Inside and Out

There in the produce department you spot the shiniest, most beautiful red apple you have ever seen. It is completely without bruising and looks like the perfect snack for your morning break. You decide to buy it and you go in for the first bite of this perfect apple, knowing how sweet and delicious it will be and….uhhhhh you are forced to spit it out because on the inside the apple is just mush and rotten. How is it possible that something so beautiful could be so unpleasing on the inside? Have you ever met anyone like that…on the outside they are physically appealing but when they open their mouths, well let’s just say the truth comes out.

I have known quite a few people like that in fact, I am sure I have been that very person in past years of my life. This world is consumed with our outside appearance but God is more concerned about who we are on the inside. I have decided to write this blog not only to talk about all the wonderful things that I love and to meet others that share in my loves but also, to take a closer look for you (and me) about how we can transform who were are on the inside into wonderful men and women after God’s own heart. As Mandisa (one of my faves) sings ” I want the truth that I believe to be the definition of me”! Be brave my dear friends, do not conform to the ways of this world instead let God transform those mushy, rotten places we have on the inside into true beauty! Let’s start from today…to be beautiful inside and out!

Raising kids to stand for Christ!

My sister Holly and I went to a seminar, it was titled ” Empowering parents for student success”. We had a wonderful speaker that spoke on the importance of teaching our children that they do not have to be cool to be somebody in this world. He also told us that our children are looking for heroes, someone to look up to, if we do not give them those heroes they will find them somewhere else. They might find them on TV, the Internet or among their friends. As the speaker was giving us his speech I could not help but think about how important it is to point our children to the only hero they will ever need, Jesus Christ. When we teach our children to lean on the everlasting arms they will look to our hero for the answers they need in life. I truly believe that if a child grows up with the Lord they will always come back to him. I come from a long line of Christian parents, each have shown their children how to step out for Christ and it has carried on from generation to generation. I am blessed to have a Christian family.

I once heard a song that goes ” I’m not cool and that’s okay my God loves me anyway, I’m not cool but thats all right I’m still precious in his sight”. This song spoke volumes to me. It not only gave me a different perspective on how my children where dealing with all the issues of fitting in as I did as a child, but also gives hope and a strong sense of belonging when someone would love us that much! He loves us no matter who we are or what we do in life. In this world of heartaches and broken promises it is wonderful to know that we do have a hero that loves us unconditionally…even those of us who are uncool !

My heaven bound life...

Living a heaven bound life can be an experience that is different for each of us. I believe that it is all in your perspective of how you start your day. I live my heaven bound life day by day, trusting in God and believing that he is my main purpose for living. I trying to carry that trust over to my children's lives...last school year I began everyday that I sent my kids off to school, I yell out them...Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding in all your way acknowledge him and he will direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). It was a amazing reaction from my daughter who is now 11, she now recites it with me...it is a blessing.
Really leading a heaven bound life can be challenging at times but the blessings that abound are far more rewarding that what you actually put in. God knows just what we need even before we ask...isn't that amazing? I can not even put into words how amazingly beautiful that is...our God loves us so much that he knows us inside and out..our needs, our wants, our inner thoughts.
I am thrilled to say that my heaven bound life has been truly blessed and God shows me more everyday how real and wonderful he is!! Are you leaning on the everlasting arms? If you are not, do it! Start today and you will never be the same! Our God is an awesome God and he loves you and me beyond our imagination! Wow...I love my heaven bound life!