FREE KINDLE CHILDREN'S BOOK: SUMMER WITH THE MOODYS BY SARAH MAXWELL

ANOTHER FREEBIE!!! Download it now because it's only available for free until May 9th!

Sarah Maxwell, (the daughter of Steven and Teri Maxwell from Titus2.com) is graciously offering her book Summer With the Moody's (Book 1 of the Moody Family Series) for FREE for the next couple of days!  My family owns the hard copy of this book and we love it!

This book is about the Moody family and the events of their everyday life.  This is a Christian, conservative, homeschooling family who make decisions based upon what is glorifying to God.

One of the biggest issues our family finds with Christian entertainment is that often bad attitudes and actions have to occur in order for you to get to the moral of the story.  The problem?  The bad attitudes and actions are often throughout the book and the moral of the story is simply a short insert at the end of the book/movie.  I noticed that my own children will copy and mimic whatever they see the most.  So even though I was trying to show these actions were bad, they still focused upon the things I was TRYING to steer them away from!

What I love about this book is that this family is encouraged to follow God.  The children do not fight and bicker, but they are encouraged to be each other's best friends!  This book is an encouragement to my family because it glorifies HOW to behave instead of glorifying foul actions and a short correction at the end.

You can click here and download your free Kindle version (also works on all computers, tablets, and phones that have downloaded the free Kindle app) of this book!  Make sure you share this with your family and friends and download it before it's no longer free!  You can share this post via social media by clicking on the social media links below this post!

Also, I'm sure the family would be encouraged by your review on Amazon.  I think when someone offers something free, it is always a good way to tell them "thank you."  I hope you are as blessed by this encouraging series as we are!

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WATCH CHILDREN ARE A BLESSING FOR FREE ONLINE NOW THROUGH MONDAY ONLY!

If you have never watched the documentary, Children are a Blessing, by the Moore family, now is the time to do it because you can watch if for FREE from now through the end of this weekend!

I will admit that some of my favorite parts from this movie are NOT from the video, but from the bonus features, so I would encourage you to get the DVD which is on sale right now for just $10!  You can get the DVD by clicking HERE! (affiliate link)

This is a really good documentary and it is encouraging in viewing children as a blessing!

You can watch this documentary from now until Monday at 10pm ET.  Click on the link below to watch the video and please remember to share by clicking on the Social Media options below this post.  This is an encouraging movie that all of your friends and family need to see.  Remember though, after Monday, you will no longer be able to watch it for FREE!


https://vimeo.com/39167938

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Where is God? Where Are You?

Something that has really been upon my heart lately that has broken me away from my silence.  I realize I have not written in close to a year, but much has happened this year.  Maybe I'll get into all of that in another post.


But right now, my heart is heavy.  I am so discouraged lately...not by homosexuals or abortionists or even atheists.  I'm greatly discouraged by the "Church."


I guess I expect the world to act like the world, but I expect the Church to act like Christians.  I guess we all have our own convictions and views of what "Christianity" is, and while I see room for slight variances, there is just too much division between us when there really shouldn't be.

1)  Take for example modesty.  Now, we all have different ideas of what is modest, probably based upon our experiences.  However, if we look at a person's wardrobe, you can often tell if they are trying to 1) Please themselves, 2) Please the opposite sex, or 3) Please the Lord.

I am probably slightly stricter than many on modesty, but even when someone does not have as strict as a conviction as I do, I can still tell when they are trying to please the Lord with their modesty.  They do not have to have my convictions to do this.  However, when a Sister in Christ is exposing her breasts, thighs, and figure, it's also very clear to me whom she is trying to please:  the world.  Sometimes it's done subconsciously (for I used to do this), but the effects are still the same.

If anyone preaches on modesty, they are being legalistic.  This is one example of how Christians are out to please themselves instead of God first.

2)  Look at the movies, music, and television shows that are popular among Christians.  I know what is popular amongst Christians because I hear it being spoken about to one another and even broadcasted on Christian radio.  Often, these movies and shows have mostly good endings, but may have cursing, immodesty, sexual scenes or innuendos, and often the characters display the flesh, and not fruits of the Spirit.

I remember as a teen purchasing a DVD player that would remove cursing from the movies.  I was not about to sacrifice my movies, and obviously I knew there were things in the movies that didn't please the Lord, or I wouldn't have purchased the DVD player.  But I just could not imagine giving up my entertainment.  I convinced myself that God wanted me to be "happy."

Another example of when Christians put their own desires above the Lord's.

3)  That brings me to my third example.  God only wants us to be happy if it is in His Will, for His glory.  He doesn't want us to be happy in sin.....even if it's only a small, quick, seemingly meaningless sin.  If our happiness is just a feeling, it's not joy.  It's worldly.  You see, the Apostle Paul encourages us to be content no matter the state we are in.  We are not to change our circumstances to fit how we want to feel, we are to change our feelings around our circumstances.  The problem is, that takes work.  Growing in character means we will be unhappy at times.  Christ did not have emotional happiness dying upon the Cross, but He had JOY knowing He was suffering as a covering of our transgressions.

How can we expect our Savior to live the life He did?  Did He really walk this sinless life so we could have our conveniences, or did He do it so we could have eternal life?  If your answer is the latter, than why are we not following His example?  Shouldn't we be taking up our Cross daily and following His example?!


It is so easy for us to get caught up in what everyone else is doing.  Sister so and so did this and Bro. so and so went there.  We fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to others instead of God's Word and to Jesus Christ Himself.  We will not be judged based upon how much less sin we did than everyone else, but we will be judged upon every single opportunity we did not take to preach the Gospel.

Often, when someone shares a personal conviction that someone disagrees with, instead of pointing out Scripture of why they have a different viewpoint, I too often hear a defense justifying something of their opinion (which will clearly not be based off of the Word of God).  Now I'm speaking of Christians.  As Christians, our decisions SHOULD be based off of Scripture, NOT of how we think God should act or would do.  We have the Word of God and the Holy Spirit, we shouldn't have to justify anything!

I hear the "Church" spending more time defending going to watch a movie, wear an outfit, participating in certain activities, even LYING and DRINKING more than I hear them defending the Word of God.  I used to be apart of this "Church."  Don't get me wrong, I genuinely wanted to please the Lord, but I didn't realize that I wanted to please myself more.  God had to wake me up from my blindness and get me back into reading the Word (which I was not doing regularly, another sign that I was not putting God first in my life).

This is what God used to wake me up, and if you're struggling with putting God above all worldly things (which by the way, I still have this struggle with the flesh), maybe this will help you as well:


God showed me that I was looking for the line of sin.  I wanted a Bible that was written like the Ten Commandments, "Can I do this or not?"  Almost like the magic 8 ball that used to be popular.  I didn't want to take the time to study the Word of God or get in my closet and pray and wait for His answer (patience has never been a virtue of mine).  I simply wanted to know, "God, can I go see this movie?, Can I wear this outfit?, etc."  If God told me "No", I would be a "good little Christian" and not do it.  But my heart was not doing it only because I didn't want to do wrong.  I wasn't being obedient out of my love for God to please Him.


I would want to dress as close to the world as I could without sinning.  I wanted to be fashionable and look nice, but I didn't want to sin.  I wanted to be entertained by books, movies, and music...you know, the same type that the world produced, but without sinning.  I wanted to be involved in all of the fun things the world did, as long as it didn't involve sin.  In my mind, I saw nothing wrong with this type of mentality.  I genuinely thought I was "good."  My pride from comparing myself to others blinded me from how God saw me.

God has now impressed upon my heart to not look for the line of sin, but to be as far from it as possible!  You see, God is nowhere near that line of sin.  So when I stand near the line, I may not be crossing it, but I'm still far from God.  When I'm far from God, my judgment is cloudy.  

I live between two towns.  My address is in one town, but I actually live closer to the other one.  No matter what my address says, in my life, I have been more heavily influenced by the town I live the closest to.

You see, I may not have crossed that line of sin, but when I'm closer to the world than I am to God, I'm not glorifying Him.  In fact, sin is not just a direct violation of God's Word, sin is doing anything out of the will of God, and I can promise you, God does not want us anywhere near that line.

So now, instead of asking myself of how close to the line of sin I can get, I try to remember to ask myself "Is this edifying to God?"  When I screen videos for my children to watch, I no longer just try to make sure there is nothing "bad" in it.  I now try to make sure that what they are watching will benefit them in their life.

I find my 2 and 3 (almost 4) year olds quoting Scripture and trying to determine who has to be Pharaoh and who gets to be Moses when they are pretend playing.  Sure, my kids could have spent time learning things in a book or on video that "wasn't bad", but what value would it have for their eternity?

My husband and I both grew up in Christian homes and we are so thankful for that.  But neither one of us were encouraged to read our Bibles everyday.  We spend our times doing things we wanted to do (not "bad" things).  We chose to spend that time primarily for ourselves (convincing ourselves we deserve "me" time, which ended up being most all of our time).  Most of what we learned biblically was within the church.  And unfortunately, the "Church" has gotten away from the New Testament Church that was for the Believer and has now transitioned into an entertainment center to try and convince non-believers to come and see that Christians can have just as much fun.  The problem is, those from the world are coming for the fun, not the Word.  We hope they would get saved in the few minutes we squeeze the Word of God in, but the reality is, these people are changing our churches, we are not changing them.

The Church was set up for believers to encourage, equip, and exhort one another.  If an unbeliever came along, they would welcome them with open arms, but they would not welcome the sin.  They would not tiptoe around the sin.  The purpose of the Church is to equip, encourage, and exhort one another together, so we can go INTO the World and preach the Gospel.  The sinner would be welcome into the Church, and they would either change and stay, or feel so uncomfortable and out of their element from the Holy Spirit working in their heart, they would leave and run from God.  The number one priority of the Church is not actually to win souls (though that is amazing if that happens), but to train the Saints so when the Saints go into their parts of the World, they are taking the Gospel to those people.

The problem is, we want the witnessing to be done in the church.  When we do this, it's a controlled environment, positive peer pressure, and the preacher does most of the work (for that's why we pay him, so we don't have to do our job as much).  If we do more witnessing in world than in the church, we'd have to talk to people (and even though I like to talk, I still get nervous speaking with strangers).  Many Christians are convinced to win others by their life, and while that is VERY important, that is not the only example Christ gave us.  If we truly want to please the Lord, we will GO into the world and PREACH the Gospel with our lips, not just our lives.

I believe if God has truly transformed our hearts and lives, we won't be able to keep IT in.  We will be so excited to tell....just like a little kid who heard a good secret.  Man, if sharing the Good News of Jesus was as important to us as it was about learning new, juicy gossip, our entire World would be in revival and our Country would be in a different state.  Our Country is not fallen because of the homosexuals, and abortionists, and evolutionists out there.  Our Country is in a dire state because it no longer looks to God as its Master, but He's more of a God who saved us, so we are thankful and give Him our Sundays as our appreciation.



So to sum it up, the "Church" has me concerned for many reasons:

1)  The Church justifies their sins as opposed to defending their beliefs with Scripture.

2)  The Church looks just like the world, but with designer clothes on.

3)  The Church doesn't agree with the government, but has enjoyed the benefits and freebies it gives them, so it doesn't throw too big of a fit.

4)  The Church has made itself a god over God Himself.

5)  The Church has changed God's Word to align with its new beliefs.



I know this is not every Christian.  However, this is a sad trend that is growing more and more popular as time goes on.  This has happened in the past, and God has always responded with wrath.  God has amazing mercy, but He HATES sin, and sin will be destroyed.


The whole point of this post is for you to ask yourself this question, "Am I trying to please God 100% above all else?", or "Am I trying to please myself and still working within God's standards?"

I never want to go back to asking myself the latter question.  As Christians, we have liberty in Christ.  We are no longer bound to the Law of Moses.  But that doesn't mean that we should take that liberty and do as we please....we should still only want to do things that are pleasing to the Lord.


There are many Christians out there that have stricter convictions than I do myself.  I'm okay with that.  I may not agree with them, but I am so thankful they have convictions and are trying to discern and live for the Lord over themselves and what they believe they have a "right" to do.

1 Corinthians 10:23

" All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not."


These conversations are not always comfortable, but true friends encourage us to walk closer to the Lord, even if it points out our own sins.  True friends care more about our eternity and what God will say to us on Judgment Day than what we want to hear today.  What kind of friend are you?

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How We Pleased Daddy Today

Just a tip I thought you all might like!  My husband works a later shift and usually doesn't get home until around 2-2:30.  Sometimes, we are already in bed when he gets home (depending on what time we have to get up the next morning).  In those cases, I like for DH (dear husband) to have an idea of what we did for the day.  Therefore, we have started writing some of the things we accomplish on a dry/erase board and place it on the fridge (but a plain old sheet of paper left of the table would be sufficient).

It is also great accountability for me to make sure I'm doing what I need to be doing, knowing that my husband will be reading it.  We might not write down every little thing, but I love for my husband to be able to have the "run down" of what the kids are doing, without me talking his ear off as soon as he comes home :)

What are some ways you let your husband know what you and the kiddos have been doing all day?

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What to do When Your Husband says NO to Homeschooling or Anything Else

After writing an article a couple of weeks ago, Should I Public, Private, or Homeschool my Children, and What does the Bible Have to Say About it?, I had a HUGE reaction to the post.  I had a lot of moms feeling the conviction and the desire to homeschool, but they found themselves in situations where their husband may object.

I want to write this post for these women.  For those who have already determined that home educating their children is Biblical and holds a deep desire in their heart.

First of all, let me say this:  We are to honor our husbands.  He is to be the spiritual leader of the household.  He is to make these decisions, not us.  This does not matter if he is saved, actively attending church, etc.  Unless he is asking you to do something that is morally wrong, you need to honor his decisions.  He is responsible for determining your children's education and training your children at home.  He is responsible for whether you are a keeper at home or not.

If your husband is not making wise decisions for the family (financially, spiritually, etc), he will answer for those decisions.  YOU will answer for how you honor the Word of God.  First thing is first.  We have to understand what man's God-given roles are and what roles God has given to the women.  Do not skip over these Scriptures.  Read them, and let them soak in.

1 Corinthians 11:3

King James Version (KJV)

But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

Ephesians 5:23

King James Version (KJV)

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

Ephesians 5:28-29

King James Version (KJV)

28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

1 Peter 3:7

King James Version (KJV)

7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

Okay, so we all understand that the husband is the head of the wife?  This does NOT mean that you are not as equally important, but God has given us specific roles in marriage to play.  It's the same concept as this:

1 Corinthians 12:14-22

King James Version (KJV)

14 For the body is not one member, but many.

15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?

20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.

21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:

Now this verse is speaking about spiritual gifts, but it certainly applies to how God views our roles within the family.  If both parents do the same duties, there are certainly some duties lacking.

Furthermore, a husband is supposed to provide for his household (necessities ladies...not a car, not a cell phone, and not getting your hair done every month).  Otherwise, he is worse than someone who is not even saved:

1 Timothy 5:8

King James Version (KJV)

8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

Don't worry, I'm not going to leave out the famous verses that wives like to use AGAINST their husbands:

Ephesians 5:25-26

King James Version (KJV)

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

Wives are so quick to say things like, "If my husband were the Spiritual Leader he was called to be, I'd be a better wife to him."  I've been guilty of saying this myself.  Or maybe something like, "How can I follow a man who is not following God?  Wouldn't that mean I'm not following God?!"

Understand, this command is to husbands.  Wives are not to use it against their husbands when they are not being obedient to God's Word.  You cannot do ANYTHING about how your husband responds to God's Word.  All you can do is:

1 Peter 3:1

King James Version (KJV)

3 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

 Even if our husbands need to be saved, this verse tells us we are to be in subjection to them.  Furthermore, we need to try to win them by our conversation.  There is an excellent online 6-part article about this very subject!  Click here to read "When a Wife Disagrees with her Husband- Part 1."

I'm not going to dwell on this too much, since the link above gives really great references to our duty in submitting to our husbands.    If you're not to the point to where you feel you can submit to your husband, stop reading and read the article now.  You can always come back and finish this post later.


Okay, so you realize the husband's roles, and you realize that you can't control whether he is obedient to God's Word or not and that he must work out his own salvation with fear and trembling.  You can only control you.  You can influence a situation, and that's it.  So let's look at the roles of wives, and then delve directly into what to do to help your husband see biblical principles when he may not be seeking them.

Colossians 3:18

King James Version (KJV)

18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

1 Peter 3:1

King James Version (KJV)

3 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

We are to submit to our husbands, regardless of  whether he is following God's Word or not.  Certainly we are not to commit a sin in order to honor our husbands.  However, how we even handle rejecting our husbands immoral requests should be handled with care.  If we are not careful with our "conversation" with our husband in all matters, it will be difficult to "win him."

If you are in this situation, I highly, highly recommend this book:  Created to Be His Help Meet.  Even if you don't have any major disagreements with your spouse, this book is very encouraging in how we should handle the little, day to day disagreements.  (WARNING:  This book will likely offend you greatly.  It did me at first, but keep reading.  You'll soon realize it's your own sin you have to deal with).  I read this book and after two days of implementing its biblical strategies, my husband commented on such a change in me (my husband NEVER does this).  He was so thankful, he decided to read Created to Need a Help Meet.  I wish we had found these books when we first married.  Your husband may or may not have the same response, but I guarantee you he will be thinking it!  I recommend Created to Be His Help Meet to ALL Christian Wives who are SERIOUS about following God's Word in the biblical roles of the wife!  This is not for the average woman sitting in a church pew.  This is only for women who want to steer the direction of their marriage toward God, without nagging or controlling.

Okay, now that I've given you some resources that dig a little deeper into the matter and that have encouraged me, on with this post.

What do you do, say, when your husband is against homeschooling your children?  Or maybe he wants you to work and you feel that these requests would go against Titus 2:

3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Wow!  Certainly we don't want to be in danger of blaspheming the Word of God!!  I can understand why women are discouraged because their husbands are not taking heed to the Word of God!  Certainly, being a keeper at home and homeschooling (Deuteronomy 6, Proverbs 22) are derived from the Word of God.  However, by not homeschooling, or having you work outside the home (although a woman could work at home as long as it doesn't interfere with her duties as a mother and wife.  Just read Proverbs 31) you are not blaspheming the Word of God as Titus 2 puts it.  HE IS.

Understand that God loves your husband more than anything...even when He is not walking with Him.  God knows that the person who has the greatest opportunity for influence over him will be his wife.  That's you.  You will not win him over by nagging, or getting him to comply to keep the peace (shamefully: been there, done that).

In fact, you may not win him over by being the wife God has called you to be, but it's your best shot.  Furthermore, do you really want to spend the rest of your life nagging at your husband?  Your kids are watching their mother (even if it is for a worthy cause) put down her husband and nag at him.  Although it may seem you have a reason to complain, your children are learning to be miserable with you.  They are learning this is just how marriage is supposed to be.  When everything isn't perfect...just complain and nag until you get your way.

God told us to subject to our husbands, even when they are not following Him, for a reason.  He knows best.  We need to stick to the Word of God and stop listening to friends, family, and even preachers who tell us differently...no matter "how good of a Christian they are."  We cannot deny the Word of God.


In this post, we are using the example of wanting to homeschool while your husband disapproves.  The first thing you need to do is to show you support his decision.  Do NOT undermine him.  Don't encourage him or agree with him.  However, let him know you will honor the decisions he makes for the family because you believe he does want to do what is best for your family, and most likely, your husband does.  The real problem is not that he doesn't want what is best for your children.  The real problem is that he doesn't see homeschooling as a better option for your children.

There could be a million reasons why:

*  He could be worried they won't receive the socialization they need.
*  He could be worried that you can't educate the children as well as the educated professionals.
*  He likely could be concerned that you can't live off of one income.
*  Maybe He believes you can't afford the cost of curriculum and such.


You need to make sure you understand WHY he is against homeschooling.  You can show him all of the verses on homeschooling, all day long, but if he has a strong feeling against homeschooling, he will likely not listen.  Then you will feel he is nonspiritual and a darker line will be drawn between the two of you.

Your goal should be to have a genuine understanding of why your husband objects to homeschooling.  Don't judge him.  View his concerns as valid, even if you can't understand them, for they are obviously important to him.  Don't make him feel dumb for his viewpoint.  Just focus on getting an understanding of his objections.

Very, very few men are against homeschooling in and of themselves.  Most of them have only been around a few homeschooled children and are concerned their children will look and act as they.  They think, "I went to public school and turned out alright", so they don't want to take a risk on something that might scar their children versus something that worked out okay.  These concerns are valid and can be addressed, but must be done lovingly and with caution.

Next, you must address the situation with care.  If your husband is not walking daily with God, you can read him Bible verses until he is blue in the face.  All he will gather from your conversation is that you think he is wrong, he is not spiritual enough, and he doesn't know how to lead his family.

You have to find how to address this issue with your husband.  The easiest way to do so, is not with conversation alone, but by example.  This is where it can be difficult, but if you're on your knees seeking God in this matter, I do believe He will supply your desires to honor Him.

Maybe you know a homeschooling family where the dad loves to hunt, just like your husband.  With your husband's permission, maybe you could invite them over to dinner.  Do NOT invite them over to talk about homeschooling.  Do NOT make your husband feel like you're only inviting them over because they are a homeschooling family.  But IF your husband is on board with them coming over, invite them over.  Allow a friendship to grow.  Homeschooling will come up naturally because it is such a big part of their lives.  Your husband will begin to see that not everyone who home educates is socially awkward and that it doesn't mean you have to spend any money on curriculum.

That is one option, but it may be that you don't know another homeschooling family locally, and if you do, they may not be the example you want your husband to see!

So what do you do?  Well, depending upon your husband's objection, maybe you can begin to tutor your children at home.  Let your husband see that you are capable of teaching your children (without bringing up a word about homeschooling).

Maybe if you work and your husband is worried about one salary, you could cut back on some expenses.  Remember, his role is to provide for his household, and even though you may be helping, he doesn't want to feel responsible for his family not having the same as everyone else.  Typically, this concern is out of love, not selfishness.  Follow the link in this paragraph for some tips on how to cut back your expenses.  You have to show your husband that you're serious.  It may take some SERIOUS sacrifice on your part.  In fact, you may be the only one doing the sacrificing, but you ultimately have to determine how important is it for you to follow God's Word and teach your children at home.

Maybe your husband is one that holds a popular belief:  he's concerned your children won't receive enough social skills and could be really weird.  Homeschooling is still a relatively new concept in America.  Some of the early people who homeschooled were somewhat socially awkward.  They didn't have the opportunity to visit other families (for having one vehicle used to be the norm) TO socialize.  Certainly there were no homeschooling groups, extracurricular activities, or even youth groups.

I can't tell you how far you should take the social aspect of your children.  We like to shelter our children from many of the "social" activities.  We don't believe we'll have any trouble getting them socialized, but each family has to work that out amongst themselves.  However, you and your husband must determine the convictions for your family.  Even if you feel like you don't want to send your child to play "softball" for fear it may undo what you do at home, if socialization is that important to your husband, you may have to accept it and move on.  Would it not be better to allow your children to be involved in a few wordly activities that you at least would be welcome to attend rather than to send them away from your care all day long, everyday?

Within the realm of your convictions, maybe you could consider getting your children involved in social activities that have NOTHING to do with school.  That way, your husband can see they can still socialize with others without being connected to public school, whatsoever.

I can't list every single situation.  Every family is different.  I can only encourage you to get on your face before God and ask Him to change your heart.  Ask Him to take your bitterness away.  Don't focus on your husband's failures.  Focus on yours.  Are you your husband's help meet or are you his mom, constantly correcting him?

You should desire to please God and to honor His Word MORE than homeschooling.  After trying everything, if your husband still doesn't agree, let it go.  If he knows where you stand on the issue, but sees you honoring him, your marriage will be far better than you disagreeing with him all day long.

I hope others will share encouraging stories of how God is working in their marriages right now.  Not just in the area of homeschooling, but in the area of honoring their husband and all it entails.

Let us find joy in doing what God has called us to be, and when we become discontent with the decisions others are making, fall to our knees praying for them.

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Scripture Talk KJV Bible Memory DVD Review and Giveaway

I have been holding on to this secret for a little while now!  I've really wanted to share this great resource, but I wanted to make sure it was really good before sharing it with everyone...and it is :)

It's another great way to learn KJV Bible Verses!  In our home, we like to learn our verses as a family.  If you've read my other posts, you know we write our weekly verse up on the door and memorize it as a family (no one can exit the door without reciting the verse).  Even our 17 month old gets involved!

Well, I have tried many resources to get the whole family involved, and have been disappointed.  Some are not good quality books, dvds, flash cards...etc.  Some advertise KJV, but not all verses are, or there are many typos.  It's really difficult to find good, quality products out there that fit my particular family's needs.

But this next product does just that...and best of all, there is something for ALL ages and for the entire family!  Did I mention that you can win a copy?

Introducing:      SCRIPTURE TALK...

Please note that I am in no way affiliated with Scripture Talk, nor have I been paid to give this review.  This is my honest opinion and I am giving it because I enjoy sharing with others products that have encouraged our family.  I hope they will encourage yours as well).  Scripture Talk so graciously has given me this copy that I can now forward on to you!  I had purchased my copy when it first came out and decided then and there I had to share this Dvd with my readers.  They were looking for a way to get the word out about their new DVD and lovingly sent me this copy to giveaway to one of you!


This is a great DVD that teaches, not just Bible verses, but Bible passages through: repetition, illustration, teaching, and hand motions!  Each verse is broken down and other children demonstrate hand motions.  Later, the verse is explained so the child can not only memorize it, but apply it to their daily life.

There will be times when the verses are written upon the screen as they are being memorized.  This is great to make sure the verse is being said correctly, and also helping younger readers learn to associate the written word with the spoken word.

During the lesson, Kate and the others do a WONDERFUL job at keeping your child's attention and using illustrations to help your child understand what they are saying.  Their personalities are infectious and endearing!

All in all, your child (or yourself) will learn 79 verses of Scripture!

Each of the 10 passages on this DVD includes:

• A group of children demonstrating the passage
• Verse-by-verse teaching of the words and motions
• An engaging lesson explaining the passage and how the children can apply it to their daily lives

Bible passages on this DVD:

• Psalm 1
• Matthew 7:24-27
• Mark 12:28-34
• Ephesians 4:25-32
• Ephesians 6:10-18
• James 1:2-8
• Romans 8:31-39
• Philippians 2:2-11
• Philippians 4:4-9
• 1 Corinthians 13

You can watch the trailer for the video here:

One of my great concerns with DVDS are keeping the attention of my children.  I know that since my children don't watch a lot of videos, they are more likely to watch anything rather than the average child.  However, I do believe this video will keep the attention of most children.  First of all, it is done by children...and kids love to watch other kids.  Secondly, there is something for all ages.  You may have to hit "repeat" on your DVD remote for a certain section, or go to certain chapters and select the scenes that keep your little one's attention.  For example, while my oldest child (just turned 3) loves to watch it all, my little one (17 month) will not watch the teaching scene entirely through yet.  Therefore, we might skip that part for her and just repeat the children doing the motions with the verses.  It's very versatile and you can do what fits your family's individual needs.

Conclusion:

I believe this DVD is a really great product for all Christians to have who have children or grandchildren in their homes.  I highly recommend it and I hope that you'll share Scripture Talk Ministries via Facebook and other forms of Social Media.  As moms, we really need to be sharing the things that are helping our children grow in the Lord.  We can't keep them to ourselves because we want our children to have other strong brothers and sisters in Christ to lean on as they grow older.

Even if you don't win this DVD, I hope you'll consider purchasing it.  Just know that your money is going to people who are helping to share the Gospel into homes and churches across the Country.  You may also want to give this as a gift (especially to those children who may not already be hearing the Word of God in their homes).



Now onto the giveaway!

This giveaway will be open for one week and is open to all legal residents of the United States ages 18 and over.  Only one entry per person please!  However, there are many ways to enter.  You don't have to do them all, but the more ways you enter, the more chances you have and winning this great DVD!  The contest begins on June 13, 2014 at 5:00 pm (CST) and ends on June 21, 2014 at 12:00 am (CST).  Good luck and please share with friends and family!



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Should I Public, Private, or Homeschool my Children, and What Does the Bible Have to Say About it?

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This is a big debate amongst Christians, and while many of you may know where I stand on this issue, I would warn you against reading blogs and such to support and justify your stance:  Not even this blog.  We need to be looking at the Word of God for our answers.  If the Word of God doesn't align with our decisions, we need to change them, not try and find another way to interpret the verses in God's Word.

With that being said, there is nothing specifically spoken about formal education.  When the Bible was written, parents taught their children....everyone "homeschooled."  Government had not come in to set up a standard, there were no licensed teachers, and there was no curriculum to go by.  You learned what your parents knew.

With that, you had some uneducated children.  For if you had lazy parents or uneducated parents, the children would likely be a byproduct of their raising from home.  Yet despite not knowing how to solve a quadratic equation, some mighty men and women of God were brought up.

Let me warn you: this blog post is not just for anyone.  This blog post is for Christian moms.  Even if you have not graduated high school...if you can read this post....you have enough education to train your children via homeschool.

However, most moms would not say they think they're incapable of teaching their children (for they would never swallow their pride long enough to notice an area they could be lacking in...which by the way, you can seek outside sources when homeschooling).  Most moms, in my experience, claim one of two reasons for not homeschooling their children:


1)  My children need socialization and not sheltering by their Mommy.

2)  I want my children to be a light in the public school system so that others may come to know Christ.


There are other reasons such as "having" to work and such.  However, if after this post you find that God is telling you that homeschooling is best for your children, He will make a way to supply your needs. It may take a lot of work and sacrifice, but God wants to see His children being obedient to Him.

I'm going to first address these two common reasons that I hear moms say they send their children to public school.  Then, we're going to look at the Bible...because my opinion really doesn't matter (although I like to think it does).  What matters is the opinion of whom we are trying to please and of whom WILL one day judge us based upon every single decision we have made in our short lifespan.


Okay, so let's address common excuse #1:

My children need socialization and not sheltering by their Mommy

This is an excuse I used even when I KNEW I would never have children.  I went to public school my entire life.  I tried to do what was right, and even though I was far from perfect, I managed to graduate without having ever had a drink, or a smoke, or sex, or anything of the like.  For most parents, that would be a successful child raising.

I knew some homeschooled children and they were socially AWKWARD...with all caps, because it was terrible.  I thought these children had to be soooo sheltered.  They were really, really weird.  Sure their grades were good, but honestly, if you can't communicate well with someone, or if you're so awkward when speaking to others...who is going to hire you anyway?

I was a social butterfly in school, so to me, this homeschooling concept was so foreign.  Why would anyone homeschool?!

As time went on, and I got to know these homeschooling kids better (through church groups, 4H, etc.), I learned that these kids were VERY socialized and not sheltered much at all.  They were actually around people ALL the time (far more than the average public school student).  They weren't awkward because they weren't socialized...I can't tell you exactly WHY they were awkward, other than, when I met the rest of their family...it just seemed to be in the genes.

So don't automatically assume that every homeschooling child you meet and is socially awkward, must be awkward due to sheltering.  It's not the case.  It's the parents.  In fact, I've seen many public school children this way too.  It's not the public school system either...once again, it's the parenting...

Let me also say, I would far rather my child be "socially awkward" than to expose them the wiles of the devil.  It's a no-brainer to me.

My previous view of homeschooling was a child sitting in a desk at home for 7 hours a day with no one but their siblings and mom...textbook on their desk...doing the same things I did...only without all of the "cool" people around me.  Boy did I have a poor vision of what homeschooling actually was.

Don't get me wrong, I firmly believe that in some homeschools, the children would be better off in public school, but homeschooling is what the parents make of it.  You can make it exactly like public school, more like a private school, or you can make it completely different than everything you know.  There is no one set way to do it.  Once again, your child's failures and successes rest upon the shoulders of the parents (aka, the teacher).  If you send your children off to school, you will still be the one judged for what they are taught while they are there.  If you can't be 100% certain that your children are being raised in line with your personal family convictions....well then you might as well not have the convictions to begin with.  What would be the point?  You'd just be a hypocrite if you are believe one thing, but then allow your children to attend a school that teaches something contradictory.  The Spirit convicts us for a reason.  I may not be able to tell you what your convictions are, but if the Holy Spirit lays something upon your heart, you need to secure your family.

For example, we all know God is our Creator and we are not here by a big bang.  Yet, textbooks all across America are now teaching this to our children.  We teach our children one thing at home, and the teachers teach them something else at school (in private schools, this may not be as dramatic, but there is likely to be some conviction you have as a family that differs from even the best of Christian teachers).  I have seen dozens of children who have grown up in loving Christian homes, begin to believe in evolution and homosexual marriage because what they were being taught at school turned out to be stronger than what the parents were teaching at home.  They have 7 hours a day with your children to teach them their agenda.  Do you spend 7 hours a day unwinding the damage that is being done?  Why even risk it?  Our children's lives are too precious to do so.

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Sheltering is not isolation.  A homeschooling family should never isolate their children:

Acts 1:8

 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Mark 16:15-16
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 

In fact, no matter how you school, you should be following these verses individually, and as a family.  So if you see a homeschooled child being isolated, it's just as unbiblical.

Homeschooling does allow a few things to complete Acts 1:8 and Mark 16:15-16:

1)  You have more time when you homeschool.  Homeschooled children usually complete their schoolwork in half the time of public and private school children.  This allows more free time to actually go into the world and witness to others.

2)  Homeschooled children have the opportunity of watching their parents witness by example.  Let's face it, if you send your children off to school, they only have evenings and weekends to see you witnessing to others on a regular basis.  If they are not seeing this, you are sending them into the public school system without effectively showing them how to share the Gospel.  The Bible doesn't just say to "Go ye into all the world..."  Jesus didn't just leave it at that...if that were the case, public school would be superior.  But Jesus said to do that AND to preach the Gospel....

How can your children preach the Gospel if their parents have never taken the time to show them?  I would bet that most professing Christian children have never seen their parents go out and witness to a stranger...or maybe even close friend....and share the Gospel of Jesus.

Certainly, just because you homeschool, doesn't mean you do this, but it does allow for more opportunity since your children are with a parent all day long.  Suddenly, they are seeing mom by example, good or bad, instead of just hearing what should be done.

Maybe you're one of those very, very  few parents who really do this...so your child has seen and been taught how to effectively share the Gospel with their friends at school.  What about the part that says "to every creature?"

If you are tied down to a school, for most of the day, five days a week (usually 6 if sports are involved), how can you go into all the world to preach the Gospel to every creature?  Certainly, Jesus wasn't saying that I personally have to share the Gospel with every person....but the church as a whole needs to witness to every creature.  However, we are limiting our world to a small building to share the Gospel with.  Are these people important?  Of course, but we could run into these same people in the grocery store and share the Gospel with them there, while also sharing with many other people in the same trip.


Excuse #2:

I want my children to be a light in the public school system so that others may come to know Christ.

Proverbs 4:14 & 15

"Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.

Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away."

Proverbs 1:10 & 15

"My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not...

My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:"

The Bible clearly tells us to not even enter into the path of the wicked, and if you don't think schools are not full of wickedness, I think you need to really see what is going on.  Sure, some schools are worse than others, but just because one has "less wickedness" does not mean it lacks wickedness.  And these verses tell us CLEARLY to turn from it and run!  In my reading of Proverbs, I honestly could not justify sending my children to a place that would not allow me to teach my children the ways found in this book of wisdom.

Surely God knew that public schools would be the norm...even for Christians.  Yet all throughout the Bible, God has called us to a different path.  And you can bet in most situations, if we are on the same page as the rest of the world, we are not walking the straight and narrow path Jesus paved for us.

For some reason we have engraved into our heads that if we don't do the same things that unbelievers do; if we don't go to the same places, if we don't look the same way....we will never be able to witness to them.  I hear this a lot.  And honestly, I hear it from people who admit they don't go out and witness anyways!

We can witness to these same people when we see them at the grocery store, at the park, or at the post office.  We don't have to get to know someone really well to bring up the Gospel, but if you were to ask a professing Christian why they haven't witnessed to a stranger, they'd tell you they need to get to know them better so they can be their friend and bring it up.   But when you ask them why they haven't witnessed to close friends and family they say they haven't because they don't want a awkward strain in the relationship.

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Hmmmm.....that devil is sure a sly 'ole fox.

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Now if you think I sound controversial already, you haven't heard me yet.  I'm fixing to talk about a part of this whole thing that will make you uneasy in your seat.  Many of you probably already think I'm judgmental if you don't homeschool your children.  It's not so.  I just don't see how we can accomplish fulfilling God's Word by sending our children away for 7 hours or more a day:

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."  Proverbs 22:6

If we are not with them most of the day, the school is training them....not us.

So what about those really godly parents you know that have children who are not saved?  This is a hot topic to discuss.  I usually hear that the above verse means that if you train up a child right, it doesn't always mean he'll follow God, but that he'll always remember what he was taught.

My friend, I don't need a Greek/Hebrew dictionary to understand this verse.  That is NOT what this verse is saying.  This verse is clearly saying that in whatever way you train a child, good or bad, even when he is old and gray, he will still be on that path.

To think that I am some high and mighty parent that I am a better person than those godly parents that I know whose children rebelled would be a lutacris belief.  That's exactly what I'd be saying, though, if I were saying that I could send my children to public school and be certain they won't rebel.

Some of the godliest people I know sent their children to public school and lost their children.  I am not above them.  I know they did the best they could do.  I know they have regrets (as I already have in some of my decisions as a mom).  But by God's grace, He has shown me His Word and then given me live examples to watch in this area.

These godly parents taught their children at home, but they were no match for the influence of their children's peers and teachers.

Now, we do have freewill.  There is no doubt about that.  I can't force my children to love Jesus.

However, If I take my children out for a walk every single day for exercise, they may or may not do it when they are older.  On the one hand, I could take them walking and tell them how much my legs hurt and how I can't wait to get back in the air conditioned house.  In this case, despite the child being told and taught to walk every day, they will likely have a great distaste for exercise when they are older.  Why?  Because exercise has become a chore in their lives.  Sure, one day they could become a health nut, but it will be due to some other influence in their lives.  It won't be because mom was negative about what they should do!  But what if mom took her kids on a walk and stayed positive?  What if she pointed out all of the animals and sounds?  What is she told the children how walking will keep their body healthy and strong?  This child (unless other negative influences that the parents allow become stronger) will grow up with a love for exercise.

It's more than teaching your children Bible Songs to sing.  It's more than making them go to church every Sunday.  It's even more than Family Bible Time and going on mission trips.  We must SHOW our children JESUS first.  Once our children are saved, all we have to do is to give them the tools they need....the tools that are given to us in the Bible.  So many parents spend more time at their children's ball games than they do praying with their child.  We can't blame the raising of our children on "free will" when we are not being obedient to God's Word and taking our roles as parents seriously.

Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.  Proverbs 11:14

What does this verse mean?  It means that if we are not surrounded by a MULTITUDE (not one or two friends who are saved) of counsellors, we are in danger of "falling."  We are sacrificing the safety of our children's future upon being with their "friends" for seven hours a day or so that we can have that extra job to live the lifestyle we want.  If we look at our hearts, we're not even really considering what God has said.  Maybe you've never even read any of these verses before.  I know that I hadn't read many of them.  Therefore, the decisions I thought I would make for my future children were based upon my judgments of what I thought was right.  It wasn't based on God's Word.  How dangerous that is for us to do.


Take a deep breath...stop screaming at me because you think I'm judging you.  Take me out of the equation.  Take a good look at your life right now.  Did you and your husband pray before sending your children to school?  Did you even consider homeschooling?  Was it done in prayer or was it done from a decision you made?

Now think for a moment that your life has ended.  Suddenly, all of that extra sleep we wanted doesn't matter, who won the state tournament is a blur,  and that fight you had with your husband has completely left your memory.  You're standing before an Almighty God getting ready to give an account for your decisions.  Certianly, we know we're human.  We know we have a long list...but in that moment...standing before God, we won't be thinking about how at least our sins are less than "so and so's".  We'll be thinking of how much we have disappointed our Creator.

If you want to homeschool, but your husband says "no" or is not completely on board, check out this post.

I may not get everything right in life.  If you read my other posts, you will see how open and honest I am about my miserable failures.  I talk about my struggles with gluttony, pride, contentment, selfishness, the list goes on for miles.  But someone took the time to introduce to me a better way.  Someone took the time to show me that we can raise our children according to the Bible without compromising even the smallest detail.  I just want to be that person for you.


If you go on to send your children to school, that is your decision.  It does not affect me.  It does not make me think I am better than you.  It does make me think that I have made a better decision in this area, but I'm sure you could point to ways where you have made better decisions than I.  In fact, if you do it in love, I'd love for you to point out a better way for me to do anything.  I won't be offended.  I WANT to do what is most pleasing and edifying, so if there is a better way, please tell me!

I encourage debate (as in educated, kind, and meant to persuade...not arguing) on this topic!  If you don't like what I said, please...let me know (kindly), but do so with Scripture backing up your opinion.  I don't care what you think about this matter...I care what God says.  At the end of the day, we may all agree to disagree, and that's okay.  But regardless of the topic, we all need to be sharing God's Word and applying it to our lives.  That's what I'm doing here.  I hope that regardless of the issue, you will make no decisions based upon feelings or what you think God would say...let's do it all by seeking His Holy Spirit and seeking the answers in His Word!

May we shoot our arrows farther than we were able to go ourselves.  I want my children to be a better mom, Christian, wife, and servant than I will ever be.  I want them to go farther...and that training starts now...it starts at home with me.

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Do you need to attend an AA meeting?

No, I'm not talking about Alcoholics Anonymous, but rather Addicts Anonymous.  You're thinking, "I'm not addicted to drugs or alcohol or anything of the sort."  That may be true, but my bet is that you may be addicted to something far worse...


Food, caffeine, work, exercise, entertainment, nosiness, shopping, self-image, money, sleep,

internet/tv, sports...the list can go on and on. I know what you're thinking now too..."Wait a second, not only are some of these things not necessarily bad, they are certainly not worse than being addicted to drugs and alcohol!"  I beg to differ.

You see, drug addicts and alcoholics know they have a problem.  Sure, they don't always admit it, but deep down, they know what a mess they are.  They know they are hurting others.  They know they are ruining their lives.  They just can't seem to overcome the addiction.

But the addictions I listed above, many people are literally oblivious to them.  They even think of them as "healthy".  Sure, most things in moderation are fine.  But I'm talking about addictions here.  You know, when you have to check your Facebook every hour to see what has changed, when the first thing you notice about someone you meet is something superficial, when you can't miss that game on tv, when you can't put down that last tub of ice cream, or when you can't stop going to the gym because if you don't lose that last 10 pounds you'll always feel ugly.

We all have addictions.  Every last one of us.  We like to think our addictions are small and certainly not as bad as those who need to attend a weekly or monthly meeting.  Somehow, our addictions are "holier" than others (as if one sin can be more "righteous" than the other).  Our own addictions don't seem like addictions.  They seem to be just what we "like", and besides, we can quit at anytime (sound familiar)?

I'll give you an example in my own life that probably rings true in yours as well.  Most of us have an addiction to entertainment.  We have been taught from a young age that work is not fun, but often something we have to do.  Play and self-fulfillment is where it is at.  So our entire lives, we're taught to have negative thoughts about work (despite God creating Work to be a GOOD thing and BEFORE sin entered the Garden) and positive thoughts about entertainment.

We entertain ourselves with the latest technology, games, social media, television, roller coaster rides, etc.  The list could go on and on.  Now, many of these things in and of themselves might be fine, but lets test to see if you have a true addiction to these things:

You know you have an addiction when:

* You're watching a movie and they take God's name in vain (using it as a curse word or taking His holy name lightly, even if not as a curse word) or someone is dressed immodestly.  You shrug it off because it's the most decent movie out there and the movie is primarily about saving lives and maybe even serving God! So you overlook the "small" sin and focus on the MOSTLY GOOD parts of the movie.  If this is you, you are addicted to Entertainment.

* You're overweight.  You have been for awhile.  You always say you're going to start your diet tomorrow, but there is always an excuse for why you can't (holidays, someone brought you over dinner and you couldn't be rude, church potluck, etc).  If this is you, you are addicted to food (gluttony).

* Your hair has to be just right.  You'd rather be late to work than be seen without your makeup.  You wear all the latest trends, and they are modest (or at least you think so, you've never really given much thought to modesty.  As long as your chest isn't hanging out and shorts aren't too short, you're good).  You make sure you always get your hair dyed or highlighted every month or two.  You make sure you have your nails done frequently.  Your closet is full of clothes and yet you have nothing to wear.  If this is you, you are addicted to self-image.

* You check your Facebook almost every hour.  You read the paper to see if anyone you know has died or gotten into trouble.  You are the first to re-post or comment when a friend posts any juicy news.  When you're out and about and there is not much to say, you bring topics up that really don't pertain to you, but they are "good stories" or "good gossip" to share and you think they make you sound interesting.  If this is you, you might be addicted to being a busybody.

* Your thoughts are consumed with "some day...", your dream house, or how things will be one day...You think substantially more about the future than you do the present...You're never satisfied in your current situation....You always want more.  The house needs repainting, you need a new car, you wish your husband would get a job and make more money so life could one day be a little "easier."  If this is you, you're addicted to selfishness.

The list could go on and on.  I'm sure you might fit into one or more of these categories, and I'm quite confident we could all write our own.  One of the major problems of an addiction is that if you have this addictive personality, you're likely to fall prey into more addictions.

No one wakes up one day to being an alcoholic or drug addict.  Things in their lives just begin to spin out of control and these addictions cleverly pretend to be the quick fix.

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When we have a love for something...anything other than Jesus and glorifying Him....we are losing our self-control (Remember that temperance is one of the fruits of the Spirit).

You may think this is just such a small area of your life.  I mean nobody's perfect, right?!  We go to church every Sunday, we teach our children about God, and maybe we even squeeze in a little bit of Bible reading each day into our busy lives.

You see, we tend to view the devil as this evil creature who does outrageously sinful things.  We forget that he is a beautiful creature who knows our weaknesses and is intelligent to fool even the smartest of Christians. He often pretends to be an angel of light:

2 Corinthians 11:14

And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

He convinces us that our "small" sin is insignificant and nothing compared to "others" (remember we should only compare ourselves to God's standards, not others).

I write this post because we should all be able to relate to it.  Yet, just because we can all relate to it, doesn't mean we need to toss it aside and think, "Well everyone's going to be in big trouble on Judgment Day anyways, and there are plenty worse off than me, so I'll be alright.  I'm saved, so I'm not going to Hell.  And if I don't get all of the jewels in my crown, who cares?!  I'll be in Heaven!"  Once again, we are comparing ourselves to others and have no concept of God's Holiness.

I encourage us to forgo our pride, and stop looking down on others with addictions.  For we all have them in some shape or form.  The thing we are addicted to is not the primary problem. The root of the problem is that we love something else more than Jesus.  We can't seem to put Jesus in front of it.  How silly to think I might view a soda in front of Jesus, but when we know that our body is a temple, and we can't let go of a silly little drink in order to be more glorifying to God, there's a BIG problem in our lives (and it has to do more than with just a soda pop).  The worst part is that we are not doing something actively to correct it!

My friend, we all need to be attending an Addicts Anonymous Meeting Today.  In fact, let's rid the Anonymous part and just be honest and upfront about our struggles.  It's in our transparency and honesty that others can hold us accountable, and in turn, we can grow.

I encourage you today to NEVER view any sin as "little" or "insignificant" or "not as bad as someone else's." All sin is blasphemy to God, and it ALL deserves an eternity in hell!

For those of you who know me, you know that I have many imperfections and I have an addictive personality.  Sometimes it's for the good, but many times, it's to feed my own laziness and pride.  Take a look at where you were in your life spiritually last year.  If you cannot see a VAST improvement in your serving, prayer life, reading your Bible, and overall relationship with Jesus Christ...the devil has you right where he wants you.  You are lukewarm.

So my purpose in this post is for us remember that while we certainly don't need to overlook sin in others and we need to encourage them to walk in Truth in love, let's first take the beam out of our own eye:

Matthew 7:3

 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Does that mean we can never show others their sin through God's Word because we are always in sin ourselves?  No, but it does mean that if you are not ACTIVELY striving toward overcoming your sin, you can't focus on anyone but yourself.  You are not holier than they are simply because your sin may be less damaging.  All sin is abomination (pure disgust) unto the LORD.




May we all finish the rest of our day in prayer, striving to be all that God has called us to be.

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