Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Turners.

Blog Birthday Winners

So I'm running a little late on this announcement! For those who know me, that's no surprise I'm sure. Congratulations to winners. Here they are:

Forgotten God by Francis Chan-Fran H.
$15 iTunes Card-Ann C.
Potluck Club Book-Rhonda F.

Please e-mail me your address so that I can get these to you quickly at turnerbm@bellsouth.net! Thanks to everyone who participated and signed up to receive updates via e-mail.

Also, later this week I'll be doing my first ever blog interview. I can't wait to tell you all about a new ministry I learned about this past week. Stay tuned and stay in the Word.

Potluck Club Giveaway

The Potluck Club is a book that a friend gave me to read about a year ago. It stars 6 very different, but very relatable women. They're just like me and you and all of our friends. Their lives are intertwined and they love each other, pray for each other, eat together and get on each other's nerves! Sound familiar? You will read with laughter, a few tears and much anticipation of what will each one do next. I will warn you now, once you start The Potluck Club you won't want to put it down. And you'll want the next one, and the next one after that to read quickly! Each book has a special bonus; they include some of the recipes that are talked about in the chapters. Good stuff!

This is the last giveaway in the blog birthday celebration! Go here and read the last couple of posts to find out how to sign up and what the other gifts are! Also, here is the potluck club website. It has lots of fun stuff about the Potluck Club ladies and the wonderful authors.

Thanks for stopping by and reading my posts for the past few years.

Music Giveaway

Music is something that makes me smile and I love it! So I put a $15 iTunes card as part of the Blog Birthday celebration give away. Go here to read about the celebration and how to enter to win.

Anyway, my love for music started really early. I grew up with my Daddy playing bluegrass/country music in our house all the time. He taught himself to play the guitar and for most of my middle school/high school years he played in a band. Now before anyone falls off their chair, I am NOT a fan of bluegrass music. However I do have fond memories of writing down words to songs for my Daddy, so he could learn them for his band. Remember cassette tapes? Well I used to have to listen to the songs, hit play, listen again, hit stop, write down the words, hit play, listen again, hit stop, etc, etc, etc. I would do this until I got the whole song down!! It was insane, but it played a big part in teaching me to not just hear music, but really listen to the words.

I got an iPod for Christmas a few years ago and that has been such a blessing. To hear a song now on the radio and be able to get it quickly to listen to again is amazing and a real treat for me. Right now I'm loving Christmas music of course. My favorites are the Mercy Me Christmas cd and Glory in The Highest by Chris Tomlin. What's yours?

Forgotten God

I read Francis Chan's Forgotten God a few months ago. It's one of those books that has stayed with me. I keep thinking about it, picking it back up and re-reading the parts I highlighted. (Which, by the way, is most of the book!)

The big take away for me in this book was that I need to live like I have Christ's Spirit in me everyday. I know that. I say that. But in looking at how I live, I didn't seem to live like it most of the time. Mainly I live in my own power, my own strength and my own wisdom. Chan says that "when a person is habitually and actively submitted to the Spirit, what comes out of his or her life is the fruit of the Spirit." Galatians 5:22,23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Ouch, ouch, ouch!

Opportunities abound daily to display God's Spirit through the fruit. What I realized is that I have to be intentional about seeking the Spirit's leading in these moments. Not just go through the motions because I can. But to really stop and ask God to lead me the way He wants to go. It's a process that happens over and over again. Hopefully I'm getting more consistent each day.

Lastly my favorite part of the book is the stories. After each chapter, Chan gives stories of people who make the choice to live by the Spirit and to seek God's wisdom and direction in their lives. They are powerful examples of what a life lived in the Spirit looks like.

**I'm giving away a copy of this book later this week. Go here to read about how you can get signed up and possibly win. **

Happy Blog Birthday!!

Today, about three years ago, this blog was born. It was a scary adventure for me to start writing; and even more terrifying to write and share it with you! But God has a way of breaking us in for what He has planned for us. I had no idea when I started this blog that I would shortly be writing a Bible study and publishing it! God did. That's how He works.

So in honor of this bloggy birthday, I thought I'd do a little give away. Over the next few days, I'll blog about three different things that I've enjoyed this year. First will be Francis Chan's book, Forgotten God. Secondly, I'll post about iTunes and give away a $15 iTunes card. And lastly, I'll give away a copy of The Potluck Club book by Linda Evans Shepherd and Eva Marie Everson.

In order to be eligible to win, you need to subscribe to the blog. Just enter your e-mail address in the form on the right hand side of the blog. That way you want have to keep checking for updates, you'll automatically get an e-mail when I update or post. Also, leave me a comment about which item you think you might like and I'll choose a winner for each gift. I'll leave this open until Thursday night and post the winners on Friday morning.

Eat Pray Love

I watched this movie, Eat Pray Love, with my husband recently. The main character goes on this year long, self-discovery journey and lands in a different location around the world for each part. Neither of us liked it very much, but the scenery was beautiful. It definitely made us want to go to Rome one day.

Real life in our house doesn't allow for a year long journey, but every day does! Every day we have an opportunity to eat, pray and love with the ones we're surrounded by.

Eat-Our daily journey usually culminates at the dinner table each night. Our children are still fairly young, so we can have a family meal almost daily. It's a good time for us and much conversation happens around the table. We've been intentional about making this work, but I know it won't last forever.

Pray-This is probably the weakest link of the three parts for us. We talk about people, things or situations that we need to pray over, but we don't necessarily pray for them together. Prayer is such an intimate thing I think that it is hard sometimes to have others hear us. We feel like we're listening in on a private conversation. Thankfully God hears us, and so we pray individually.

Love-Every day as a work at home Mom, I can love my family quite easily. Whether it's by doing the laundry, cleaning the house or making a good meal, serving my family is loving them. Making our home a warm, safe place that builds their confidence and encourages them in their life is a blessing.

Make every day count. Be intentional about eating, praying and loving with the ones you're surrounded by.

Here and Now...There and Then

Have you ever done something knowing it would be good for you, but all the while feeling your stomach turn? Your hands are trembling and your palms are sweaty. You keep taking deep breaths hoping that your body will calm down. That was me a couple of months ago as I began leading a group of ladies through "Here and Now...There and Then." It's a lecture series on Revelation by Beth Moore.

Now I know that any time spent in God's Word will be good for me, but I was a wreck with worry over this particular one. My friend, Kelli, and I lead this community group together. We decided last summer that Revelation was what God was calling us to offer this Fall. I knew it was the right thing to do, but I had never led any Bible study on Revelation. Frankly in the 20+ years of teaching and leading Bible studies, I never wanted to. It scared me and made me quite uncomfortable. There was just too much that I didn't know or understand. Too many questions and a lot of "I don't knows."

God had a different plan. We had been praying for God to bring new ladies to our group; ladies who weren't in a Bible study anywhere. And He did, of course He did! I think this was the biggest group we've ever had and I didn't know the majority of them. Funny how God does that. I had seriously sweaty palms now, but we were already committed. So we started and to paraphrase a famous movie line, "He had me at Hello."

Revelation 1:3 says, "Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near."

After reading that verse I was no longer afraid, but ready to receive all that God wanted to teach me and show me through this series. Even if it meant having more "I don't knows" to say, I wanted to read and hear every word of Revelation. So I dug my heels in and went through every chapter. Rest assured I have seriously more questions than answers now. But that's o-k, because I also have a bigger picture of who Jesus is now.

In the final chapter Jesus calls himself the "Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." He began all this and He will one day end all of this. However, what struck me the most was from the beginning of Revelation to the end, He fights for us. Jesus is our Advocate-from creation to the completion of His Kingdom, He's fighting for us. Nothing that happens in my life or yours occurs without His knowledge. He's our one true Advocate, here and now, there and then.

Ever wanted to study Revelation? Go ahead, get your blessing. I got mine!

Escape Clauses

Wikipedia defines an escape clause as "any clause, term or condition in a contract that allows a party to that contract to avoid having to perform the contract." In other words, it's a way to get out of doing what you promise to do. Some might say a loop hole! God's Word is full of His promises to us. Praying those should be easy. However, lately I find myself praying with escape clauses.

For instance, I'm praying for a friend who has been sick for quite a while. It's nothing terminal, but just nagging and bothersome. I know God is our healer. So I pray and ask God to make her healthy, but then I add, "If you don't, please help her to endure with understanding and grace." I'm praying for another friend whose husband needs a job. I know God is our provider. I ask God to give them a job, but then I add, "If you choose not to, help them to be wise and make good choices." Obviously God does not need my escape clauses, but I pray like He does. Do you? I want to be a prayer who believes God. Period.

In John Ortberg's book If You Want To Walk On Water, You've Got To Get Out Of The Boat, he says "But I want trust to be stronger. I never want the no of fear to trump the yes of faith." That's good stuff! (Take a moment and read it again.) The escape clauses I'm praying are out of fear. Fear that God may not answer the way I want Him to. Fear that I may be embarrassed or that I've somehow failed to have enough faith. God is Faithful and True. I can trust Him and so can you. God help us to pray that way from now on. Amen.

Stubbornness

"They're not going to listen, so why should I bother?" I've said that statement hundreds of times. It's very frustrating when you try to convince someone of the right thing to do, but they are stubborn. They won't listen. I'll just be wasting my time.

I read a very similar story in the book of Ezekiel this week. God calls Ezekiel in chapter two to speak to the Israelites. The Israelites are described as rebellious, obstinate and stubborn. Ezekiel is not to be afraid of them or what they say. I think this may have very well been Ezekiel's WHY BOTHER? moment. Seriously, he knows they're not going to listen, they're not going to like him and will probably threaten him. The key is found in verse 7. It says, "You must speak my words to them…." God's words are healing, transforming, convincing, freeing and truth. It's not about what Ezekiel would do, but what God wants done.

Left to my own choices, my words would irritate and aggravate a situation also. Today I'm not going to be stubborn either, but do exactly what God asks of me-share His word and His truth.

"It is the same with my word, I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to." Isaiah 55:11NLT

Safe Mode

Do you replay conversations over in your head? I do, all the time. And I bet if you’re reading this today, you’ve pressed the rewind button a few times yourself.

Usually it’s the conversations that hurt my feelings, cause me to feel insecure or make me mad that I repeat. Like the Aunt who says, “Boy you’ve gained weight! They must feed you well in college.” Sadly I've been out of college for a FEW YEARS and I still remember that! UGH. Or it might be the friend who says, “You can’t do that. You wouldn’t be good at it.” I’ll spend hours trying to “spin” the playback into what I should have said to get back at the other person or how I could have presented myself differently for the outcome I wanted. The problem is they’ve moved on and I’m the one spinning around and around and getting nowhere. I begin to question my self-worth and my abilities.

Recently my computer had the nerve to do this to me. It’s a machine for goodness sakes. However, it decided to not respond the way I wanted it to. I was in the middle of working, typing away and it froze! All of a sudden the keyboard stopped working, the screen turned blue and then these words appeared, “...beginning dump of physical memory.” Seriously, I thought to myself, this cannot be good! I panicked and desperately tried to figure out how to stop it. Eventually I realized that something in one of the links that was loading was tainted, maybe even corrupt. My computer automatically recognized it and in order to maintain the integrity of my work went into a “safe mode.”

Don’t you wish we could do that? When someone hurts our feelings, says something that scars us, or an old painful memory comes back, why can’t we just “dump it”, and go into a “safe mode”. For me, dumping the words isn’t easy. Sometimes every part of me would like to just battle it out. That’s not healthy, and mostly it’s just my stinking pride. But I have figured out ways to go into a safe mode and not do the old drill of rewind, play, rewind, play. My safe mode is found in my relationship with Jesus Christ and knowing who He says I am.

Today if you’re struggling with letting go of some hurtful conversations, find a Bible and look up these verses. Try committing them to memory and replaying them in your head. Your safe mode will quickly become knowing the truth of who you are in Christ.

You were created by God–Psalm 139:13 “Oh yes, you shaped me first inside then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb.” MSG

You are loved by God-Jeremiah 31:3 ‘God told them, “I’ve never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love and more love.” MSG

You are forgiven-Colossians 1:14 “God has purchased our freedom with his blood and has forgiven all our sins.” NLT

Devotion

Remember the song, "Hopelessly Devoted to You"? Yes it's the one by Olivia Newton John in the movie Grease- Sandy pining away for Danny. I've been thinking about it a lot lately. O-k, not necessarily the song, but what it really means to be devoted.

In Matthew 4 when Jesus calls the first disciples, they were going about their daily business of fishing. Peter and Andrew were casting their nets fishing. James and John were with their father in a boat. The passage says they immediately left everything and followed Jesus. This always leaves me puzzled and asking several questions. Who took care of their family? What happened to their fishing boats and nets? What did their parents think? Scripture doesn't readily address these thoughts of mine. However, I've come to realize it's about devotion. These men were devoted to Jesus. Jesus didn't want or need their resources or abilities. He wanted their commitment to follow him. Period.

Devotion is defined as profound dedication. It provokes thoughts of intention, passion and pursuit. Jesus wants that kind of relationship with me and with you. I find it easier at times to offer him my abilities, my strengths or even my checkbook. A friend said to me this week, "Sometimes it can be so much easier to do something for Jesus than to be with Jesus." To which I replied, "Amen sister!" We talked about how readily we will take a meal to someone or send them a note, but will be slow to sit with Jesus and pray for them.

Obviously food and words of encouragement are useful tools in God's kingdom. Necessary some might say. The question I've been asking myself is am I devoted to those abilities and resources or to the God who gives them to me?

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13

Look What's Coming Soon!

In a Pickle!

That's where I find myself today...in a pickle. You know those times when it's difficult to know what to do. Do I move ahead? Do I go back? Do I stand still?

In softball, base runners can get caught in a pickle too. It's when the runner is stuck between two bases and the defense is running them down, trying to tag them out. It's interesting to watch different players in this situation and how they handle it. Some will plow ahead regardless of how close the tag may be, driven to get to the next base. Others may freeze and be overwhelmed by the defensive players coming at them. The smart players listen to their coach. These are the ones who can block out the crowd noise and focus on the voice that has the big picture. The runner can't necessarily see where the ball is at all times, but the coach can. Listening to the coaches direction will most likely get the player safely on base.

Today this is how God reminded me not to fret over my "pickle". He's asking me not to say, "to heck with it" and plow on, but to listen to His voice. He's asking me to weed out all the noise around me (the opinion of others) and listen to Him. Have you been in a pickle lately? How did you discern what God wanted you to do?

"Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Isaiah 30:21 NIV

Fear of the Lord

I have some very real fears-drowning, small enclosed spaces, snakes, or anything really that creeps and crawls-just to name a few! These fears can leave me paralyzed or at a minimum cause me to act irrationally. Lately, though I've been thinking about what it means to "fear the Lord". Somehow I don't think my personal reactions are what it means to have a fear of the Lord. This whole thought process began when I read part of Psalm 128.

"How joyful are those who fear the Lord-all who follow his ways! You will enjoy the fruit of your labor. How joyful and prosperous you will be! Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine, flourishing within your home. Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees as they sit around your table. That is the Lord's blessing for those who fear him." NLT

These verses talk about having a joyful life, fruitful labor, prosperity, a flourishing wife and children around your table. The Lord blesses those who fear Him. Who doesn't want that in their life? I know I want that in our home. It still begs the question though, what does it mean to fear the Lord? I think the answer can be found in the last part of the first sentence-"all who follow his ways!"

We fear God when we obey His commands, when we follow His word and direction. We intentionally choose to live our life according to God's plan and not our own. We will see and experience the blessings God desires for us when we fear Him.

Motivation

Recently at a swim meet, our son was swimming in a race that was new to him..the IM. For those of you not familiar with swim meets, that meant he would swim all four strokes. Since he's only eight, he usually only swims two laps of the pool using the same stroke. This would be four laps and all four strokes in a particular order. A big deal for him. So all day we reminded him how the IM would work and rehearsed the stroke order.

Feeling like he needed some more motivation, I pulled him aside before the meet started. I promised him he would get $10 if he would finish the IM in 2nd place or better. I don't know about you, but money motivates at our house! So he swam his race, jumped out of the pool and said, "I get $10 right!" He had finished in 2nd, so I said, "Great job and yes you do!" The next child to swim overheard this conversation. So he says to his parents, "Can I get $10 if I swim a good race?" I quickly apologized to the parents and we got out of their way. That's when I heard the father say, "No son, you know what your motivation is."

Normally I would have just forgotten this whole thing. I don't really know these folks well, but I do know that they are godly, servant minded people. But I couldn't forget the Dad's statement. God was getting my attention; this was a teachable moment for me. I began to think about this verse:

"Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people." Colossians 3:23NLT

Too often my motivation is about external things...money, status, chocolate...you get the picture. But God desires that our motivation be purely about Him and that we teach our kids that same lesson. It's difficult sometimes, but this was such a good, visual reminder for me.

Father God

Recently as I was praying, it occurred to me that I open my prayer time most often with "Father God". That's how I start talking to Jesus. No one else gets that greeting. No one else can be both Father and God to me.

Don't get me wrong. I have a wonderful earthly Father that I call Daddy. He's great, but he's not Father God and I don't expect him to be. Daddy loves me, cracks me up and most often I'm accused of being just like him.

Father God is both my Daddy and my God. The One that I can run to, sit with and know that I'm loved unconditionally. We can laugh, cry and talk over anything. He's also the One who is all-powerful, all-knowing and is my defender, my advocate. It's an amazing gift to have and I don't ever want it to just roll off my tongue and take it for granted. He is Father God.

How do you greet Him? I'd love to know...

Troubles

Trouble is defined as a "condition of distress" or "somebody or something upsetting." That well describes the last couple of days around our house. We came home from a long vacation that included a cruise. Our kids were looking forward to some fun things going on this week wrapping up softball and baseball. Life was good. We could spend the last few weeks of summer doing nothing before school starts again.

However, trouble was brewing just under the surface. A staph infection entered into our lives. On the outside it looks like an angry, red knot. But as the doctor informed us, underneath it's eating away the flesh. The infection must be treated and removed or it can spread and be quite dangerous. So hold all the fun and relaxation and bring on the clorox spray and gloves!

At one point I found myself praying, not just for my family, but for this one specific spot that wouldn't drain. It seemed to just keep growing and was quite painful. It may seem silly to some to be that specific in praying, but I'm into the details. Not to mention that the infection needed to be out before it could do anymore damage. Thankfully, God is into the details even more and took care of it!

I read Psalm 120 this morning; specifically verse 1 and 2.

"I took my troubles to the Lord; I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer. Rescue me, O Lord, from liars and from all deceitful people."

As I meditated on those verses this morning, I thought how much the staph infection is like the troubles in our lives. Sometimes we think they're insignificant and harmless; then they fester and grow. Before long they've spread through and infected other areas and other people. We must be diligent to deal with these things specifically. Take them to the Lord as the verse says. He will rescue us and heal us.

A Mighty Fortress

I completed the NewThru 30 reading plan this past weekend! I hoped to post more about it, but the summer seems to go by with little planning on my part. As a matter of fact, last week I forgot to take my son to baseball camp. A camp we paid for; a camp that lasted all day, 9-3, everyday. Mother of the year...that's me. The vacation can not come soon enough.

Now back to the reading plan wrap up. There is so much I could say about it, but I encourage you to just try it. Click here and just mark the days according to when you start. Honestly I didn't know if I would make it. There were times that I got behind, but those built in grace days were amazing. Personally I just read through the plan for the sake of reading the Bible as my quiet time during these 30 days. Studying the Word is what I love to do, but this time, I just read it. For once, I didn't talk back, but just listened to what God had to say. It was sweet.

Here's a portion of the last day, Revelation 19:11-16:

"Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords."

Maybe it's the competitive nature in me, but I found myself cheering. Jesus will return and I love that his title will be the Word of God. I don't fully get all that I read in Revelation...o-k probably most of it...but this was exciting to me. It has caused me to sing this song over and over . And guess what? We sang it Sunday as part of our worship time. I could hardly stand it. Enjoy "A Mighty Fortress" by Christy Nockels.

Church

This weekend I spent Sunday at a softball tournament with my daughter. As we made the 45 minute drive across town, I couldn't help but notice all the churches that we passed. Some were starting and people were walking in, the parking lots were filling up. I wanted to stop; something inside me wanted to be in church. For various reasons I have not been able to attend church for quite a few weeks. That's not normal for me. I'm a people person. I want to worship corporately. I want to hear my pastor. As we continued to drive to the park, my daughter started asking questions about the different churches that we passed. She was curious about what they believed and how there services might be different from our church. It was a great conversation to have with a twelve year old and it settled me emotionally.

Today as I thought about it some more, my mind went back to when I was 16 years old. Part of my Sunday mornings included going to pick up my Great Grandmother for church. She would always be waiting on the front porch, with her purse and Bible in hand. No matter how late I was, she always had a smile on her face and was ready to go. That's how I want to be remembered...I hope this feeling doesn't fade.

I Can't Help It!

I can't help it! Have you ever said that? I have and certainly my children have also. Usually it's in reference to getting caught doing something that they shouldn't be doing. However, I thought of it differently this week as I read through the Book of Mark.

First of all, I have a new found love for this particular book in the Bible. It seems that John Mark, the author of the gospel, enjoys stories. So do I. Reading the book straight through made me realize that it is filled with stories about Jesus life here on Earth. Little vignettes of Jesus interacting with the disciples, with his family, with crowds and with individuals can be found in chapter after chapter.

In chapter 3, Jesus casts out evil spirits and commands the spirits not to reveal who he was. Later in chapter 7 Jesus is with another crowd and they ask Him to heal a deaf man with a speech impediment. Jesus heals the man and then commands the crowd not to tell anyone! Huh? Verse 36 says, "...but the more He told them not to, the more they spread the news." They disobeyed Jesus. I think they couldn't help it.

It makes me wonder how often do I feel that blessed by God that I can't help telling someone about Him? Definitely not often enough.

An Opportunity

My reading plan is taking me chronologically through the New Testament and I'm in Acts now. I have a New Living Translation Bible that I often read for the simple pleasure of hearing God's voice and that's the one I'm using for this plan.

Back to the opportunity...Chapters 3 and 4 of Acts are some of my favorite stories in the Bible. Peter and John are entering the temple and a cripple man asks them for money. They don't have any money, so they heal the man. The man then goes leaping and praising God into the Temple with Peter and John. All the people are amazed and stand watching him next to Peter and John. Chapter 3, verse 12 says, "Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd." Boldly Peter tells them the truth-this man's faith in Jesus, the one they crucified, healed him. Peter doesn't concern himself with being politically correct, but seizes the opportunity to proclaim the goodness and mercy of Jesus.

For the past week I've had the opportunity to watch a lot of television. I had surgery a week ago and am confined to doing basically nothing for a couple of weeks. So I read, sleep, eat and watch t.v.! The national news has always been something I keep up with and I've pretty much overdosed on it this week. It's been amazing to watch people be so careful, no matter what the topic or their opinion. Political correctness is at an all time high and the truth of one's convictions seems to have sufferred. May it not be so with us as believers.

May we always proclaim the truth of God's Word and "see" the opportunities that God allows us to share His goodness and mercy. Matthew 24:14 says, "Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear." Our opportunities may not come on a national news program. They may be sitting at our kitchen table or standing in line at the grocery store. Where ever God allows, don't miss the opportunity. Be ready. Stay in the Word.

Temptations

I started the New Thru 30 reading plan today! It's a 30 day reading plan through the New Testament and you can see it here. Today's reading was in Matthew and covered the genealogy of Jesus, His birth, the calling of the disciples, John the Baptist and many portions of Jesus' teaching and healing. My favorite part today was in reading Matthew chapter 4 where Jesus is being tempted by Satan. It occurred to me that these temptations are ones that we face every day. Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying that we are all led by the Spirit every day to be tempted by Satan. What I am saying is that we face temptations daily and if we're not aware we can be tripped up.

For instance Satan first tempted Jesus with food. Jesus had been fasting 40 days and nights, so He was obviously hungry and weak. How often are we tempted by things when we're exhausted? Maybe we've had a long day and we're stressed out and our response to something is less than righteous. I know if I've gone a long time without food, than I can be less than nice! Jesus responded with God's Word.

Secondly, Satan tempted Jesus to abuse His power. If you have influence over another person, than you're a leader. Whether you're a parent, a manager or coordinator, there's a potential to misuse that influence to get what we want. We must guard against our own desires and lead others the way that Jesus would. Jesus again responded with God's Word.

Lastly, Satan tempted Jesus with greed. This one always makes me chuckle because in verse 9 Satan says, "I will give it all to you, if you will kneel down and worship me." (NLT) Jesus knew it was all His already, but He didn't worship the stuff. Neither should we. Living in such a materialistic world, we can be consumed with having it all. Daily we need to lay down our desires for the one desire to follow Christ and glorify Him.

We can overcome these temptations, just as Jesus did, by responding with God's Word. Keep reading and meditating on God's Word. When you need it, it will be there to help you.

Let me know if you're reading along. I'd love to hear what passages stuck out to you today.

New Thru 30

New Thru 30 is a site I came across a few months ago...probably via somebody else's blog! It is a 30 day reading plan for the New Testament, done chronologically. I bookmarked it and thought I really want to do that some time. Well, it's seems that now is the perfect time. So starting next Monday, May 17th, I'll be reading through the New Testament in 30 days following their plan. (The plan is from Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC and they did it back in January.) Click on the reading plan button and you'll see the schedule. I'm just changing the dates to fit my start and I especially love that there are "Grace Days", so if I get behind, I can catch up.

If you want to join me, just leave me a comment. I'd love to pray for you as we go on this journey. My goal is to post at least once a week about what we're reading and hopefully learn from each other.

And because it's Monday, we need a song. This one is perfect...Word of God Speak by Mercy Me. Enjoy.

You are the Light

I first heard this song a couple of months ago. It's one that just sticks in your mind and you sing it all the time...or at least I do. This weekend we sang it at church and I think I wept through the whole thing. The song says, "You are the Light, the light of the world, And we shine you Lord." Unfortunately I had a moment (o-k maybe a few) this weekend where that wasn't true for me.

Saturday my daughter played in a softball game. Their team has not done well this season. But this day they were playing great and were well on their way to a victory. Talk of an ice cream celebration was in progress. Unfortunately in the last inning things fell apart. During the last play, the ball was hit into right field and our player held the ball. The runner on third stole home. Game Over. We lost. B.R.U.T.A.L.

I am a very competitive soul and nothing about shining Christ entered my mind. My daughter and I headed to the car and unleashed on each other about how pathetic this whole thing was. She's about as competitive as her mother...have mercy!

Fast forward to Sunday morning. Worship was so great at church and then we start singing this song..."We are the people of God, The sons and daughters of love, Forgiven, Restored and Redeemed, Living our lives to the praise of our King". I could barely breath, much less sing. God was so sweet to remind me that my life is to shine for Him-always. You see as I tried to pull myself together, God also reminded me of a conversation I had Friday morning with my daughter. We were driving to school and discussing all things softball. Here's what I said to her:

"Hannah at the end of the day, it's a game. It's just a game. Our goal is to lead people to Jesus, not to us."

You should probably pray for my daughter because her Moma has quite a few people living in her head sometimes. This weekend was no exception. Thankfully we are forgiven, restored and redeemed.

Do the Next Thing

This past weekend I had the privilege of hearing Susan Norris speak to a group of fellow speakers and writers. While discussing the growth of her ministry, she commented that her responsibility is to do the next thing and not get hung up on the future or what might happen next. That's God's deal not ours. It struck a cord with me.


I tend to be analytical at heart. I'll run all the scenarios of a situation, any possible outcomes and analyze the "what ifs". It can leave me stuck for a while before making a move. However, I am learning that what Susan shared is true. I need to do the next thing. If I want to continue growing closer to my Savior, then I need to keep moving toward Him. In the Bible when Peter sees Jesus walking on the water, he didn't ponder what would happen when he stepped out of the boat. He didn't consider if he would sink; Peter just stepped out toward Jesus. That one step makes Peter the only other person to have walked on water! Amazing.


In today's "My Utmost for His Highest", Oswald Chambers calls this the graciousness of uncertainty. He says, "We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God. Immediately we abandon to God, and do the duty that lies nearest, He packs our life with suprises all the time." I enjoy a good suprise. What about you?

All of Creation

This weekend I spent a lot of time in church..all day Saturday and a good portion of Sunday. It was such a great time of worshipping God, hearing His Word and being in fellowship with other believers. On Saturday I attended the live broadcast of Beth Moore's "So Long Insecurity" here in metro Atlanta along with 9,000 or so of my not so close friends! It was a sea of women, capri pants and cute sandals. Our group decided to go up to the balcony and we sat in the next to last row from the top, directly centered over the stage. We could watch the action in front of us or on two huge screens; either way it was great.

Travis Cottrell was there to lead us in worship. Before he began, he talked about how easy it would be to feel lost in the sea of people gathered that day. The numbers were over 300,000 including the simulcast sites for the event. That's huge by anybody's standards and could have been daunting. But Travis reminded us that we are not lost on God in this sea of people. He's very aware of each of us, individually. And only we can sing of our Redeemer. No one else can praise Him for us; only we can do that.

God spoke powerfully to me in that moment...all the way in the nose bleed section. The reason He had me there was not to "see" anyone, but to "hear" His word for me. And He, God, wanted to hear my voice, my praises. So I abandoned myself to worship my Redeemer, my Creator and it was an amazing day.

Fast forward to Sunday morning at my church. My husband was running sound in our True North auditorium where we have live worship and watch the pastor on a screen. I was running a little later than usual and the seats were filling up. So I decided to sit in the back row, the last seat in the far right corner. The worship began and although there were only a couple hundred people there, the feeling was the same as on Saturday. We were there to worship our Creator, our Savior, our Redeemer. No one else could do that for us. It was a sweet moment and I believe a sweet sound to our Lord.

If you're having a hard time believing that God is keenly aware of all that you are and all that concerns you, Psalm 139 gives us great detail about how intimately God is involved in our lives. Even before we knew we would be, God did. Read it, meditate on it. Commit the psalm to memory so that you don't forget. Pray it back to Him; He wants to hear your voice.

And what does all this have to do with music Monday? I'm glad you asked! This morning as I got in my car, All of Creation by Mercy Me came on the radio immediately. It is an amazing worship song that reminds us of all that God has done for us. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. While you're at it, sing it to God-praise your Redeemer.

Jesus Calling

Jesus Calling by 33 Miles is one of my husband's new favorite songs. Mine too. This weekend we heard a great sermon about making Jesus part of your every day life. I think the song and the sermon compliment each other. Too many times we can wander through our life and forget that as believers Jesus is with us. He's right in the midst of where ever we are and whatever we're going through. I don't need to invite Him in to my stuff, He's there. I need to be asking for insight, for perspective, for wisdom to see how He's working.


Secondly when I don't acknowledge Jesus' presence, I miss Him. Not just what He's doing, but my heart misses Him. I miss the time of His encouragement, His mercy, His love, His grace. If that sounds odd to you, then I challenge you to make a habit of spending time with God every day. See what happens when you miss a day...as the song says, "Can you hear Jesus calling?" I can.

Pure

This Music Monday post is more about the artist than the particular song. Pure is by Kari Jobe and I first heard her on Life Today singing it. I was immediately engaged to worship with her before she even sang a note. The purity (no pun intended) of her worship is amazing. Some of you may already know her and her music, but I'm just getting there and am loving it. I'm looking forward to enjoying more of her music real soon.

Lead Me to the Cross

This song has been on my mind and my heart for a few weeks. If I'm not singing it to myself, I'm hearing it in the car. It has become a prayer for me. Lead Me To the Cross is a strong reminder that whatever we're dealing with, whatever we need to let go of, whatever we need to be delivered from is worth it. Jesus hung on a cross to cover these things, all of them.

I realize that it's easier said than done sometimes. We get scared. We don't want anyone to know. We can't see how it will work out, but God can and will help. He will not embarass us. In fact the verses below say, He will honor us. Trust Him.

"So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in his good time he will honor you. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you." 1 Peter 5:6,7 NLT

Roller Coaster Ride

**This post is part of Rachel Olsen's Devotional Carnival** Be sure to check out all the other posts about pleasing God. **

This past week has been full of emotions. It's felt much like riding a roller coaster for me. Some of you may enjoy that sort of ride, but I really don't. I much prefer the gentler, predictable carousel ride. However this week would include the thrills of birthday celebrations and the company of good friends, the twists of missed deadlines and lack of sleep, and the stomach churning drops of inconclusive test results and the funeral of one lost way too soon. Typically this ride would make me want to crawl in bed and not come out for a few days. God, though, had been preparing me.

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7NIV

During the previous week, I had heard two different teachings on this verse. So I knew God was getting my attention for something. One teacher in particular talked about being stable minded. The focus was on facing life, whatever the circumstances, choosing to trust God and believe Him for what is best. Letting our response be to trust God, not the circumstances. When our flesh wants to be fretful, worried or anxious, to realize that we have a spirit of power, love and self-discipline. The ability to walk through these events differently is possible. Stable became my word of the week. When I would feel myself start to respond in a way that wouldn't please God, I would say it out loud-STABLE. I am choosing to trust God and be stable minded through this situation. Stable is defined as "not likely to change or move, steady, not excitable or given to irrational behavior." Maybe saying it out loud, o-k yelling it at times, is a little irrational, but you get the point! Sometimes we need to shake ourselves and be reminded that we do indeed have a spirit of power, love and self-discipline with us.

What about you? How do you handle those days or weeks with unexpected twists and turns?

Kid Favorite

Boomin' by Toby Mac-- Now that's a Music Monday song! My kids love this song and it makes me smile to see them in the back seat with their heads bobbing singing some Toby Mac!

Seriously, I was just playing it on my laptop and my son ran down the hall and said, "Mom you have to listen to the end. It's like an opera; so cool!" He's eight...that's cool to me.
Enjoy.

Temporary Home

Temporary Home by Carrie Underwood is one of my favorites by her. Besides the fact that her voice is amazing, the message in the song is so powerful. (She gives some insight on the story and the writing of the song here. )

Sometimes when I hear it, it makes me sad. I think about my friends in Puerto Rico that I met on a mission trip. Many of them are in the last place they'll live on this Earth. It's not a personal home but a women's shelter. Having an eternal perspective, though, can bring much hope in what may seem hopeless right now.

Sometimes when I hear it, I raise my hands and say Praise God! It's so amazing to think about the generosity and grace of God and how much more He has for us in eternity. It reminds me not to hold tightly to the fragile things of this world, but to cling to my Rock, my God. This stuff here-it really is just temporary.

Trust and Obey

I've been studying the life of Abraham and specifically God's covenant with him. In Genesis 15 God promises Abram that he will have an heir and his descendants will be as numerous as the stars. Again in Genesis 17 God confirms this covenant and changes Abram's name to Abraham, father of many. Years go by before Isaac, Abraham's son, is actually born. Then when Isaac is still a boy, God asked Abraham to sacrifice him as a burnt offering. Abraham obeys.

The story is found in Genesis 22. Abraham and Isaac are going to make the sacrifice, carrying the wood, fire and a knife. Ironically we only see Isaac ask one question during their walk up the mountain. Isaac asks, "Where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" Abraham assures him that God himself will provide the lamb. So we know now that Isaac doesn't have a clue that he's the sacrifice; he believes his father. Abraham sets up the altar, binds Isaac up and lays him on it. Just as he is about to slay Isaac, an angel of the Lord stops him. Abraham is blessed because he fears the Lord; he was willing to give up his own son.

This whole story makes me ask a lot of questions. Like how do you find the strength to walk up a mountain knowing that you're going to sacrifice your son, the only son you have? How does Abraham reconcile this request with God's promise that he will have numerous descendants? How does Isaac feel when he realizes he's the burnt offering? What must he think when Abraham, his father, is about to kill him? Further when Isaac hears the angel commend Abraham's obedience, what must that do for his faith?

The answer for Abraham is found in the beginning of this story. Genesis 15:6 says, "Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness." You see Abraham knew what God promised- numerous descendants. He didn't know how and surely it didn't make sense that his one son would be taken away. But he believed God.

We're often asked to make sacrifices; granted it's usually on a much smaller scale! Maybe it's time, resources or simply the way we thought something should work out. The question is do we believe God? Do we trust Him enough to gather our supplies, walk the path, and leave the rest to Him?

What Do I Know of Holy

Here's Music Monday introducing "What Do I Know of Holy" by Addison Road. My husband introduced me to this song a couple of months ago. I'm still not sure that I've heard it on the radio, but we got the cd and it's being played often in my car and on my ipod. I love the words and the arrangement-it's just beautiful. The whole cd for that matter is really good.

Lately this song has caused me to think about how we can get into a mode of just doing this thing called life and forget about God. Especially when life is going well, we may tend to live like we think that it's our ability or our intelligence that's at work. Recently I've also had tough conversations about how life isn't going quite so well and the wonder of what God is up to. Either way the focus gets off of who God is and on to what we're doing.

This song is a great reminder that we have a God who is very powerful, ever present, mighty and just. His grace and mercy are matchless. I'm not sure how much I know about holy. It probably barely scratches the surface. But I do know the One who is Holy and that's worth remembering every day. What do you think?

Crazy Love

I started reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan about two months ago. It was so good to me, that I wouldn't read it unless I could fully concentrate and not be interrupted. I recently finished it, and if you haven't read it, you should. (Of course, that's just my opinion and worth nothing.)

However, I wish I could show you my copy. Pages are marked up and written all over with my thoughts about what Mr. Chan says and my personal convictions. His writing was so fresh, and raw that I found myself not wanting to finish the book. It is genuine and in your face about how we, as Christians, should be living our lives.

This post was going to include some of my favorite quotes from the book that would hopefully entice you to read it also. But there's no way I can narrow it down and not just re-publish his book! So in Francis Chan's own words, here's what you'll find in the preface (yes even the preface is that good) on page 21:

"This book is written for those who want more Jesus. It is for those who are bored with what American christianity offers. It is for those who don't want to plateau, those who would rather die before their convictions do."

I love that he says "more Jesus", and not more of, or more from. Simply more Jesus. If that describes you, go get it. And if you've already read it, please let me know your favorite part(s).

PS...no one asked me to talk about this book, I just wanted to, because I really enjoyed reading it. For me, that's good, because I seriously do not read a lot of books, outside of the BIBLE!

Emanuel (Hallowed Manger Ground)

I heard this song , Emanuel (Hallowed Manger Ground)for the first time in mid-December at Chris Tomlin's Glory In The Highest Tour. I remember thinking as he sang that this should be in hymnals! It is such a beautiful reminder of our Emanuel-God with us. I know this was part of his Christmas cd, but I listen to it all the time. This particular you tube version has a great slide show with it also. Enjoy.


Emanuel (Hallowed Manger Ground) by Chris Tomlin


What hope we hold this starlit night
A King is born in Bethlehem
Our journey long, we seek the light
That leads to the hallowed manger ground


What fear we felt in the silent age
Four hundred years can He be found
But broken by a baby's cry
Rejoice in the hallowed manger ground

Emmanuel, Emmanuel
God incarnate here to dwell
Emmanuel, Emmanuel
Praise His name Emmanuel

The son of God, here, born to bleed
A crown of thorns would pierce His brow
And we beheld this offering
Exalted now the King of kings
Praise God for the hallowed manger ground

Emmanuel, Emmanuel
God incarnate here to dwell
Emmanuel, Emmanuel

Praise His name Emmanuel
Praise His name Emmanuel
Oh, praise His name Emmanuel

When the Saints Go Marching In

Music Monday turned into Tuesday this week...because the Saints won the Super Bowl and we're still recovering in the Turner house! We are big fans and it was such a thrill to see them finally win. Congratulations Saints...enjoy your parade.

So in honor of the XLIV Super Bowl Champs, the New Orleans Saints, here's Louis Armstrong. This is such a jazzy and swinging version of "When the Saints go Marching in", I love it. The lady in the background makes me smile too! Enjoy.

Leap of Faith

This week I took a leap of faith. It would be nice to say right here that I did it without fear and trembling, but that would be a lie. However, I knew in my heart that this was God's direction and not mine.

A few years ago, I wrote a Bible Study and led it to a couple of women's small groups. Everything went well and I received some great feedback. Then I put it on a shelf...for a couple of years. This past summer the door opened for me to submit a proposal of the study to four different publishers. So I dusted it off and got everything ready. Two of the publishers took my proposal; I couldn't believe it. The representatives gave me some encouraging feedback as well. Unfortunately neither of them decided to pursue publishing the study, so I thought I'd put it back on a shelf. But God had a different plan.

This week I signed an agreement to self-publish the study and it will be out this Fall! I'm thrilled, nervous and overwhelmed by God's grace through this process. It would have been so easy to just remain in my comfort zone and lead the study as opportunities came. However, at every turn over the last few months, God has said to me "Believe, Have Faith, Keep Moving." No I've not heard an audible voice, at least not God's. But through sermons, teachings and my own personal time with Him, He has spoken clearly. The message has been consistent, whether it's been through my pastor, a favorite teacher, a sweet friend or a song I hear. Keep moving, trust me, don't stop. So as my pastor said recently, I stepped on the gas of my faith...probably with my eyes closed, but I'm moving forward!

Be encouraged today. Trust God and move forward if you are hearing the same message consistently. He's speaking!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

Music Mondays

What's "Music Mondays"? I'm glad you asked! It's a new post I hope to accomplish each week sharing a song or lyric that I enjoy. I love music and especially music that makes me think about God in a different way or encourages me to walk closer with Him. So I'm starting a new thing here on the blog…every Monday I'll post about a song or lyric that I've heard that will hopefully inspire you and help make your Monday a little bit brighter.

Why Monday? Monday's were always my least favorite day when I worked outside of the home and I needed a little inspiration to get going. The traffic always seemed worse, the kids didn't want to get going and neither did I. Most folks would take Friday's off; not me. I wanted to be off on Mondays, and besides Monday starts with an M and so does Music!! It's shallow I know, but after all it is a Monday people! So here goes…..

I Desire by Natalie Grant

This is an older song, from her Deeper Life cd. If you've never heard this song, click here. (Scratch that, I can't find a full recording of it on the web! Here's a 30 second one of the chorus...sorry.) First, Natalie's voice is a gift, a real treasure. I'm pretty sure she got double-dipped during her vocal chords creation, because she sounds angelic! The song seems to be written as a prayer and I often use it as one. Whenever I'm walking around the neighborhood or on my treadmill, it's always one of the songs I listen to and pray back to God.

My favorite line in the song says, "so fill me with a fire, that burns away my doubts and all my fears, into a place where You are all I hear". Doubt and fear can be paralyzing at times, causing us to question if we hear God at all. But when our passion is to know Christ, they don't have a hold on us. Ask God to fill you with a fire, a passion, that burns away anything that keeps you from Him. Below are the lyrics to the whole song.

I Desire by Natalie Grant

Here in this world that you've designed
From the rolling plains to the oceans
Deep and wide
Where are the words that can say what's
In my heart
All that I am is amazed by who you are

Chorus:
The one thing I desire
Is just to know you more
To live a life that moves and breathes
And loves to bring you joy
So fill me with a fire
That burns away my doubts and all my fears
Into a place where you are all I hear
It's the one thing I desire
To do what you require
Is the one thing I desire

To love when I'd rather turn away
To give when I'm more resigned to take
To reach out a hand to someone who
Feels alone
The way you reached for me
When there seemed to be no hope


I'll live my life serving Christ
Offering a sacrifice of praise

Full Armor

Ephesians 6:13-18 talks about the armor of God, specifically putting on the FULL armor of God. I wonder how often do we face a day without putting it on-the complete armor of God?

How often do we have meltdowns in traffic, because we didn't put on our gospel of peace? How often do we get hurt feelings because we didn't put on the belt of truth? How often do we get worried and upset over troubling news because we didn't pick up our shield of faith? These moments in our everyday lives would be so much less disturbing if we would fully suit up in God's armor! Peace would rule in our hearts, truth would ring in our minds and our thoughts would be centered on God's ability and not ours. Every day, let's be intentional about dressing in the full armor of God.

Don't leave home without it!

"Therefore put on the fill armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. " Ephesians 6:13-18NIV

What Do They Notice?

Over the holidays my son noticed something similar among the Turner family. He says to me, "Mom, all the Turners have the same lips! I can't believe no one ever noticed." (He's seven and very observant!) He and his sister both have lips like their father and grandmother. Then as he looked around the room, he said, "Mom, you're a Turner and you don't have the same lips as us. Why not?" That brought on a long discussion about him having features and traits from me and his Dad, and how we got ours from our parents, and they got theirs from their parents and so on and so on. It got me to thinking.

My first thought was what do my children notice about me spiritually? Do they think I look like my heavenly Father? Do I have mannerisms or traits that reflect that I am a child of God? I hope so. Without a doubt, I mess up...way too often. However, it is my desire that they know God-that He is faithful, that He is trustworthy. And as we always tell them-No one loves them like Jesus does.

Secondly, I wondered if those who don't know Christ notice Christ in me? How is my life a portrait of God's love, grace and mercy? Does my speech, attitude and service look like their Savior's? No doubt we're all being noticed. Whether it's in our homes, communities or workplaces, we're being noticed. The question is what are they seeing?

It may seem unrealistic to you that we must always reflect Jesus. And if left to ourselves and our own abilities, it would be impossible. Thankfully, Jesus knew that. So he left us the Holy Spirit-the one who works in us and through us to glorify Jesus.

May our lives reflect Him more and more everyday.

Now, the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, he gives freedom. And all of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more. 2 Corinthians 3:17,18

Truth Prevails

Wrapping up 2009 and moving into 2010, I had a realization that the holidays were unpleasant for many family members and friends. Saying "Merry Christmas" or "Happy New Year" was really awkward way too many times. Jobs were being lost, incomes were falling, families were separated, loved ones were gone and the pain and sadness was palpable. Other years have definitely had their tough times, but this season I was acutely aware and in moments overwhelmed by it all. At one point, I begged God for wisdom, for some words that would encourage and bring His peace. His response-Truth prevails.

Honestly I didn't know if it was helpful or not, but I said it. And I've continued to say it and hide it in my heart. Below are some verses that I looked up this week about truth. They have helped to solidify peace in my heart and mind for those that I love. Truth does indeed prevail.

"The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth." Psalm 145:18

"Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name." Psalm 86:11

"Jesus answered," I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6