Sermon Snippets

Snippets from yesterday's powerful sermon before I forget.......(one day I will be able to take notes in church again!!! hopefully soon, Ellie will be in Sunday School too and this will be easier)


THE TONGUE: LIFE & DEATH......




4 "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life,
But perverseness in it breaks the spirit."
~Proverbs 15:4



21 "Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit. "
~Proverbs 18:21...This is such a powerful verse.....we have the ability, with this slimy muscle in our mouth to kill/destory or nurture/bring life....whoa!



23" Whoever guards his mouth and tongue
Keeps his soul from troubles. "
~Proverbs 21:23...seriously, just like Pastor said, just about every situation you get yourself in that isn't good, usually all started because of our mouths!!! (Or 90 % of the time)



4"Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell."
~James 3.........Pastor spoke of this verse like this: Training our tongue to be holy will not be like a jet ski and take off speedily or change instantly. Our tongue is like a big ship (or any situation we are struggling in, this applies also) and you have to keep turning that wheel on the big ship to get yourself to re-route to where you are wanting to go. So don't give up on striving for holy!!!
It will take time to get that ship turned around and headed in the right direction again.



8 "Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. 11 Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.”
~1 Peter 3......not constantly backbiting and throwing insults back when one is thrown at you is a perfect example of this: you will inherit a blessing if you choose to bite your tongue!!! It's written right here in the Word!!



35 "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
~Matthew 12....so verse just stops me in my tracks every time and i think I'm gonna go paint it on a wall in my house so I think before I speak EVERY TIME.
.....EVERY.IDLE.WORD= Justification OR Condemnation


I pray this blesses you as it did me and gave me a good kick in the rear to get my ship on the right course!!!

In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand


In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
'Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live


There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ


No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
'Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

~http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8welVgKX8Qo

Pictures-The Good Ol Summertime

The God of Yesterdays

"Our present enjoyment of God's grace is apt to be checked by the memory of yesterday's sins and blunders. But God is the God of our yesterdays, and He allows the memory of them in order to turn the past into a ministry of spiritual culture for the future. God reminds us of the past lest we get into a shallow security in the present."


"God's hand reaches back to the past and makes a clearing-house for conscience."


"As we go forth into the coming year, let it not be in the haste of impetuous, unremembering delight, nor with the flight of thoughtlessness but with the patient power of knowing that the God is Israel will go before us. Our yesterdays present irreparable things to us; it is true that we have lost opportunities which will never return, but God can transform this destructive anxiety into a constructive thoughtfulness for the future. Let the past sleep, but let it sleep on the bosom of Christ."

~Oswald Chambers

Paw-Paw Doc Update

Please pray for Paw-Paw Doc and us. He was transferred into a nursing home but it has not been a good experience. It is filthy and an hour drive from us. We are currently trying to get him transferred to another nursing home only 20 min from us.


The problems we are running into is his dialysis situation. He has become so weak that Jason and I are unable to transfer him anymore in our vehicle but transportation is only available at certain times to take him 3 times a week to dialysis. (The nursing home medical vans).


Tomorrow morning my plan is to make some surprise visits to some nursing homes to inspect them and see how they operate. There is one in particular that seems to be our only option as it has on sight dialysis and he wouldn't have to leave at all. We have heard it may be questionable though. Please pray this all works out soon.


Doc's spirits are very low and he has asked multiple times to just come home, quit dialysis and go on hospice. Our wishes are for him to keep giving the dialysis a shot at a newer, cleaner nursing home a chance before we make that awful decision. It's been so hard to see his health going downhill so quickly and watch him suffer like this. Thank you so much.

Pictures-Weekend Shenanigans

We went back to our old church this weekend and spent time with our former church family.
*SIGH* we miss them so much.....but are also so thankful God blessed us with a new one!
Anyways.......we had baptisms/potluck/baby shower after church. It was a BEAUTIFUL day, maybe a little too chilly for the pool, but the dunking still got done and victory was still won!!!!

This young lady had an amazing and powerful testimony.....God brought her out of alcohol/drugs....(drugs that the doctors say a person can never get off of) but HALLELUJAH, by the power of the CROSS< Jesus has set her free!!!!

Three Daddys got to baptize their daughters....it was awesome to watch these young girls testify with that childlike faith what THE CROSS and Jesus dying for our sins means.....I can't wait til our kiddos are old enough to understand it all!!!

My cousin's Marci's husband, Pastor Ben, baptizing their daughter.

Our friend, Erik, baptizing his daughter, Anna......

Our friend Sean, baptizing his daughter Taliah......a precious, precious little girl with cystic fibrosis.....it was so sweet to watch......

Good quality time with Daddy.....

Our friend David also had a powerful testimony....God has already been nudging them into the ministry field, it's so exciting to see what all God is doing in their lives!!!

Our sweet friend Nickole giving her testimony......

OH, I remember that feeling......such peace and JOY when you come up outa the waters......

Stretching our hands and praying over David & Dara as God is sending them into the ministry.

Dara just took a full time position with YOUTH FOR CHRIST in Iroquois County, stepping down from her full time Sports Trainor position. And though satan is going to try and deter them off this path God is calling them to go........they will stand strong as mighty warriors!!!!

On the way home, we stopped off to visit both of Jason's grammas and entertained them a bit with some monkey business.....

It was close to supper time and no naps.....

So serious grouchiness and hyperactivity was starting to set in.......

But we made it home.....and were thouroughly blessed by such a beautiful day.....

THE CROSS

A Sneak peek into the remainder of our amazing weekend......Testimonies & Baptisms....
and the power of the Holy Spirit falling down upon believers. Because of the CROSS, we saw
these beautiful moments today of souls laying their lives at the CROSS, going down in the waters, and coming up a new man. As we sang Amazing Grace......VICTORY WAS WON!!!!


"28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11

The Cross + Repentance + Baptism = Saved with Peace!

And that peace and joy will make you want to dance and shout from the rooftops!!!! Because there is nothing.....nothing....nothing.....
like the LOVE OF GOD and THE CROSS.
The blood that was shed for you.
And it was all finished at the CROSS. That means, you leave your old life there and walk forth a new man. And gain eternal rewards. With a Father who never, ever, ever, ever leaves your side.....EVER.


And now tell me....who else can offer you such as this?

Pictures-Fair Night & Muskateers

Well our weekend has been crazy busy so far.....last night we all headed to the fair.....

Gabe liked the view from the rear.....

Checking out the World's Largest Rabbit!!!!....seriously!!!

No joke....

Gabe only wanted to watch the rides, did NOT want to ride....but Little Miss went on the slide.

And all I got was a happy blur!

We then headed over to the grandstands to watch the 1st Annual Redneck Olympics.....

With my 4 Muskateers of course ;) Our annual sleepover festivities began earlier in the day.....

Jacob's team was White Trash Rodeo...and here he is competing in the first event....

They were speedy like lightening allllllllllllllllllllllllllll night long.....they just threw a team together last minute and did amazing!!!

Wheelbarrow races while carrying an egg on a spoon then trading teammates in between....

And once again.....they left everyone else in the dust....

The last and final event came down to Jacob's team and Popejoy's team: The Turd Herders

(they are the plumbing/heating/electrical comp my brother Joshua works for)

The picture above is a pile of mud and manure......a very large pile if you look closely....

And a good ol game of tug-a-war across the poo.............

Jacob's team celebrating.....they were Redneck Grand Champions!!!! Yeeha!

More celebrating, they won a toilet seat (*and not sure what else)

2 of Jacob's team mates were his good buddies Matt (the bullfighter) and his girlfriend the cowgirl Lindsey........musta been all that rodeo/farming experience these kids had!!!

Jason then took the kiddos home and I spent a late night out with the Muskateers!!!!

And had waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much fun, like always........

This year, we made it official (after 3 yrs) and got the shirts to go with our gig.....

And by 1:00 this morning, this Mama was getting tired.......

This is what happens after too much sugar ;)

Love you girls.....more than you'll ever know!!!! Thank you so much for a fun and unforgettable time again, it's been such a blessing to watch you all grow up over the years......I can see us still doing this after you're all married ;)

So after I delivered all the cute chicks full of giggles home, our house got over run by the other species..............THE BOYS.............;) 3 college boys came back over for some lunch then

Nintendo 64 for the rest of the afternoon. Was so cute to watch/listen to them play....they are oh so different from the females ;) But still lotsa fun!

To Isaac, Machic, and Shoppe......we love you guys too and pray for a great year at college!