Busy, Happy Woman LLC

Have you ever experienced someone "throwing up" on you? I'm not talking about someone who is sick. What I'm talking about is the person who starts a conversation and spends the next 15 or 20 minutes telling you all the mess that is in their life. They barely take a breath between sentences and they have no intention of letting you say anything. They don't want advice or anything related to common sense. All they want to do is "throw up" and when they are done, they walk away and leave you questioning "What just happened?" The Bible tells us to confess our faults and to pray for each other so that we can be healed (James 5:16a). There is a godly purpose behind these kinds of conversations. Sharing our struggles and praying together gives us the strength to overcome the struggles. This one of the benefits of having other believers in our lives. We hold ourselves and each other accountable.  Confession with accountability is totally different than...

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13 NKJV) is often misquoted by believers. The context is frequently one in which the believer is encouraging themselves related to a task that is proving challenging. The thought is that everything will work out the way they want it to because of Christ's presence in their lives. However, when one reads the verse in context, we come away with a very different perspective.  Faith is not a "magic wand" that causes God to do whatever we want. When we read the verse 12 we find that the Apostle Paul lets us know what faith really is. He speaks of being brought low ("abased") and of having abundance. He reports he has learned in every situation, whether he has more than enough or if he hasn't had a meal in a while; whether every need is met...or not...that he can make it! Through his faith in Christ.  Faith is not about getting the answer or results we want. Faith is about believing t...

Today our congregation celebrated my husband's 21st year pastoring and my 7th year pastoring alongside him. Twenty-one years as a pastor is remarkable and especially so because my husband has NEVER received a salary. He has always worked fulltime along with pastoring. I also work fulltime and pastor. We know our members care about us: they went all out to demonstrate what we mean to them. We walked into the sanctuary that had been transformed for the celebration. Love was obvious in every detail. The order of service included a poem, praise dance, Bible verses recited from memory from the youth, and three "mini sermons" from out ministry team. The presence and power of God was palpable. After worship we were given gifts, an offering (that we KNOW was a SACRIFICE), and a delicious dinner had been prepared. We were so blessed by everyone's participation and all the effort that was obvious in everything. The most precious part of today however, was not in the preparation...

"And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone." Matthew 14:23 KJV One week ago I left home frazzled. The increasing demands of work, and my commitment to ministry, had me running at top speed for several months. When I started my SUV to begin the eight hour drive to Ohio, my prayer was "Lord, please bless my time away." The Lord heard my prayer and answered in a way that was beyond my expectation--the way God always does. Last year, one of my daughters had decided to "up-size" and bought an older home that had been designed by an engineer. The home includes a sunroom with a vaulted ceiling, skylights, and windows that give a panoramic view of the large back yard. I saw the sunroom when my daughter first moved in. What I saw when I arrived this time was a true transformation: the best word to describe the transformation is "sanctuary." Everyday since I arrived...

Last night my Aunt saw the end of the street blocked off and wondered what was happening. It was about five hours later when she was notified that her grandson had been shot and killed by robbers just outside the convenience store where he had made a purchase. The shooter was in line with him, saw the amount of change he received, went outside and waited. When he came out the door he was shot and robbed. Another customer who was coming out of the store behind him was also shot. The police officer told my Aunt that as her grandson was dying, he apologized to the other customer. He was sorry she was shot because they were robbing him.  Three weeks ago I wrote about violence. Today my Aunt's grandson, my cousin, is dead. He was 24 years old, a humble, kind, young man whose decision to go to the corner store resulted in a violent, senseless death.   Please pray for my Aunt, the young man's Mother, and the Family. Please also pray for the robbers and their families.  Jesu...

God is present everywhere at all times. Enoch chose to walk WITH God. What does that mean?  In worship service today, a toddler "escaped" from his young adult sister and took off toward the nearest door. He has a love of turning door knobs and exploring what is behind the door. Big sister caught up with him and attempted to take his hand and walk him back to his seat. He of course pulled away and kept going toward the door. The toddler was determined to NOT walk WITH his sister but to go his own way . Many people are like the toddler when it comes to how they view God. They want to call on Him when they are in trouble or in need but don't necessarily want to live the way God has outlined in the Bible.  Walking WITH God means that we pattern our lives after biblical principles. When we discover by reading and studying the Bible that something we are doing is not really how God wants us to live, and we adjust our behavior to line up with what we have learned, then we are wa...

Shocking headlines are coming at us almost daily. Going to school, stocking up on groceries, going to church...innocent people doing a variety of necessary things, is resulting in death. Grieving families, friends, and communities are reeling from the trauma; and the families of the perpetrators are thrown into dealing with the backlash. What are Believers supposed to do when violent acts occur? The Bible told us these times were coming. Matthew 24: 37 says "the days of Noe (Noah)" would return to the earth. What does that mean? Genesis 6: 11 tells us that when Noah was living "...the earth was filled with violence." The Bible is coming to pass before our eyes. The Bible also tells us how Believers are to respond. "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land" 2 Chronicles 7:14. God always ex...