pens. I love to write things in my Bible. When I pray for someone, I write their name, date, and short description of prayer for them in the margins. When I learn something, I write it in the margins. I underline, I highlight. I underline notes, and things in the introductions.


There are a few reasons why I do this. One is because I love the reminders! I love turning to a passage and seeing why God put it in my heart before and what new thing I learned from it today. Another is because it is my legacy to my children one day.

The notebook is for my notes from the commentary. This notebook is strictly for my study time. I write out every verse that I am studying. So, say today I was studying Ephesians 1:1-3, then I will write that passage out to start my study time. Secondly, I read through the commentary while cross checking along in my Bible. If something catches my attention, then I take note of it in my notebook and may write something in my Bible. For instance, when I found out Saints in the Bible means the same thing as Christians, I wrote that down in both places.

My commentary is written by James Montgomery Boice, I get them from Amazon. He is a wonderful writer, easy to understand, and very descriptive. The chapters are set based on how much is packed into each passage. Sometimes the passage is one to three verses and other times it could be six verses. I line up doctrinally with this pastor spot on (SUPER IMPORTANT). I use Logos as a study tool as well. It is more on the expensive side. Biblia is a free version sponsored by Logos. It doesn't have as much that you can do, but still good.

My Bible - well it is an ESV Study Bible.  This version is very as closely translated as possible. Other versions like NIV or NLT is translated a passage or sentence as a whole. ESV is translated word for word. NASB and KJV also translates word for word. KJV is much harder to understand so find one that works for you. All of these are great and we each have a preference - and that is OKAY!

These tabs on my Bible - well, these are my questions. Areas I have come to in my Chronological reading and haven't found an answer that has felt complete to me yet. God has spoken through people and I have removed a few this past year, then I add another, lol. Never ending - like when you're cleaning your house with kids - pick up one thing to turn around and see two more in its place :) It's good!

I am also reading the Bible chronologically! This is the second time I have done this and love it! Every time I finish, I start over again. Every time, I read something, I see something I didn't see before! This is my reading when my mind needs a break. Sometimes I start with my chronological reading and other times I end with it or do it in the evenings. My ten year old just said his goal this year is to read through the Bible, so he is starting at the Beginning :) <--- INTENTIONAL LIVING RIGHT THERE!!! :)

Most importantly, do what you do! Find your style, find what works. What time of the day works best. For my husband, his time is at work. He takes his to work every day and does it there. Sometimes he can't fit it in his lunch hour or he works through lunch so he sits in his truck in the driveway when he comes home. Find your time that you can solely be with God! Maybe a digital Bible or commentary is better for you to listen to while in the bath or driving home from work. WHATEVER IS PRIORITY, WILL BE PRIORITY! Don't fall into the trap where we say, "I don't have time". We all have time for what we want to do.

So, there you have it! Find a comfy chair and dig in...it's good :)

This May Be Surprising To You...

So, I am about to share something that may be surprising to a lot of you! 

I first want to say that I love the Lord with every ounce of my being. I spend time with Him every.single.day! My hubby leads our family spiritually in every way possible. Every evening he leads a devotional with our children, he teaches Sunday School for fourth graders and is the leader for 3-5th grade boys at Awana. I am a youth group leader and the leader for K-2nd graders at Awana. We are very involved with our local orphans, spreading awareness, and doing what we can to take them in.

We DO NOT feel that we deserve any praise, we are simply where God has called us to be - something we all should be doing, right?! We will always take prayers and continue spreading awareness.

With that being said, we are sinners! We are in church three plus times each week and we sin every day. I spend time with God every day and I still need to ask for forgiveness before my time with Him. I know that I'm going to sin - I can't stop it from happening! I can change what I can with God's help, but I can never stop sinning. 

This big debate over gays is hard for me (this is not a blog about gays, but rather our hearts as Christians)! You see, I have an aunt (whom is the best aunt in the history of aunts) and she is gay. She has loved me selflessly, my husband and now my kids. She is humble and funny!

So many people are afraid to talk about it and I don't understand why. I don't believe "Christians" act the way they are supposed to when it comes to gays - at all! We are called to LOVE! In the New Testament, Jesus said to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind and all your soul. Next is to love your neighbor as you love yourself. There is no greater commandment than these. (Mark 12:30-31) 

You see, Jesus does not put exemptions on these commandments - there are no "ifs". I do not agree with the gay lifestyle, I do believe it goes against all of what the Bible teaches. However, I also know that lying, pride, lust, jealousy, love of things, selfishness, women leaders in the church also go against what Jesus teaches.

I am not saying it is right to sin in any of these areas, gay, pride, jealousy, etc. It is not and we should not be content in any sin! I do believe that marriage is meant to be between a man and a woman! But, just because I believe these things to be wrong and am convicted many times when I forget, does not mean I have to judge and bring wrath down onto others who choose to sin. 

God speaks of love so much in the Bible and that is what we sometimes forget. We are so caught up on what this world has in the spotlight that we forget what God put in the spotlight - love! We don't have to agree with people to show love to them. We don't have to make people exactly like us! We just need to love, stand firm in our faith in God and let Him do the rest! He will change hearts if He wants, He will judge each of us when our time comes! Don't give satan any hold on you! 

I have prayed for you! As you read this, I have prayed that God softens your heart to loving our neighbors! Love is selfless! Love is NOT arrogant or rude! Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in truth. Love believes all things, bears all things, and endures all things. Love never ends. (1 Corinthians 13)

Matthew 5:14-16 (this is actually my homeschool group's verse) says we are "the light of the world" and that we are to "let our light shine so others may see our good deeds and glorify our Father in Heaven".

I just ask that we start a revolution of love! A revolution that shouldn't have to be mentioned, but surely it does! Let's unite to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Love our fellow sinners, the gays, the selfish people, the murderers, the liars, the thieves, those whom are jealous! Let's invite them to fellowship in the house of God! Let us not judge - it is clearly not our job.

In John 8, Jesus is with an adulterous woman and He said, "let any of you who is without sin be the first to throw the stone".  In Luke 6, Jesus says, "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?". We do not have to agree, but we are called to love!

Love People!!!!

So, why all the hype about the New Year?

A new year doesn't mean a whole lot in terms of change. It doesn't mean that miraculously we will be waking up tomorrow a new, different person then the night before. It doesn't mean that at midnight we morph into that awesome mom, dad, wife, husband, friend. So, why all the hype about the New Year?

My take on the New Year is this: It is a reminder! It doesn't mean we all don't try to do better all year. We are all convicted of different things through our year. Whether we react wrongly with our child or forgot to do something for a friend, didn't have dinner planned more than once, or forgot to read our Bible. Each time we tell ourselves that we want to do better tomorrow. We apologize, ask for forgiveness and try!

When we celebrate Valentine's Day, Memorial Day, Independence, Easter and Christmas, it doesn't mean that we don't care the rest of the year, but these days or periods are a reminder for ourselves, for our family, community and world. Reminders to intentionally love our spouse, our veterans, our Savior.

So, don't make resolutions or promises. I have nothing against these things, but I do know that we are a people who do this many, many times in the year. Be intentional! In everything you do, do it with intentionality! This New Year, remember that you are that mom, that wife, that dad, husband, or that friend! The fact that you want to do better makes you that person! It is God convicting us, pruning us! When we fail, let us remind ourselves that this change will not come from us alone! This true heart change comes from God!

What I'm doing this New Year is reflecting on the wonderful, joyous moments like adopting our son, welcoming in the many children (especially our D and R we currently have), seeing other adoptions finalized, seeing my sister have a life changing moment, homeschooling, witnessing God working through so many, the countless love letters from my children, my friends.

I'm reflecting on the hurting moments like saying goodbye to many children, saying goodbye to a dog who went to bring happiness to a new family, the family who lost loved ones, who is battling cancer, the struggles of foster parenting and homeschooling, the nights spent crying with a child battling her past (and future fears). The great thing is seeing God in EVERY single one of these hurting moments!

This new year, I will fail many times, I will promise myself that I will try harder and I will fail again. Through it all, I know that God is loving on me and making me stronger. I know that God is molding me to not be the person I want to be, but the daughter He NEEDS me to be! Only God knows what this year holds for each of us, I just pray that I continually keep my eyes, ears, and heart set on Him.

Pray with me! Father God, I am so very grateful for Your love for Your children. I am so thankful, Lord, for the hard times and the good. I am grateful that You have chosen us to be adopted into Your family. I am thankful for the hard times this past year and I rejoice in You for the future heart aches. Only You bring peace! Father God, I pray for each person reading and praying this prayer with me! I am thankful for them. I pray they keep their eyes, ears, and hearts set on You. I pray they feel Your arms wrapped around them through every struggle and they feel Your happiness through every joy! I pray those who do not know You, hear You through one of Your children. I lift them up before You, God. I pray for our orphans, both local and those across the oceans. I pray for those who are entering a new year with struggles, without loved ones, and I pray they see You through it all. May each of us feel Your presence this year. In Jesus name, Amen.


From our home to yours, Blessings to each of you in this New Year!!!

Hello 2014! :)

How I Intentionally Pray For My Husband

Prayer is one of the single most important things in a marriage. When you pray for your spouse, you are inviting God to join your marriage. If you don't pray for your spouse, I urge you to start NOW! This is vital! If you are not praying for your husband's heart, character, relationships, who is? The relief is knowing that it is not our job to change our spouse (only God can do that), but we are called to pray for him on a daily basis.

I spend time every single day praying for my children, their spouses, and their present and future. I pray for their husbands and wives as they are living their lives as we speak and God is preparing them for my children. I love journalling my prayers, sermons, studies, etc. I want to be a prayer warrior for my family and all of you! I love seeing how God works through our prayers by changing others hearts and myself.

One thing that God laid on my heart this past year was to pray for my husband with intentionality and purpose. God laid a different form of prayer on my heart this year. You see, Dan gets up to go to work at 5:15 and I like to sleep a bit longer, so our mornings haven't been spent praying for each other's day. We would pray in the evening, but there is just something about starting your day off with your spouse's heart open before God and praying for you!












We started a prayer journal! Everyday we write a prayer for each other. Dan starts off every morning, then I read his prayer for me and I write one for him. This journal is just between him and me, nothing else makes its way into it. Of course, his work, being the light to his coworkers, etc enter because that is how his day is spent. For me, the kids, homeschooling, etc makes its way in because this is what my day consists of. There are no notes from sermons, friends, or Bible Studies - simply a journal between husband and wife.

The cool thing to see this past year is how our prayers have began to visibly change. We went from thanking God for each other (which we still do write, because we are) to thanking God for calling each other to Him so we can spend eternity together.

Not only is this something we will always have that shows our CONTINUAL thanksgiving and love for each other, but a HUGE testimony to our children. These prayers aren't made up or assumed, they are tangibly there, written in our handwriting, to the one person that God has gifted us to love more than anyone else on this earth.

I urge you to consider starting a prayer journal for you and your spouse. If your spouse is an unbeliever, then journal all the more. Satan will make you feel like you should give up, but fight harder. If you are not married, then start one anyways. God already sees you with that person and what a gift to give them on your wedding day. My husband and I have always had a strong marriage. We really are best friends and I know, without a doubt, he would claim this victory in Christ as well. Invite God into your marriage!

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” ~Ephesian 5:31

Mean it!

Today our daughter came home with an owl project of Thankfulness that she did at school. It was sort of a rough day as she is still trying to get the hang of school and everything it entails. The learning level is one that she isn't used to. She has went to more schools than she can count. Last week she left her folder at school two days in a row, so we had lots of homework to get done.

She worked diligently on her vocabulary and Geography. We reviewed her spelling words, then did a Chapter 4 Math Test Review. I was growing weary with it all, but as I was going through everything else in her folder, I found this owl picture. I took a moment to read it. It said:

Dear Parents,

What I am thankful for is a roof over my head.

I am thankful for food so I can eat.

I am also thankful for the toys you give us.

I am really thankful for you.

I love you so much.

I don't need toys, I just need you.

I asked her who this was for (she just came to live with us twelve days ago). She said with a big smile, "It's for you and daddy!" As I hugged her tightly, I couldn't help but feel my heart overflow. Overflow with joy, happiness, love, hurt, compassion, sadness, completeness. 

My birth children if asked would definitely say they are thankful for food and a home and parents. They hear far too often how blessed that makes us! But, there is something different about R's letter to us. Hers is set apart from what most of us would feel when we say we are thankful for food and a roof over our head. You see, she lived without those necessities. She lived at times with no roof over her head, with no food to eat, with no parents to care for her.

When she wrote, "I don't need toys, I just need you" she meant it. She truly knows that toys are fun, but she really just needs parents to love and care for her. Her thankfulness is deeper - It's realer - It's who she is. It is a deepness that I hope I have when I thank God for the simple things.

When Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me" he said that because their faith is one that we all should have. Because a child's perspective is one that we can all learn from. They may not get adult understanding, but they get what's important. With the life she has been dealt so far, she would have the right to be angry, but her heart is so full of compassion, love, and understanding.

I encourage you to join with me to have a deeper thanks this season. To really put yourself in another's situation and really feel what they feel. When we pray to God and thank Him for His unfailing love, mean it, truly mean it!

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." ~2 Corinthians 12:9-10

A Continuously Changing Family

And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. ~Matthew 18:5


A lot has changed in the past few months in my life and I feel ready to start blogging it again! In October 2011, we got our Foster Parent License in the mail thinking, "Great! What next?" A month later, this happened!

"Ring, Ring" "Ring, Ring"

Me: "Hello!"
Amber: "Hi Kisha! How are you?"
Me: "Good, thanks!"
Amber: "Well, we have a child for you!"
Me: *Shocked and speachless at how fast...* "Okay..."
Amber: "He is two days old, his name is Ziekeal. He is African American and will be ready in about two hours." "Do you need to call Dan and talk about it?"
Me: "I know that Dan and I are here for this reason and we would love to have him in our home!"
Amber: "Sounds good. Meet me in two hours!

At that moment, I hung up and called Dan and then three good friends who provided everything I needed in those short two hours! Blessings indeed. In the next weeks I received an abundance for this sweet baby!

He is now over 6 months old, just cut two bottom teeth, started on baby food and loves to laugh, sleep, eat and poop! He is a joy and we are so blessed for saying, "Yes!" to that phone call on November 14, 2011! What a blessing!

In the weeks to follow, we had two other children come into our home (a brother and sister) and in the months to follow we had a 6 year old boy come through our home! In 6 months, we had 5 children pass through our home, some multiple times, one long term and one short term, but they each have left an impression.

I have seen the first hand need of foster parents or adoptive parents to adopt out of the foster system. These sweet kids are confused, unsure and probably scared, but they all have one thing in common...they all need love and routine! If your heart is even thinking about this area, I urge you to talk to someone you know, myself or call an agency!

One thing my husband and I have said from the beginning is, "Whatever the reason or the length of stay, every child who walks into our home will feel loved!" It's a simple concept we all know to well! I can't tell you how many times I hear, "It would be so hard, I could never do that (you know, love a child, care for a child with the very good possibility they will return home)" I can assure you that is not me, Dan or our family...It is God! He has softened and opened our hearts to children and we have faith that He will not leave us when the time comes for a child to return home. He has been with us thus far and I can assure you that we have needed and leaned on Him many times for comfort, peace and understanding!

I do know that God does not lay these lifestyles on the hearts of every family, but I do know there are some who are nervous to get started, scared, too many questions, etc. Just ask :)

Oh, and how do our kids feel about it? Ask them! I can tell you that I have never been more proud of my boys then seeing them take these younger kids under their wing! From holding their hands in a parking lot to wrapping their arm around them on a carnival ride! Seeing those moments gives me peace! I used to say, "I pray my kids have a passion for children when they are older!" But, it's funny...I already see it!!!


I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me! ~ Matthew 25:40

I'm smarter than you are??? Really???

I was talking to a sweet, long missed friend of mine a couple of nights ago and we got on the subject of our beliefs and how good it feels to read something in the Bible and, actually, get the meaning of it. Like recently realizing that I can't take my life where it needs to go. I mean I always "knew" that I couldn't control it...but I never fully grasped it. I used to believe that I had a free choice on all decisions that I make...which contradicts what I thought I knew. I have recently learned that NO! I don't have that choice, that only lies in the hands of our Maker. I have learned through searching and searching through His Word that God makes the sovereign choice for me and you!!

But, going through that, for me, was a moment in my faith that I will never forget! It was one of the first times that God laid a situation on my heart and stayed persistent as He put people in my path that I needed to talk to. I sometimes wonder, though, how so many Christians can get so defensive when someone else reveals what God has revealed to them. I'm not saying that I had many issues going through this, but their were some. However, I've been in that situation before with friends...we all have! I was in it as I was battling myself through this! I couldn't believe how something could be so different than what I had believed before. Here's where the selfishness came in..."What, that can't be. I know that's not right?!" But, truth is, I know a small tiny pen point of what the Bible holds...

Don't take this the wrong way, I don't feel that I know more than anyone else or any other viewpoint is wrong, I do feel that my relationship with God and my view of the future completely changed for the better once I took the pressure off of 'ME' and followed Him. I'm not trying to say that this is what you should believe as that is between you and God, but the point I'm trying to get to is why do we automatically get so defensive when a new insight to a, possible, new outlook of Gods Word is brought to our attention. I honestly don't feel that anyone going through a similar situation is trying to sound, "Better than thou" or "Smarter than you", but rather looking for help as they walk through this life altering situation that God has laid on their heart. Because 9 times out of 10, they're looking for insight to help be able to grasp what God is trying to reveal.

Going through this experience has, for me, been life changing. It has changed the way I pray. I look at the future with ease, my children with comfort, this world with peace and my life with excitement. I know that nothing is in my hands, it is out of my control...and, honestly, I am relieved of that. To know that God's will is so much BIGGER than ANYTHING of this world...including myself is an amazing gift and nothing short of a relief!!

I know that I pray that I will be able to hear through Gods ears and feel through His heart. Will you?? Will your ears be open when someone comes to you with Scriptural references to something that God has revealed to them? Will you hear as though God was sitting next to you?? God reveals to some what He doesn't to others...Why?? Well, how would we grow and learn TOGETHER if He didn't?! If we knew EVERYTHING, how would we learn ANYTHING?! How would we share His Word to other 'believers'? God laid this on my heart through Scripture and LOTS of friends who He revealed this very thing to, many years ago. Yes, I had to come to grips with knowing that I was NOT the first to find out...

What is God laying on your heart?? What is He wanting you to dig in and find out more about? What!!! Remember the ears that will be relieving to you as you go through this that someone else needs today. Maybe God's not laying anything on your heart at this point...but, maybe you have a friend who is?!!!

God bless!!