Posts

Showing posts from 2007

Winter Blessings

Image
Hello everyone! May God be praised and glorified! I am healthy and well as is my family. The Lord continues to be a buckler and shield, a help in time of need. His provision is timely and His trials are like an oven to my faith, ripening it unto perfection! By His Will and Grace, He has given us a vehicle in which we can further our service to Him. Not only are we transporting our family to work and school with His provision, but are helping those who lack transportation. We fully recognize the purpose of His timely provision, is for His Kingdom and Glory! All things He has given us are His and should be used accordingly! Yes, He has increased my quiver that is full of arrows to one more! We are expecting our 6th child! That is to be due in the spring of next year. After a hard round of morning sickness, my pregnancy is in full swing. Thanks to all of those who have prayed for us, you know who you are :) May the Lord bless and use you to glorify Him and His precious Son! My sister rece

Still Alive and Highly Favored!

Dearest Readers, Please accept my sincerest apologies for my very silent blog. While I may be absent from the blog community, I'm most assuredly, not absent from my fight in defense of THE faith!! I cannot begin to express how dramatic these last two months have been for us. It seems as if everything is being thrown at us, one event after another. It is very CLEAR that Satan is doing everything in his power to shut us down! GOD BE PRAISED! For I am seen as a threat to the one who lies and deceives! Maybe some of you may call me crazy, but I cannot help but be honored, however tough these hardships are. The 11th chapter of Hebrews is such a bolster to me. Biblical greats such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, Peter, Paul, and John all sacrificed their lives (and desires to live a certain way) BECAUSE of their faith, which is to truly be defined as their LOVE for HIM. Yet, WE ALL have NOT "resisted unto blood, striving against sin" (Hebrews 12:4) My hardships are minuscule in light

The Law of Sin and Death

A relative and I were having a fascinating discussion about sin. He made a statement that rang very true to me. "So many Christians are obsessed with sin". For a long while, since reading other posts and forums about sin, I've been dwelling upon and studying about that matter. Although I've been compelled to analyze the subject by post, I haven't felt prepared to do so. As you all know, I'm experiencing a trial that proves to be a continuous battle for my faith. It has been a trial which continues to manifest the truth of Scripture, the Word of God, to my soul. It is during hard times such as these when the Glory of God is a sight to behold. And His goodness, a pleasant taste! "O taste and see that the LORD is good..." Psalm 34:8 Why do we obsess with sin? Either of our own or those of fellow Christians? Has Christ not set us free from the law of sin and death? "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of

Unconformity

New schedules and routines have wrecked havoc upon my time. While spiritual I remain well and healthy, physically I'm exhausted. I'm currently trying to come up with a schedule that works for all that I've committed to. In approximately a week and half, my oldest son, will be starting pre-school, so I dare not get used to a certain routine. Instead I'm attempting to plan a schedule that will accommodate a new routine in the near future. Doing all this, reminds me of one of my favorite passages: "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans" 12:3 How easy is it to be conformed to the routine of life? The easy, lazy routine of summer is now past. Now, I'm conditioning my mind to transform to the new "knowledge" I've aquired. The easy part is to renew, the hard part is to transform. The transformation is the applicatio

The Spirit of Fear

SPIRIT OF FEAR There was a time in my youth when I was undoubtedly plagued with bouts of insecurities. The church I was a member of then, was divided into groups of the "haves" and the "have nots". As an orphan, I was most definitely a member of the "have nots". Being around my two-parented/one-parented friends I quietly developed a case inadequacy. As I matured in age (not necessarily in spirit), I carried that inadequacy with me, and it developed into an insecurity. My insecurity played with my vain imaginations, thus, assumptions and defensiveness was born. I became a person who would assume a particular behavior/conversation was geared towards me in a negative light, and when truth was presented to me, I became defensive of my assumptions and resulted behavior. It was a deadly mind game I played so long ago. Deadly in the fact that, spiritually I was inhibited by the insecurities that plagued me. My insecurities prevented me from seeing and then receiv

Happy Birthday Zeke!

Today is my second son's birthday! He's number 4 of 5 and he is three years old! In honor of his birthday I would like to share the story of his birth. My pregnancy with Ezekiel was a pregnancy where God's glory was manifested and my faith in Him validated! My husband and I had naturally elected to have a home birth with Ezekiel as we had our first son, Ezra. However, our insurance had changed this time around and my midwife who was swamped with other clients, couldn't accept our new insurance policy. She took us on tentatively since the month our due date was determined was in August when she had 6(or so) other mothers expecting that same month. I saw her periodically throughout my pregnancy for prenatal care. She had referred me to a doctor to have an ultrasound. My husband and I met with the doctor and he proceeded with the examination. At that point I was seven months pregnant. After asking our permission, he announces that we're having another son! He tells us

My Interview with Beverly

I've been selected by my sister in Christ, Beverly, of Perpetual Grace , to be interviewed! Here are the rules: 1. Leave me a comment saying "Interview me." 2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions. 3. You will update your blog with a post containing your answers to the questions. 4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post. 5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions. 1. I know that you worship God outside of a traditional church setting, but I also know that you DO worship God. Can you share with us what the phrase "worshiping God" looks like in your life? Great question Beverly. I can best describe the way I worship with 1 Thess.5:15-22" "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesying

Parable of the Sower Addendum

Here's the link to the original post " The Parable of the Sower " "Does it mean that those who are not yet deeply rooted in Christ, who are still babes in Christ, are not going to heaven until they become more firmly grounded in Him?" "But what about those who die when they are still babe's and have not yet become firmly rooted? What is your definition of firmly rooted? " PROFESSION Profession: The act of professing; avowal; a declaration, whether true or false. http://www.dictionary.com/ The Parable of the Sower defines four types of people who have heard the Word of God (seed). Three of them are "hearers", producing no "fruit" as a result. One is a "doer", producing "fruit" as a result. The fact that those who profess belief in Christ is categorized along with the unbeliever says a LOT in that fact alone. (The category of being unfruitful.) While their profession may be genuine in and of itself, it does no

Light of the World American Sign Language Part 10

Here is the final clip! Very powerful clip! It talks about various religions and mentions specific religion by name. One of the religions mentioned here is the Catholic religion. I must say I do agree with most, if not all of the content in this clip for this reason, and this alone...the Word of God. Now, those of you offended by this clip or my agreement with it. I have this to say, I do my very darnest to live by the truth of God's Word, and the truth is (you don't even have to look in the Good Book to know this) that we live in a society divided and deceived by Satan. So please, no angry comments, unless you have a point or opinion to share respectfully. (preferably supported with scripture) Here are the scriptural references: John 14:1-3 ; Matt. 28:18 ; John 14:6 ; Romans 10:8-9 ; Deuteronomy 27:15 ; 1Peter 5:7 ; Matt. 25:23 God Bless! After posting this clip I found a wonderful post called " There's Something About Mary " in reference to the Roman Catholic Ch

My Interview with Shalene

I've elected to be interviewed by Shalene, the owner of Proverbs31WomanWannabe ! Here are the instructions for the interviewing process: 1. Leave me a comment saying "Interview me." 2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions. 3. You will update your blog with a post containing your answers to the questions. 4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post. 5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, I will ask them five questions. On to the interview! Please read more! 1. I already know so much about you, so tell me, if there is one thing about you that your reader's don't already know, that you'd like them to know, what would that be? Despite the serious nature of my blog, I'm can be quite goofy! I love singing silly songs with my children and am known for making up silly songs quite frequently. I also like to entertain my children by dancing as well! I usually have my bab

Translation vs. Paraphrase

Up until about four years ago, I studied primarily out of the New Living Translation. It was simple to read and I was comfortable with it. However, I did notice through out my studying in that specific translation, that passages just weren't making any sense. My husband preferred the King James Version and studied out of that, our studying together almost always ended out of the KJV version for the simple fact that the NLT was not adequate in conveying some of the principles of the Word. My husband, at that time worked for Tyndale House Publishing (which publishes the NLT version) gave me a Bible published by them called "The People's Parallel Edition". This edition had the KJV and NLT side by side. It was only then I began to see a true difference between translations. Romans 8:1 in both of these versions comes out different. Romans 8:1 KJV says "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the

Light of the World American Sign Language Part 9

Isaiah 52:14; John 3:16; Matthew 27:46; John 1:29; Matthew 27:54; Luke 23:46; Luke 23:47; Matthew 28:5-6; Matthew 28:19-20; Revelation 1:8; Revelation 1:18-19

The Parable of the Sower

Can a Christian/Believer lose their promise of eternal salvation if they have abandoned their faith in Him? I have heard this question enough times to get me digging in my Word for an answer. This is a tough question, one where many a Christian have various opinions and answers. So I will turn to the only trustworthy source I know. The spirit of truth which guides me into all truth. John 16:13 And the Word of the Living God. THE HEARERS I am convinced that those who have called themselves Christian and have turned away from Christ, were never truly Christian at heart! Please read Matthew 13:1-9 prior to reading the rest of this post. The parable of the sower can give insight into the differences between "hearers" and "doers" of the Word! The hearers are described in this parable in verses 19-22 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which rece

Light of the World American Sign Language Part 8

The details explained in this clip regarding Christ's beatings, I would imagine to be true in spite of the fact there are no specific scriptures to support the details listed. We can only imagine the horrors that Christ has suffered prior to his death! This is a sobering clip for me! In the midst of this life how easy is it to forget what exactly has been done for us! When we are stomping our feet and shaking our fists at God for not giving us whatever we think we deserve, we lose sight, we forget the humiliation, the horrid suffering of His, that overwhelms and swallows our insignificant, selfish ambitions! My heart aches for the pain He endured for my sins! He did it for us for the joy of our fellowship. Do we dare withhold it? Something so simple for hefty price! I'm going to do something that I don't normally do...I'm not going to list any scripture for this clip. We all know that this is a true event, this event is the very reason why we call ourselves CHRIST

Shackled Liberty

I have a bone to pick! I must admit I am irked! Now, I pray that my spirit is led in a way that I can communicate clearly without letting my sentiments dictate my writing in truth and of scripture. Why is my liberty in Christ Jesus is always attacked by those who profess themselves Christian or Believers? They pick on inconsequential issues, and declare my deliberate choices of faithful living/dependency upon the Lord, unwise; at worse, unbiblical. I am compelled to defend the truth against dangerous ignorance, and the liberty of the gospel commanded by Christ, our Savior. CHRIST, OUR CONDEMNER? What is amazing to me is that Christ himself, has never condemned a sinner for being a sinner! "So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning a

Light of the World American Sign Language Part 7

What a powerful clip! I have nothing to add, it says it all! This clip is so powerful, I'm compelled to leave it up for two days or more! Anyone who has friends that are deaf or hard of hearing can refer them to this site. " By His stripes we are healed "

Light of the World American Sign Language Part 6

You can find scriptural references in any of the Gospels. (The book of Matthew is suggested) There is no "more" :) Enjoy!

Light of the World American Sign Language Part 5

There may be a "glitch" with this clip. It goes pretty fast. Enjoy! Scriptural referrences can be found in the book of Matthew.

A Praising Spirit - Hymns in ASL - American Sign Language

As someone who is a hearing impaired Believer, I'm just fascinated by this promotional DVD! You just don't see promotions like these very often (or at all)! So I've decided to post it here. I apologize to my readers for not posting my own writings. I've been getting a lot of requests for the "Light of the World" series. I DO hope you enjoy the beauty of ASL, as I do! God bless!

Light of the World American Sign Language Part 4

I must say, I like this clip the best so far. Here are the scriptural references: Isaiah 7:14 Matthew 1 Matthew 2 John 1:1-3

Light of the World American Sign Language Part 3

Once again, I must state that I'm not too fond of the graphics in the background. The only beef I have with these clips is that there are no exact references to scripture. I have found those exact references and have listed them here for anyone to study on. You will see in the clip a reference to God dialogue with an angel to see if your name appears in the "Book of Life". I find it questionable if the Word states that, I will seek that out with prayer and guidance. I can't lend my support to this clip fully, but I do like how it defines the basics for anyone seeking basic understanding. I've tried my best to list the references in the order that they appear in the clip. Romans 3:23 Romans 3 Luke 12:15-21 Hebrews 9:26-28 Isaiah 64:6 Revelation 20:10-15 Matthew 12:36 Revelation 21 2 Peter 3:9

Light of the World American Sign Language Part 2

This clip covers a wide expanse of the bible. From Abraham to Israel's second captivity.

Light Of The World American Sign Language short clip

*For whatever reason, the clip is not showing please click Ministry for the Deaf, Salvation.

Kevin Hall, A Deaf Golfer

Because I am hard of hearing, naturally it was fascinating to watch a news segment of a man named Kevin Hall who is not only deaf, but the first African-American to attend Ohio State on a full golf scholarship! I'm a sucker for a good success story! So here are the links: CBS News MSNBC Galludet University's World Around You There is no "more" :)

New Changes to My Blog!

I've changed the name of my blog to "In Spirit and In Truth" ( John 4:23 )! The reason for this change is to convey my worship of Him in a more specific light. This name change does not indicate a change in intention, but rather adding to the purpose of my blog. I feel compelled to as I continue to blog to promote the unity of Holy Spirit amongst believers regardless of their church status. That is promoting unity and edification of the Body of Christ. This change, in no way, compromises my writing. I will continue to promote the infallibility and truth of the Word. I will continue to stand for truth, by faith, and with the Holy Spirit. The Vineyard is up and ready to go! I'm hopeful The Vineyard , (another blog of mine) will also be a tool for the promotion of the Body through the unity of prayer. The main object of The Vineyard is praying for the unity of the spiritual Body of Christ. Prayer requests will be posted for all to pray upon. Prayer requests can be person

Speaking in Tongues

I have been hearing impaired since a young child. It's genetic in my family. I have four sisters and a brother who are all hearing impaired to some degree, as well as a host of nieces and nephews with the same condition. (only 3 out of 10 are hearing) I was mainstreamed in my education growing up. For those of you who don't know that that term, it means that I took regular classes with hearing students as opposed to special education classes. I had a sign language interpreter for a few classes, but not all. Looking back now, I don't understand why I wasn't given an interpreter for all of my classes. I remember two classes that I struggled in. Biology was one of them. Not only did the teacher show favoritism towards particular students (not me!), but he mumbled a lot! I would focus on what was in the text in order to keep up with the class. I would pay extra close attention to his body language and facial expression in the hopes of catching a glimpse of comprehension. Al

Helpful Blogger Tips

As you've noticed, I've been changing my blog! My two column blog is now three without professional help I may add. :) My heartfelt thanks to my sister in Christ, Shalene for your invaluable help with incorporating the "read more" function! I have been struggling with these specific html codes and Shalene figured out the problem! So now my readers can enjoy my posts without continuous scrolling. I will continue with updates to my blog. Thanks so much Shalene!!! If you are a new blogger, or not so new, I've discovered a wonderful link. Called Tips for New Bloggers It has easily explained instructions on how to incorporate 3 columns and more for your blog! Another link that has tips as well is not my most favorite, but does have valuable information. Hackosphere is a good informative blog, but again, I'm not too crazy about how it instructs, but everyone receives instructions differently. The same can be said for the Word of God!! (Is it any wonder why we have s

An Update

In my last post, True Blessings, I mentioned my financial situation. I wanted to thank those who prayed for me and who have contributed to help us out in this time of need. My most heartfelt and humble thanks to you, you know who you are! I haven't posted in awhile in light of other responsibilities at home, I thank you once again for your patience! We are doing well and continue to be blessed with "gold tried by fire"! My husband and I have an appointment tomorrow to finalize our business plan. We are hopeful and prayerful that we can get back on track. Provident Medical Billing Services was established in 2005. Take a look at the website if you wish to see what we do. However, it has been "dormant" for a while. Hopefully with an approval for a business loan I will be able to dust it off! Though our situation still remains at high alert, we are confident and hopeful that the Lord will see these seeds sown in faith and give increase to our effort. We are also p

Picky Eaters

Out of my five children I have at least two picky eaters. When I present my created concoction of food, carefully arrayed and thought out in terms of healthiness, there will always be someone who doesn't like something on their plate. On very rare occasions, all five, will eat, lick every last piece of food on their plate. As a mother, I'm pretty firm on having them eat most, if not all of their food. After all, having a balanced meal is good for the well being of the body and mind. I most certainly want my children to grow healthy and strong. As a young child, I was a picky eater as well. I remember clearly the evenings when my father would cook liver. How I abhorred those evenings! I would come home from school, greeted by the smell of cooked liver, and cringe. I knew what was coming. A long evening at the table, swinging my legs in rebellion, emitting a whimpering/whining sound as my liver sat on my plate...cold, an hour after everyone had left the table. My father would i

A Degree of Faith

My husband was once told in no uncertain terms that he needed to certified to be qualified to read the Bible and understand it's contents. In other words, he needed to have taken a Bible course of some sort. I thought that that statement would make for a good post. Do we need to have a degree to be able to understand the Bible? Is the Bible a hard book to read? When I read passages such as Isaiah 55:7-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. How are we to understand the Potter if we are mere clay? How does He expect us to understand, apply and live His Word in this light? Why would He hold us accountable if His ways are completely unlike our ways? I believe that God has given us EVERY resource available for spiritual salvation and comprehension . It is up to us to accept the RESOURCE that He has given. Only the Spirit