The Rev. Billy Graham passed away this week...I believe it was Wednesday. He was 99. I have to admit, it made me emotional. He was such a FAITHFUL man. Faithful to his God and God’s message. He made no apologies for the message he shared. It was God’s message. Well done, Dr. Graham. My mom shared the news with me, and shared her own Billy Graham story. I don’t have a Billy Graham story, but I’d kinda like to be as faithful as him. These are the things that matter in the end.
Interview with KLG regarding Billy Graham’s passing.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Friday, February 23, 2018
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
Whispers
G: Mom, you make all my days fun. You make all my days perfect.
(Repeats himself a few times and it's broken up as he searches for just the right words to say what he wants to say. He is tired at 8:15pm, and he's had a couple crying spells tonight. It's a rare tender and quiet moment with Griff. I almost get ready to ask him to repeat himself as I lean in closer trying to hear his whispers and decipher the broken sentences.)
Me: Aw, buddy, thank you. You make all my days fun and perfect too. Because I love you so much.
*Hugs*
G: I love you so much too.
*Cuddles and hugs*
Summer 2017
(Repeats himself a few times and it's broken up as he searches for just the right words to say what he wants to say. He is tired at 8:15pm, and he's had a couple crying spells tonight. It's a rare tender and quiet moment with Griff. I almost get ready to ask him to repeat himself as I lean in closer trying to hear his whispers and decipher the broken sentences.)
Me: Aw, buddy, thank you. You make all my days fun and perfect too. Because I love you so much.
*Hugs*
G: I love you so much too.
*Cuddles and hugs*
Summer 2017
Monday, July 17, 2017
He Calls Me Friend
Praise God for calling G to be a member of His family this afternoon! We sat down to read a book before rest time: My ABC of God Loves Me. I'm not sure where we even got this book...probably was given to one of the kids by a Demarest family member for a birthday. I'm thankful we picked it up, and that it provided the opportunity for us to discuss being a part of God's family. We got to H: "God the Holy Spirit can stay forever in your heart. You only have to ask Him and you'll never be apart." H started to really question these words saying they didn't make sense. I started to do some explaining, and it felt almost like she was ready to argue about it. I'm trying to be patient because I know she's heard these things before. Griffin and Olivia get involved in the conversation. O tells Griffin that if you don't ask Jesus into your heart, you will be with Satan forever, not God. H and O know that G has not made this decision yet. The conversation happened easily and relatively quickly. I believe G has a lot of front knowledge on this subject, so it was easy for him to believe. He said, "So what do I need to do to be in Heaven?" We discussed the death of Christ, the family of God, the punishment for sin, and the gift of salvation. He was ready to pray quickly, so he started and with a few helps, he asked God to "forgive my bad things and take them out of my head
, and please let the Holy Spirit live in me to help me do the right things, and thank you that I will be in Heaven with You someday." The three of us girls celebrated. I know the girls felt some relief that G had finally made that decision. :) We texted family members to share the joy, and let Daddy know too. G was excited to learn that he would be with all of us in Heaven someday, even Gracie. We gave him hugs and kisses, and again we see that G has a really good life: he's adored and loved by his sisters and parents and extended family. Now G can be assured of the Lord's love for him too. Father, thank you for your most awesome free gift of salvation to me and now my whole family.
Thursday, June 09, 2016
Broke my heart
Tonight in tears Hope told me she doesn't like her face. This broke my heart. I asked her what she meant. She said when I look in the mirror I don't like what I see. My face. It's too much like an oval.
I realized I don't know how to help her feel better. I've thought these things too--not that my face is too oval, but a thousand other things. The thought ran through my mind: oh no, what have I said to be an example of this kind of attitude? I did not seem crazy to me that she might have heard me say something similar, and now she's starting to look for things she doesn't like about herself. Oh Lord, I feel terrible if I've caused her to ever think that she has reason to dislike her body.
My heart broke because I see no wrong thing when I look at Hope. I think she is gorgeous! But I didn't want to say you're beautiful! You're gorgeous! You're prettier than any other little girl! She needs to value herself, she needs to see her worth, she needs to see her own beauty on the inside and then hopefully she'll see what I see on the outside too.
I had her look at my face. She smiled and giggled a little and stopped crying. I asked if my face is oval. She said yes. I asked if she likes my face. She said yes. I told her she is just right and so beautiful in God's eyes and mine.
We got interrupted at that minute, and I'm not sure if she felt any better. I guess at this time I'm thankful she felt safe enough to tell me how she feels. I'm also encouraged to be careful about what I say about myself. I'm also encouraged to help her understand how God feels about her and help her find her beauty and worth and talent and value.
She's so beautiful! It is so sad to me that she dislikes what she sees in the mirror. I can find no ugly thing!
Is this how God feels about me?
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Wednesday, April 13, 2016
The Angels are Rejoicing!
Sweet Olivia asked Jesus into her heart tonight. It might be the sweetest thing I've ever experienced in my entire life. I told her the angels are rejoicing and we will be together forever! That makes her happy. Praise God!
"Mom, do you know when you'll go to heaven?"
"No, I don't. Nobody does. It happens when we die, or when Jesus comes back."
Astonished, "Jesus is coming back to Earth?"
"Yes, He will! Do you know that? He died on the cross, rose again, then he went up to Heaven." All these things she was familiar with. "And when he went up to heaven, he said live for me until I come back for you."
"What will happen when he comes back?"
"He will take everyone up to heaven with him."
We were talking in nearly whispers as her sister lay above us occasionally wondering what I was still doing talking to Olivia even after good-nights at 9:30 on a Wednesday night after AWANA.
"Will he take everyone in the whole world up to heaven with him?"
"No, he will only take the people who believe in him, and who have asked them to be their savior. When we ask Jesus to be our savior we get to go to heaven with him. Do you know what happens when you don't do that?"
"No."
"If you don't ask Jesus to be your savior, you go to a place called hell. Have you heard that word before?"
"No."
"It is a very bad place, and it's where the Devil is."
"How do you ask Jesus to be in your heart?"
"That's a really good question, Olivia. Some people pray a prayer and say thank you Jesus for dying for my sins. Please forgive my sins and come into my heart, and help me live my life for you. And whenever you're ready, Olivia, you can pray that prayer if you want Jesus to be in your heart."
"Can I do it right now?"
"Yes, you can, Olivia."
"You do it."
"I think it's something that you need to do."
"Me?"
"Yes, because Mommy already said that prayer."
"You did?"
"Yes. And Daddy did too, and Hope."
"And Griffin?"
"Not yet, but we will pray that he will someday."
I gave her some ideas of things she could say to Jesus in her prayer. And she began with no fear, very assured that this is what she wanted to do, and this is what she believed. This was her conviction.
"Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for my sin. And thank you for forgiving my sin. And thank you for loving me. Amen."
The angels are rejoicing!
"Do you want to also say something like please come into my heart, be my savior, thank you?"
"Yes"
So she did. She sweetly, quietly asked for a few helps. What a sweet soul she is. Praise God!
We spoke about how the angels are rejoicing because of her decision, and how the Holy Spirit is living inside of her right now. I had to explain what the Holy Spirit is, and what is does for people who believe in Jesus.
"I have the Holy Spirit living in me, and it helps me make good decisions. It helps me be a better mom. It helps me understand things about God. And now He is living in your heart to help you."
She was happy. She gave me big hugs, and we talked about who we would see in heaven.
As she drifts off to sleep tonight I know the Lord is rejoicing over her sensitive heart. He is loving her better than I am right now. I like to think of him seeing the things she'll do in her life to serve him, and seeing the heart to hearts they'll have. Lord, as she drifts off to sleep, I recognize that she is yours. Thank you ever so much for the privilege of being her Momma. I have received an incredible gift.
I checked on Hope and she wondered why we had taken so long. Our whispers...
"Olivia and I were talking about Jesus, and she just asked Jesus into her heart."
Realizing the weight of those words, "She did?"
"Yes, isn't that wonderful?"
"mm-hmm. I already did that."
"Yes, you did, and now we will be in heaven together forever."
We again talked about how we all will, but Griffin has not made that decision yet.
So, we pray. Lord, we ask with hopeful hearts and dependent hearts that you would bring Griffin to yourself. And we praise you with adoring hearts that you have given Daddy, Mommy, Hope and Olivia the gift of salvation.
The Lord be praised.
"Mom, do you know when you'll go to heaven?"
"No, I don't. Nobody does. It happens when we die, or when Jesus comes back."
Astonished, "Jesus is coming back to Earth?"
"Yes, He will! Do you know that? He died on the cross, rose again, then he went up to Heaven." All these things she was familiar with. "And when he went up to heaven, he said live for me until I come back for you."
"What will happen when he comes back?"
"He will take everyone up to heaven with him."
We were talking in nearly whispers as her sister lay above us occasionally wondering what I was still doing talking to Olivia even after good-nights at 9:30 on a Wednesday night after AWANA.
"Will he take everyone in the whole world up to heaven with him?"
"No, he will only take the people who believe in him, and who have asked them to be their savior. When we ask Jesus to be our savior we get to go to heaven with him. Do you know what happens when you don't do that?"
"No."
"If you don't ask Jesus to be your savior, you go to a place called hell. Have you heard that word before?"
"No."
"It is a very bad place, and it's where the Devil is."
"How do you ask Jesus to be in your heart?"
"That's a really good question, Olivia. Some people pray a prayer and say thank you Jesus for dying for my sins. Please forgive my sins and come into my heart, and help me live my life for you. And whenever you're ready, Olivia, you can pray that prayer if you want Jesus to be in your heart."
"Can I do it right now?"
"Yes, you can, Olivia."
"You do it."
"I think it's something that you need to do."
"Me?"
"Yes, because Mommy already said that prayer."
"You did?"
"Yes. And Daddy did too, and Hope."
"And Griffin?"
"Not yet, but we will pray that he will someday."
I gave her some ideas of things she could say to Jesus in her prayer. And she began with no fear, very assured that this is what she wanted to do, and this is what she believed. This was her conviction.
"Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for my sin. And thank you for forgiving my sin. And thank you for loving me. Amen."
The angels are rejoicing!
"Do you want to also say something like please come into my heart, be my savior, thank you?"
"Yes"
So she did. She sweetly, quietly asked for a few helps. What a sweet soul she is. Praise God!
We spoke about how the angels are rejoicing because of her decision, and how the Holy Spirit is living inside of her right now. I had to explain what the Holy Spirit is, and what is does for people who believe in Jesus.
"I have the Holy Spirit living in me, and it helps me make good decisions. It helps me be a better mom. It helps me understand things about God. And now He is living in your heart to help you."
She was happy. She gave me big hugs, and we talked about who we would see in heaven.
As she drifts off to sleep tonight I know the Lord is rejoicing over her sensitive heart. He is loving her better than I am right now. I like to think of him seeing the things she'll do in her life to serve him, and seeing the heart to hearts they'll have. Lord, as she drifts off to sleep, I recognize that she is yours. Thank you ever so much for the privilege of being her Momma. I have received an incredible gift.
I checked on Hope and she wondered why we had taken so long. Our whispers...
"Olivia and I were talking about Jesus, and she just asked Jesus into her heart."
Realizing the weight of those words, "She did?"
"Yes, isn't that wonderful?"
"mm-hmm. I already did that."
"Yes, you did, and now we will be in heaven together forever."
We again talked about how we all will, but Griffin has not made that decision yet.
So, we pray. Lord, we ask with hopeful hearts and dependent hearts that you would bring Griffin to yourself. And we praise you with adoring hearts that you have given Daddy, Mommy, Hope and Olivia the gift of salvation.
The Lord be praised.
Thursday, January 29, 2015
More Than Chocolate
Hope told me recently she loves me more than chocolate. It was a thoughtful, tender exchange.
It was really sweet.
Sometimes a person just needs to write this stuff down.
It was really sweet.
Sometimes a person just needs to write this stuff down.
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Glorious Unfolding
This song recently made me breathe a deep sigh of relief and cry tears and tears.
When I had two doctors in 10 days tell me they think I have Fibro I took it pretty hard. It felt a little like a death sentence. It felt a little like the life that lay before me was grim and hard, a percentage of the life I imagined/wanted. I felt like there was a battle going on for my thoughts and mind and attitude. A battle between good and evil, joy and depression, God and Satan. I feel deep within me that I need to saturate my mind with the Lord and his truth, his goodness, his righteous way. Memorize scripture, read the word, listen to good music. There is a battle for my mind. The war is on.
One morning I'm getting ready for Bible study and I remember a song a friend shared with me when I cried to her fresh off of my "diagnosis". (That is if Fibro is indeed my diagnosis.) She must have sensed how I felt so broken and bleak. She shared with me "Glorious Unfolding" by Steven Curtis Chapman. I was telling her it felt like the end. She said, or it's just the beginning. I didn't really get it...
I grabbed my phone and played it for the first time and listened to every word. Within the first 11 words I was crying off the eye makeup I had just applied. It was useless to continue to apply, I just needed to take a break and listen. Let the music speak and minister. The song has become my anthem. My story is so far from over. I'm ever so thankful for this song because it is really helping me.
"The Glorious Unfolding"
Praise God! Thank you Jesus for this message that is helping me so much.
When I had two doctors in 10 days tell me they think I have Fibro I took it pretty hard. It felt a little like a death sentence. It felt a little like the life that lay before me was grim and hard, a percentage of the life I imagined/wanted. I felt like there was a battle going on for my thoughts and mind and attitude. A battle between good and evil, joy and depression, God and Satan. I feel deep within me that I need to saturate my mind with the Lord and his truth, his goodness, his righteous way. Memorize scripture, read the word, listen to good music. There is a battle for my mind. The war is on.
One morning I'm getting ready for Bible study and I remember a song a friend shared with me when I cried to her fresh off of my "diagnosis". (That is if Fibro is indeed my diagnosis.) She must have sensed how I felt so broken and bleak. She shared with me "Glorious Unfolding" by Steven Curtis Chapman. I was telling her it felt like the end. She said, or it's just the beginning. I didn't really get it...
I grabbed my phone and played it for the first time and listened to every word. Within the first 11 words I was crying off the eye makeup I had just applied. It was useless to continue to apply, I just needed to take a break and listen. Let the music speak and minister. The song has become my anthem. My story is so far from over. I'm ever so thankful for this song because it is really helping me.
"The Glorious Unfolding"
Lay your head down tonight
Take a rest from the fight
Don’t try to figure it out
Just listen to what I’m whispering to your heart
‘Cause I know this is not
Anything like you thought
The story of your life was gonna be
And it feels like the end has started closing in on you
But it’s just not true
There’s so much of the story that’s still yet to unfold
And this is going to be a glorious unfolding
Just you wait and see and you will be amazed
You’ve just got to believe the story is so far from over
So hold on to every promise God has made to us
And watch this glorious unfolding
God’s plan from the start
For this world and your heart
Has been to show His glory and His grace
Forever revealing the depth and the beauty of
His unfailing Love
And the story has only begun
And this is going to be a glorious unfolding
Just you wait and see and you will be amazed
We’ve just got to believe the story is so far from over
So hold on to every promise God has made to us
And watch this glorious unfolding
We were made to run through fields of forever
Singing songs to our Savior and King
So let us remember this life we’re living
Is just the beginning of the beginning
Of this glorious unfolding
We will watch and see and we will be amazed
If we just keep on believing the story is so far from over
And hold on to every promise God has made to us
We’ll see the glorious unfolding
Just watch and see (unfolding)
This is just the beginning of the beginning (unfolding)
Take a rest from the fight
Don’t try to figure it out
Just listen to what I’m whispering to your heart
‘Cause I know this is not
Anything like you thought
The story of your life was gonna be
And it feels like the end has started closing in on you
But it’s just not true
There’s so much of the story that’s still yet to unfold
And this is going to be a glorious unfolding
Just you wait and see and you will be amazed
You’ve just got to believe the story is so far from over
So hold on to every promise God has made to us
And watch this glorious unfolding
God’s plan from the start
For this world and your heart
Has been to show His glory and His grace
Forever revealing the depth and the beauty of
His unfailing Love
And the story has only begun
And this is going to be a glorious unfolding
Just you wait and see and you will be amazed
We’ve just got to believe the story is so far from over
So hold on to every promise God has made to us
And watch this glorious unfolding
We were made to run through fields of forever
Singing songs to our Savior and King
So let us remember this life we’re living
Is just the beginning of the beginning
Of this glorious unfolding
We will watch and see and we will be amazed
If we just keep on believing the story is so far from over
And hold on to every promise God has made to us
We’ll see the glorious unfolding
Just watch and see (unfolding)
This is just the beginning of the beginning (unfolding)
Praise God! Thank you Jesus for this message that is helping me so much.