Coming Soon.......

My daughter-in-law, Andria, and I have something in common.  Other than her husband, my son, Mike and my three wonderful grandchildren, Kirstyn, Reagan and Bransen.

We both love to read, voraciously. It allows us to escape from the sometimes humdrum way life can be as well as the overwhelming aspect of it. But, Andria also has another love for it that I do not share. She has a couple of websites, http://www.readingteen.net/, and http://readingtween.blogspot.com/ where she, as well as her 3 children (my wonderful grandchildren) posts reviews of some of the most current books out there. I do not share this love of review because I read for enjoyment and it takes away from the relaxation and ability to lose yourself in the story, for me.

The following is taken from her 'about' page.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS BLOG IS TO PROVIDE A PLACE WHERE TEENS, PARENTS OF TEENS, AND PEOPLE WHO JUST LOVE YA BOOKS CAN FIND REVIEWS ON BOOKS, FIND SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT TO READ (AND MAYBE WHAT NOT TO READ), AND DISCUSS WHAT THEY THOUGHT ABOUT THE BOOKS.  WE WILL TALK SOME ABOUT BOOK CONTENT, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, WE'LL LEAVE THE DETAILED CONTENT ON THE WEBSITE, PARENTALBOOKREVIEWS.COM.  OUR GOAL IS TO HELP TEENS FIND FANTASTIC BOOKS, AND TO GIVE SPECIAL ATTENTION TO AWESOME BOOKS THAT ARE "CLEAN READS".  WE HOPE YOU FIND THIS BLOG HELPFUL, INFORMATIONAL, AND MOST OF ALL ENJOYABLE!

Now that I have shamelessly advertised her work and websites, let me tell about my passion.

While I love to read, my very favorite thing on earth is music. Andria once told me that when she reads a good book she can hardly wait to share it on the blog to ignite others desire to read it. (my translation). This is the way I feel about music. While I love all types of music, from A Capella and Instrumental to Classical and Rock and everything in between, my favorite is Contemporary Christian and there are so many types within that genre that there is something, literally, for everyone from babies to the most senior Christian.

Christian music tells a story of joy, forgiveness, servant-hood, and others that just won't come to mind but especially hope and redemption. I have occasionally included a link to a song that goes along with my post.  Now, I want to do more with that. This particular blog is for women, as indicated in the blog name, SISTORIES. I am currently working on an additional site, that would be beneficial for males and females and teens and senior Christians. It won't be dedicated to music only. It will include ways to live a life of discipleship, from the music you listen to, to the books you read.It will include stories and scripture to keep your mind, body and soul healthy.

I will be enlisting the help of my children concerning the content and stories of this website. They don't know this yet. =). They each have their own unique insight into living the Christian life. I'm amazed at their walk with the Lord at this age and stage of their life. They are so far ahead of me at that age.

I have been negligent in keeping up with my blog. I'm a recovering procrastinator. Hang in there with me. You won't be disappointed.

I pray God's blessings on all who read this post.

~Sharon

The Odd Life of Timothy Green Review

"The Odd Life of Timothy Green" is a lovely story, using magical realism, of a couple unable to have children of their own. After coming to that crumbling realization, they spend an evening writing down the positive characteristics and qualities their child would have, had they been able to. They then bury these notes in the garden and awake to find a child that they soon realize is the child they dreamed of. As time goes on they recognize these qualities in Timothy.

I loved this story because of the great message it gives of family and the positive relationship between parent and child. Timothy is a wonderful example of honesty, generosity, sweet spirited, not afraid to fail and is even comfortable with his differences. He hides these differences only at the insistence of his parents because they are afraid of him being teased or bullied, anticipating these problems based on their own history which also plays a part in other decisions they make.

It's also a story of the differences in all of us and about not giving up when all seems lost. Some differences are unique and some are ordinary but they can all offer something to a relationship if we have our hearts open and learn to appreciate them.

Some differences we quickly recognize and appreciate as positive influences on us even though the relationship may be short lived. Then, there are people that have been in our lives for a long time and we have lost sight of what brought us together in the first place. We become consumed with our own self-worth and cease to see what is right in front of us.

I enjoyed this movie and while I buy few movies, this will be one I buy and keep for future viewing.


~Sharon

SPOILER ALERT

There are a few things to be cautious about when viewing this film with a child.




1. Timothy magically appears and disappears in the same way.

2. An adult dies in front of Timothy in a hospital.

3. Timothy is bullied in school without realizing it as such.

4. Timothy is saved from drowning at a birthday party.

5. There is the use of "hell" and "oh God" (as an exclamation), as well as hurtful words, "stupid," "loser," "freak," etc.

6. The Greens drink quite a bit of wine while dreaming of the child they would want to have if they could.




For more movie trailer clips, click the following link.

http://disney.go.com/the-odd-life-of-timothy-green/videos.html

Whither Thou Goest

But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.  Ruth 1:16

We have left family behind for more than 20 years now. Our first 3 moves kept us in Arkansas even though we weren't in the same city as my mother and sister. We left great friends, two of whom I've written about already, Tim and Wanda Makool. Our forth move took us from our youngest son and his family (our other two children and their family had already moved from Arkansas) and my mother, my sister and Rick's mother and brothers.

There was a lot of guilt in the move that took us out of state, away from our family. I felt I had abandoned them. Each time we leave a church family I have that same guilt.  There were those, in each church, that didn't want us to leave, anymore than we wanted to leave them.  We had grown close as family, as it should be.  Leaving family, whether blood or church, is always hard.

I follow my husband because I know it's the right thing to do. Not just because he's my husband and I love him and would go anywhere with him but also because his desire is to go where The Lord would have him go, to do God's will, no matter where that takes us. I trust him. But even more than that, I trust The Lord!!

I know that I'm not the only wife that has followed her husband to places unknown, as it were.  They've left family and gone into situations that felt fleeting and left them feeling insecure.  It's easy to become resentful of our husbands when we put our trust in the 'job' that took us there, or anger because their is no job.  That seems to be the case more and more these days in our economy.  

When I look at Ruth and put myself in her place I realize my insecurities are nothing compared to what she must have felt. Here she is a young widow making a decision to be totally dependent on Naomi. She's willingly leaving her family to go into the unknown with no husband to provide for her.  But because of Naomi's faithfulness, Ruth had come to know the one and only God.  A God that would provide for them both.

That same God still exists today.  We can depend on Him to provide our every need.  We don't have to be afraid of the unknown. We don't have to worry about tomorrow.  We can overcome the fear that brings about resentment and anger.  We can face the unknown with joy and the calm assurance that God has our back.

Matthew 6:25-34

25“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his lifeb?

28“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Are you willing to hand it all over to Him and face the unknown?  It doesn't have to be a drastic move like Ruth made.  It can be any number of things.  Face your fear, God has your back!

~ Sharon 

The Makools

I've shared with you a bit of our history concerning our journey from 13 years of living outside of Christ to our walk with God that lead us to now 20 plus years of ministry. We were at the end of our marriage.  Divorce was imminent.  Our lives had fallen apart and there was no hope in sight.  At least I didn't think so.  But God used this to bring Rickey to Him and as a result Rickey brought us along with him. A decision that  I will be forever grateful for to both God and Rickey.  


What I want to share with you today is who He used to help keep us on track until Rick was ready for the call God would place on his life, our lives. 


The Makools.


When Rick and I began our journey with Christ, we had to give up a lot.  Our life style had to change.  Our friends had to change.  Most Christians don't know what it takes to do that.  Leaving your friends behind is a hard thing to do because you feel alone and if someone from the church doesn't step in to replace those friendships, a lot of people return to what they know to avoid that loneliness. That's exactly what the Makools did.  They replaced what we had given up with something better.  A couple that had our best interest at heart.  A couple that had the same goals that we now had.  Friends that would be there for us through thick and thin.


 8Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.  1 Peter 4:8-10 


We did everything together.  If we weren't at their house, they were at ours. We were together every weekend and often with other Christian friends fellowshipping, eating, playing games.  We just loved being together. We became more like family than friends.  Their children called us Aunt and Uncle. Our children loved their children like brothers and sisters. They are a big part of who we are and where we are today. 


I can honestly say that if we hadn't had that relationship I don't know if we would be in the same place spiritually that we are today. They will never truly know how much their love meant to us, how instrumental they were in our spiritual growth.


There's so much more that I could say about them and their children.  How much we love and appreciate them.  But, I will simply ask you a question.  Who are you helping to walk that path to freedom? 


It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Galatians 5:1


13You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. 14The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  Galatians 5:13-14


I thank God for sending us the Makools and pray God's abundant blessings on them for eternity.


Who were "the Makools" in your life?  Leave me a comment.




~Sharon

FRANCINE RIVERS GIVEAWAY

Today is the last day to get the free e-book "Leota's Garden" by Francine Rivers.

Be sure to sign up for the giveaway of the complete Francine Rivers library as well as prizes for 1st - 4th place winners.

Grand Prize—complete Francine Rivers Library

Subsequent Prizes –

First Place Prize (1)—1 copy each of Her Mother’s Hope/Her Daughter’s Dream

Second Place Prize (2)—1 Mark of the Lion boxed set

Third Place Prize (3)—1 copy of A Lineage of Grace

Fourth Place Prize (4)—1 copy of Sons of Encouragement

http://www.tyndale.com/blog/?p=1042

~Sharon

It's All About Love

The Closer, 4th season finale, Brenda to Fritz on their wedding day, "I love you with all my heart, the problem is sometimes I think my heart is only "this" big."

Our capacity to love is limited by our humanness. But, when we make the decision to follow Christ and live his example our capacity to love grows.  It grows not because of anything we do but because God Is Love.  If it weren't for God's love we wouldn't know what love is.  We wouldn't know what it looks like, feels like or that it even exists.

Matthew 22:36-40 says,  36“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”  37Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’^b 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^c 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Why?  Because God loved us so much that he sent his Son to die for our sins, sins that belonged to us and not him.  Because Jesus loved his Father so much that he was willing to do what was asked of him, no matter what.  Who else has love like that?  Not me.  I would die for my family, I dare to say we all would.  But for someone I don't know?  Someone that has hurt me deeply, ridiculed me, beaten me and accused me of being evil?    I don't think so.


My son, Michael, spoke to a group of teens, at a church we were working with in Arkansas telling them, "If your boyfriend/girlfriend doesn't know God, isn't living for Him, they don't know how to truly love.  A wise statement that was.  


1 John 4:7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love............16And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him........19We love because he first loved us.

Without Him we have nothing, we are nothing.  At what capacity do you love?


~Sharon


"Love One Another" The Greatest Command- A Capella

Book Review:   Not God's Type by Holly Ordway




Title:Not God's Type

SubTitle:A Rational Academic Finds a Radical Faith

Publisher:Moody Publishers

Imprint:Moody Publishers

Pub Date:05/01/2010

ISBN:9780802431943

                       Author:Ordway, Holly

                       Category:NONFICTION - ADULT: Biography & Autobiography

My Review:

I was so blessed by this book!!  Those of us that were raised in Christian homes have no idea what it’s like to not have, that knowledge of and connection to, the Lord readily available to us. We take so much for granted. 

It’s obvious from her writing style that Holly is highly educated and while some of us may not share her love for the same type of literature or poetry, she doesn’t go above our heads with her words.  She has made it so easy to see things from an non-believers perspective.

Even though I have been a Christian for 20+ years, Holly showed me things that I may not have learned otherwise.  I was reminded, from her perspective, just how God uses things, circumstances and people, through the Holy Spirit, to affect someone for His cause, His purpose. I’ve learned to call those Godincidences instead of coincidences.  For Holly, poetry was her awakening to God.  Her fencing coach was the catalyst that helped bring her face-to-face with God’s truth.  God knew he was the best person for the job.  He didn’t push Christianity on her or make her feel less than him because she wasn’t a believer but lived it for her to see so she wouldn’t feel intimidated or even disgusted but his faith. He waited for her questions, her interest in the truth. 

Once Holly made that leap of faith she didn’t sit back and wait for opportunities to live out her new Christian life but went looking for them.  We all can learn from her in this avenue.  It’s easy for us to reach a point of apathy when we make Christianity harder than it is.  Not that it’s easy but by living the greatest command we don’t have to worry about the do’s and don’ts.

God uses many avenues to reach the lost.  What works for some wouldn't work for others.  God knows just the right thing or person to use for each individual person he is drawing to Him. "He knew our members before we were born"  "He knows the number of our hairs". He knows everything about us.  What if her coach hadn't been open to letting God use him? But because he did there is yet another champion for the Kingdom.  How many times have we missed the opportunity that God put before us?

This book is definitely one that I will keep on my bookshelf.

~Sharon

Mike Eppes with:

5 Things God Uses To Grow Our Faith

Slow To Speak, Quick To Listen

Maybe I should have called my blog,  "Confessions of a Preacher's Wife", considering I am once again about to make a confession to my weaknesses and sin. But, that's the whole point of this blog. Women sharing so others won't feel alone in their sin and will understand that all sin is forgivable, short of blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, and even that I still don't quite understand.

Ephesians 4:26 tells us not to sin in our anger. 

And James 1: 19-26 says, "19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless."

I have failed this charge at least twice in as many months.  You might say, that's not so bad but when we fail to recognize the sin in our lives we are doomed to repeat it. Which is what I did. And if truth be told, it probably has happened more than twice. I just haven't recognized it quite as clearly as the two I eluded to.  It's easy to justify our sins. Put the blame on the person that betrayed you or treated you with disrespect or lied to/about you. The list of 'reasons' could go on and on. The fact is, we have to take responsibility for our actions. We can't blame others for our sin.

I have a temper.  Those that know me best know this first hand.  I do have to say, however, that it's not as bad as it used to be.  I have the Lord to thank for that.  It used to be quick and explosive but the Lord has tempered it a bit over the years.  It's still quick which is why I failed at 'slow to speak and quick to listen'. 

When our hurt turns to anger, it's easy to spout off things that you know better than to say.  A part of you doesn't care because, after all, if they hadn't done what they did...

This is what I did.  Both times I reacted in anger instead of stopping to think about it and pray about it and ask for a solution to the problem.  Both times what I said got back to the person I was angry with. A part of me was glad because I wanted them to know how they'd hurt me. Then the Holy Spirit begins to convict me and leads me to the scripture I referenced above.  Be slow to speak and quick to listen. I've always had a problem with that. My family can attest to that. 

I've made my apology to one and have yet to apologize to the other, but I will.  Satan wants you to resist the Holy Spirit's convictions telling you that they deserved your wrath. He wants you to hold on to your hurt and anger. He wants you to be too embarrassed or ashamed to do the right thing. Just put it behind you and forget it. He wants you to lose the influence you may have with them for God. I refuse to let him win though. 

James 4:7-10 says, "7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Sin separates us from God. We should grieve this loss as much as losing someone we love.  But all is not lost for the Christian.  1 John 1:5-10 says, "5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If  we  confess  our  sins,  he  is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives."

He's not finished with me yet, He's still working on me.  Thank you, Lord!

~Sharon

His life for Mine

I was overwhelmed Sunday, while taking communion, by the renewed realization of what Christ did for me that day on the Cross. Such a mixture of emotions from sadness to thankfulness created the same result of tears. 


On the one hand, thankfulness for the fact that because of Him this world, this body, is not the only home I have to look forward to.  In fact, scripture tells me that, as a child of God, I am an alien in this world.  That this world is actually not my home but just a temporary place to stay until I catch my ride to my real home, Heaven.


1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.


Then there is the sadness due to the fact that I, someone that wasn't even born yet, was the reason He did this. He left Heaven, a place of peace, purity and perfection to come to this earth full of darkness, devastation and discontent to become the sacrifice that would turn this world upside down.  To offer us a new home that we would not otherwise have access to if not for Him. He endured things that we can't really imagine.  The physical pain He endured would have done me in after the first lash of the cat of nine tails tipped with shards of glass.  I would have called Heaven and all the angels to destroy those inflicting this pain on me as well as those who stood by and did nothing to stop them.  But most hurtful of all is the fact that because of the purity of God, unable to be in the presence of sin, turned away from His only Son, even if only for a short time.  How that must have not only hurt Jesus but God as well.   But the fact that Jesus was willing to endure all this and more brought me such guilt and pain that I did that to Him. Me, Sharon, a sinner. One that still struggles with sin and living in the desires of the flesh at times instead of living by the spirit.


Thank you, Jesus, for putting God's will before yours and thinking of me and not yourself.  Even that's hard to say.  Thank you.  It seems so selfish.  But what he did was necessary for my eternal life filled with the presence of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I can only imagine!!!


When did you come to the realization the He died for you?


View Video: Mercy Me "I Can Only Imagine"


~Sharon

Control Issues

I had a bit of an epiphany the other day.  One that made me grimace in embarrassment and yet I had to smile at myself for the shear contradiction of my thought process. Let me explain.


I've given you some insight already in my earlier post as to why Rick caught my eye as a teenager. He was fearless and that drew me to him like a magnet. He was what I wished I could be, but with that came a host of differences that when not dealt with became a wedge between us. The very thing that drew me to him was causing problems.  Was it his fault?  Not necessarily. By revealing that he was everything that I wasn't tells you that I was not fearless, in fact the exact opposite.  The cliche` "opposites attract" was true in our case. 


Back to my epiphany.  We were cruising along 84 East in Dothan with the speed limit at 55 and Rick was driving 40.  Come on! I'm thinking, don't say it Sharon, just be quiet.  But, I found myself saying it anyway. "Why are you driving so slow.  The speed limit is 55."  He says, "I know, I'm just taking it easy. I'm in no hurry."  I know, your thinking....so??  Well, let me tell you.  Driving under the speed limit is not Rick's forte. At lease, it wasn't in the past.  Which is why I started off this story or should I say confession the way I did.


There was a time that he and I would have a battle of words, to say the least, over his speeding.  I was so overly cautious in most cases that it bordered on neurosis.  How's that for self diagnosis. I had at some point in my life become afraid of things that I wasn't afraid of as a child. So, the dilemma he's faced with...danged if he does and danged if he doesn't. 


This whole scenario got me to thinking. I really have control issues!! I grew up being a dutiful child.  No, not a perfect child but I did try and do things the right way.  As much to please my mother as anything.  As an adult I began to transfer that need to be perfect to expecting those around me to be so as well, even though I wasn't and knew it was an unrealistic expectation of those around me. I hadn't yet figured out that it was also an unrealistic expectation of myself. 


My perfectionism, my need to be perfect, has only served to bring about these control issues, among others, like procrastination-a story within itself.  I don't pretend to be perfect but I do have a certain way of doing things and I get frustrated when others don't see it the way I do. If they'd just listen to me things would be so much better. That's a contradiction in itself.  I have a need to be perfect, therefore I'm not so why would the world be a better place if everyone did things my way?!  Just like Rick's driving under the speed limit. I don't want him to speed but on the other hand....you get my drift?  


A few of my pet peeves are:

• If I put time into a relationship with a friend I expect them to put the same amount of time into it also.  Can friendships be one-sided? 
• I have a certain way of cleaning my kitchen and expect anyone that cleans it to do it my way. 
• I follow the speed limit and expect Rick to do the same. ( I have to say he's much more mellow these days.  He's not the same old aggressive truck driver he used to be.)
• Thinking ahead while driving. I have a tendency to direct Rick while driving as if he's never driven before.  

Isn't there a phrase that describes this behavior?  Oh, yes.  CONTROL FREAK!


So now I'm thinking, "Who do you think you are, Sharon?"  You didn't speak the universe into existence.  You didn't form Adam from the earth or make Eve from one of his ribs. You didn't die on the cross a perfect sinless person.  Who died and made you God?  Get over yourself!!  (Of course, it just wouldn't do if someone other than God had talked to me that way.)


Whew!  Do you know how freeing that is?  To be relieved of being perfect?  And then I realize, I was never expected to be perfect in the first place. He only expects my best. I don't have all the answers but God does. I can now hand control over to the one that has perfect will and perfect timing. 


You know, I don't know why God doesn't just pick us up and shake the sin out of us. (I'm sure those that I expect too much of wish He would do just that to me.)  That's how I see my control issues, as sin.  It affects how people see me and the influence I have on those Christ puts in my path to bring to Him. 



Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV
 - Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
 - Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
 - Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

I'm a work in progress.  I don't have it down completely but He's not finished with me yet. 


What are your control issues?


~Sharon

Review:  

Kid's Guide to Bible Animals by Jane Landreth

PUBLISHER:  Barbour Publishing, Inc.

PUBLISHED: (September 1, 2010)

READING LEVEL:  Ages 8-12

ISBN:  9781602609518

PAPERBACK:  160 pages

Kid's Guide to Bible Animals by JANE LANDRETH

Here’s a Bible reference kids will actually want to read! Kids love animals, and the Kids’ Guide to Bible Animals will lead them on a journey of discovery. This fully-illustrated book for 8–12-year-olds details every animal, bird and insect in scripture, from antelopes to camels, donkeys to fleas, pigs to worms—100 in all. Descriptions of each creature are provided, along with details of their importance in Bible times. Intriguing “Did You Know?” sidebars highlight some of the weird and amazing aspects of the animal world. It’s all wrapped up in a bright, colorful package that kids will love.

MY REVIEW

This is a great book to get children interested and involved in reading the Bible as well as a very informative one. Mrs. Landreth explains the class of animals that each belong to, their specific characteristics, how they live, survive and communicate. She doesn't overlook animals we have no current evidence of but gives varying opinions of Bible experts regarding their existence. She gives facts that may not be commonly known as well as dispelling some information that we may have perceived as factual. The book includes Bible references for each animal and instances of their use in the Bible. I think this book is a great tool for children and would recommend it to anyone that is looking for something unique to pique their child's interest in the Bible.

~Sharon~

Heather Williams - Hallelujah - Lyrics

Forgiving Yourself

God placed the need for this blog on my heart some time ago. We all have stories to tell.  Stories that speak of pain as a result of heartache, our sins, our selfishness, betrayal, abandonment, spiritual bankruptcy, fear, guilt, and the list could go on and on.  The objective of this blog is to show how we have gone from that pain to healing by way of Christ and the help of our Christian family in order to help those who may be experiencing the same pain we have now overcome.

My name is Sharon and I want to start this blog with a story of my own, one of many to tell, as you may be able to relate. I will continue to share my stories as well as those of others.

I am a minister’s wife, of 22 years. I didn’t marry a minister; I married my high school sweetheart. I was infatuated with his looks, his personality and his fearless outlook on life. He was everything I wasn’t but wanted to be. I was 16 and the whirlwind romance came to a screeching halt 3 months later.  It changed to a dizzying realization that my life was about to change….forever. That’s when I found out I was pregnant. He had the option of turning his back on me but to his credit he insisted we marry.  

In 1973 Rick and I were married at the church I was raised in for most of my childhood. This was the beginning of a 13 year rebellion against God. I didn’t see it as rebellion, but it was. Within 6 years I had 3 children. Our life was a mess, to say the least. Not because of the children but because of our immaturity and selfishness. We put ourselves first. We were more interested in pleasing ourselves than being good parents. We partied and had fun instead of paying bills. We moved on a regular basis and always struggled. We fought, literally, on numerous occasions. Our children witnessed things that no child should ever see. I lost count of how many times we separated. This is just the tip of the scale on what they went through.

Our children deserved a better life than we gave them. I’m not talking about having all the material things a child wants. They deserved stability, security, and safety.

This is the pain that I have lived with for the 24 years I’ve walked with Christ. Rather 23 years of those 24. It wasn’t until last year when a friend and teacher and minister, Mike-that fills in when Rick is gone-presented a message using Hebrews 10:22,23, “let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. (Be sure to read the whole chapter.)

I had asked God’s forgiveness for those sins, I had asked forgiveness of my children, but I had not yet forgiven myself. I think I felt that if I forgave myself that it would negate what my children had gone through, as if it hadn’t happened and by doing so deprive my children yet again of something they deserved-recognition of their pain. Maybe I even thought God hadn’t forgiven me, after all I didn’t deserve it.  Who does that to their children and deserves forgiveness?  But scripture tells me that as a Christian I can be forgiven when I repent. So when I fully accepted that forgiveness and saw in scripture that God was faithful to His word and because of that I could be cleansed of a guilty conscience, I finally was able to forgive myself and not live in that guilt.

  

Our past plays a huge part in who we are today, no matter what age we are. We have a tendency to let our past dictate our present and future in a negative way-which is what I did for many years, until I really came to know the Lord. But, with the Lords help we can change that negative affect to a positive one.

2 Corinthians 1:4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

View video: Sanctus Real "Forgiven"


~Sharon