Wednesdays in the Word

Our church just finished a 21 day time of prayer and fasting and it has been such a blessing to hear about the amazing things God has done in people's lives during this time.

Besides food, I also fasted social media and it was amazing to realize how much 'noise' was absent from my head! LOL Who knew?! I might just have to continue staying off Face book!

The fast convicted me that I need to make more time in my life for the Word of God. More than just quick tidbits of it each morning. But to really give it the amount of time that a PRIORITY deserves.

At the beginning of the fast, I felt led to read Mt.4:7
"And some seed fell among thorns and the thorns grew and choked it, and it yielded no crop."

So, I prayed to be shown what thorns have grown up in my life and what I let choke out the Word of God.

In the week to follow I read more about the Parable of the Sower. In Luke 8 we find out what the 'thorns' are.
"And some (seed) fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it." (verse 7)
In verse 14, Jesus explains that the "the ones that fell among the thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with
CARES,
RICHES
and PLEASURES OF LIFE
and bring no fruit to maturity."

Now at the end of the fast, I feel like I know what the names of those "cares, riches and pleasures of life" are in my life and how to CHOKE THOSE instead of letting those choke out what He wants to grow in me.
It is going to take some self discipline to keep the 'thorns' out. But that the beauty of fasting. It gives you lots of practice saying 'no' to the things you like.

May we all let the Word of God flourish in our lives this year!
~Becky

The banquet

The company that my husband worked for has its annual awards banquet this week.
We've been going since our kiddos were pretty young and my biggest worry back then was that one of them would spill something. Now my biggest worry is that I will have to give a speech!

Their awards have always been based on character traits. My hubby always won quite a few awards each year. And now,  the highest award anyone can win is named after him.

Last year when I was invited to attend, I didn't get the memo that I was GIVING A SPEECH and handing out the award at the end of the banquet -until I had already arrived.
I think the absence of that info was God's way of making sure I came.

Zac was my date and he was pretty sure I was going to pass out during dinner and kept watching me.LOL (to say that public speaking is not my thing is a major understatement!)
I thought I might pass out too. Especially when the men who gave speeches before mine were so polished and funny.

But God,
who can do anything,
even help ME public speak, ---was faithful!

 And Zac confirmed that whatever I said made sense. : )

It really was a beautiful time and I was deeply honored to be there and see my husband's character honored and say a few words about him. It was a privilege to present the award to a man he admired and who was a dear friend of his.

And NOW I know that "we would love to have you participate"
is actually code for -GIVE A SPEECH. LOL
As I was experiencing what panic attack symptoms must feel like,
our youngest son, said these wonderful words:
 "I'll go! I've got you, Mom! I'd love to give a speech honoring Dad."

Hallelujah!!!!!

Seriously, though, it wasn't easy to go and hear about how wonderful my hubby was and see pictures of him that we'd never seen before on a power point. It was very emotional and it probably won't be much easier this time,
but I never want to miss any opportunity to honor him and the incredibly godly man that he was!

So, I'm going!

But, bless the Lord, I am not speaking! : )

~Becky

Wednesdays In The Word

We are doing a 21 day fast with our church and whenever I fast
 (don't get me wrong, I usually try to avoid that discipline at all costs -LOL)
I read Isaiah 58.
It reminds me of what behavior pleases God during a fast and what doesn't and of the powerful things that happen because of a fast:

-HE looses the bonds of wickedness

-HE lifts heavy burdens

-HE causes the oppressed to go free

-HE breaks every yoke

How awesome is that?!

~Becky

Happy New Year

After being a homeschooling mom for 19 years, I was pretty used to my summer break, winter break and spring break. Thankfully, where I work, the offices are closed for the week between Christmas and New Years so I do actually get a bit of a winter break! And it was great. Can I just say that Christmas festivities had worn me out and I relaxed that whole week? And it was awesome!
My college kids winter breaks' were much longer and so we've pretty much had company over here almost every night for a month. And the funny thing is, they've been addicted to Scrabble.
-Now that is something that makes a homeschool mom proud. LOL Especially when your kids beat you! We had friends from CA come stay with us in shifts, so that meant that alligators were searched for, cute coffee shops were frequented, gourmet Popsicles were consumed and they hung from trees in hammocks.

This past weekend we celebrated Zac's 25th birthday! I can't believe my first born is 25!
We went to a fancy restaurant to celebrate, which served such gorgeous food, we ALL got out our phones and took pictures.
Then we came back to the house where we had decorated the walls with chalkboard stickers that had words on them that we each felt describe Zac. (words like determined, kind, goofy, Mr. Success)
And then we played MORE Scrabble!
Zac has grown into one of the hardest working people I know and my hubby would be so proud. He is a great husband, who works two jobs, goes to school full-time and is in the top 15% at ASU. (which blows my mind) He's leader of this pack and loved all to pieces!

Winter break and all of its fun is officially over now though and we are getting back to the disciplines of normal life after the holidays. The kids are going back to school and our church is doing a 21 day fast. Our family is participating in the Daniel Fast and doing a social media fast. We've had lots of discussions around here about what foods are OK and which aren't. And today it hit me that it basically means we are caffiene-less, sugar-free vegans for 3 weeks. : )
-Except one of us decided they couldn't survive without chicken. LOL
Besides all the food discussions, it is a wonderful time to get quiet and draw near to God and see Him draw near to us and believe for spiritual breakthroughs in our lives.
It is a new year and a new season!

Blessings!
~Becky



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Wednesdays in the Word

I've been camping out in the book of Titus lately.
Paul left Titus in Crete to choose elders for the churches there. It lines out the godly character that people in leadership need to have and this got me thinking about leaders who have comprimised.

I'm a Type A, rule-follower by nature, but the Holy Spirit convicted me this week of something I do that is against the rules. Not illegal or anything -LOL. Just something dumb, really. But we can't ever get to a place where we think 'the rules' don't apply to us. Especially, when we claim to follow Christ. Small compromises lead to larger ones. I doubt that moral failures are instantaneous. They happen over a series of compromises.

Titus 2:11-14 says:
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works."

This passage tells us that God's grace teaches us to say 'no' to ungodliness and lust. And the cost of this powerful means of self control, came to us at the price of His life, which is so humbling.
To be able to make us His "own special people" He had to "purify us." And then He put His passion on the inside of us and made us "zealous for good works."

We get to wear His jersey, so to speak, and do what He would do. Acts 10:38 tells us that
"He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil because God was with him." I love that!
As we wait for His "glorious appearing" we get to be His special people and do all the good we can.
Our lives are to be "righteous and godly." We've got to be the people whose talk lines up with their walk. Not the folks who "profess to know God but in works deny Him." We should be the most honest employees and the best citizens. The ones who exemplify excellent character and self control
 because we are His. -And who remember that He paid the ultimate price to make us so.

~Becky