Paul and Silas - imovie format

This is our fantastic clay animation video made in our educational technology class!! It's probably the best rendition of Paul and Silas ever done! :)

The First Potluck

Bible Stories are a great reminder of who we live for!! Here's to Cassandra, Crystal, Liz, and Carly. :)

Actions Speak Louder

Actions speak louder than words. This phrase has integrated its way into numerous sermons and lessons over the years, and it has yet to be proven false. Body language falls under this same category. We use our hands to motion "come here," while we nod our heads to enforce what our hand and arm suggest. Our stance and expression combined can show power, confusion, and even humor.

However, Satan uses the power behind body language. For instance, you could get into line at the movies only to hear someone behind you whisper, "the nerve!..." You then realize you were so excited about your movie that you accidentally cut someone off. You confident stance tipped off the person behind you as being cocky. Body language says it all...even if "all" isn't what you meant to say.

As a woman, I understand the power behind a glance or a stance. All too often do my glances get mistaken for interest or invitation for someone else to be interested. In highschool this was a huge problem for me. I could never understand why a particular someone always thought I was interested in him. Looking back on it now, I see that I always smiled a welcoming smile, always said hello, and always genuinely asked how he was doing (all of which is okay) but added to this i tried to dress "in style", so much so that I ended up flaunting myself at him without meaning to. Today, watch the way you stand, the way you cross your arms, the clothes you wear, and the expressions you find yourself giving people. Although we often don't mean to give the wrong impression, that may be because we don't want to pay attention to it. I challenge you to control your body movements, expressions, and style in such a way that glorifies God.

Swallowing Pride

Swallowing pride is a rather humbling thing to have to do. Knowing you aren't always right just knocks you down a level sometimes. Letting others roll with the credit you should have received, and not saying anything about it....It all forces us to swallow our pride. Pride is an emotion that when let out, it will stop at nothing but your conscious. It is only when you allow yourself to accept your own pride as being sinful that it can be swallowed. However, should we get to that point? The point when we have to even deal with this topic? Probably not. It'll happen every now and then, but all in all we should be able to control our selfish nature when it comes to wanting the glory, the credit, or self satisfaction life brings our way. When Christ's Holy Spirit comes and dwells within us, we then have a new responsibility to keep our pride under check. The Holy Spirit will help us with that....He will remind us to pause when our heads are getting too big. And if our hearts and minds desire Christ, then the Holy Spirit will remind us of Christ's ways...and that His ways weren't prideful. With God's help, we can overcome anything....even pride. Glorify God today by your steady and constant breathing....let the words you breath, and the actions your breath allows you to do....let it all glorify God.

God as a Gentleman

I love the way God reveals Himself to us. It takes a lifetime to even begin to understand how we should live for Him, but I love that each stage of our lives require us to know God in a different way. Tonight I had the priviledge of discussing God with a good friend of mine. We sat down before parting so we could pray for each other, and my friend prayed with thanks for God being such a "gentleman." A gentleman, huh? I had never thought of God as a gentleman. Right now I have been seeking peace from God concerning being single for His glory. However I've been struggling with placing GOD as the groom of my life. However to understand God as a gentleman creates in my mind the most perfect man. One who opens up doors for me, provides for my needs, holds me close, respects me, wants the best for me, etc... Yet as a gentleman, God fills this role! He opens life doors for direction in my life, He provides for my every need, His Spirit draws near to me, He respects and loves me, and God definitely Has my best interest at heart. He is a true gentleman that I am madly in love with!! How great is our God that He would give Himself to each of us in order that we may fall in love with Him and give Him the glory He deserves!!! Take a step back to see how God is revealing Himself to you today. While this stage of my life needs a gentleman, God will reveal Himself to me in a totally different way when the next stage of my life comes. Glorify God by letting Him reveal Himself to you. Breathe in His ways, and thereby worship Him!

Praying for the Wounded

The most amazing thing happened tonight. It happened with my friend on our way to pick up my car. We were on country roads when we saw a dead fox in the middle of our lane. It was a smaller fox, probably just out on it's own. We slowed down, and actually we back up to see it again. Then we decided to help move our little buddy off the road. Yep, that's right. We decided to move the dead fox. As we opened our car doors he pulled his head up...you could almost see the pain in his eyes as he tried to lift himself to safety. However a car had hit his back legs, and they seemed broken. My friend grabbed a blanket from the trunk of her car, and she gently wrapped it around the fox, slowly lifting him up, and tenderly placing him in the grass beside the road. The next moment was greater than the previous as we stopped, laid hands on this fox, and prayed for him. It was the most amazing moment, b/c if you think about it -- that moment was once in a lifetime. To pray for the healing of a fox...of a wounded soul. However we DO have opportunities to pray over the wounded. The world surrounding us is filled with wounded souls. Their legs are broken, disabling them from walking the way they ought. They struggle to keep their heads afloat, and yet we rarely pull over to carry them to a safe place where we can pray for their healing. Next time you find yourself near a wounded soul, take the time to care for it. You will feel the exhiliration only the Spirit can give, and may you be reminded of God's healing power for all of His wounded children....even his small foxes. : ) As you breathe today, worship God and glorify Him with your actions toward the wounded.