So, I was feeling all “crafty.”
I took plain wooden letters and smeared a touch of Vaseline on the edges (recommended by one of my crafty daughters). Then I spray-painted the letters, let them dry, and wiped off the Vaseline.
Voila! Almost-instant “distressing.” Then I brushed antiquing paint over the top—all to disguise the fact that I bought the letters at Hobby Lobby a few hours before. Continue reading
Ruth Caye Jones, pastor’s wife and mother of five, was burdened by the chaos in her world. One day she was reading in the book of 2 Timothy and came upon these words in chapter 3: This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
Moved by the Holy Spirit, Ruth took paper and pencil from her apron pocket and wrote these words: Continue reading
My country tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died!
Land of the Pilgrim’s pride!
From every mountain side,
Let freedom ring!
My native country, thee,
Land of the noble free,
Thy name I love.
I love thy rocks and rills,
Thy woods and templed hills;
My heart with rapture fills
Like that above.
Let music swell the breeze,
And ring from all the trees
Sweet freedom’s song.
Let mortal tongues awake;
Let all that breathe partake;
Let rocks their silence break,
The sound prolong.
Our father’s God to, Thee,
Author of liberty,
To Thee we sing.
Long may our land be bright
With freedom’s holy light;
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God, our King!
by Samuel Francis Smith
Father God, thank you for the amazing gift of freedom. Thank you for those who have served, sacrificed, and died that we may have life. And Father, we praise You for the gift of Your Son, who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the ultimate gift—freedom from a life without You. Thank you, Jesus. We love and praise You.
“If you’re looking to fall in love with God 
and His Word and see it make a difference in your life, you’re in the perfect place. That’s my goal, too. Let’s do it together.” —Jean Wilund
Jean is also a fellow football fan 🙂 (Although I’m a tad concerned about the NC State VS. Clemson game coming up…yes, she’s a Tiger’s fan)
So, when you get a chance, hop on over to Join the Journey! Check out Football, Fireworks, and a Big Green Piano, then hang around with Jean and soak up come GREAT Bible teaching.
Have a blessed day and GO PANTHERS! (and WOLFPACK!)
Ah, autumn in the South. Is there anything more wonderful?
Cool mornings, warm afternoons.
Cotton fields.
Bright yellow mums.
Pumpkins.
Sugar maples and red maples displaying their glory.
Football (Oops, sorry. Don’t know how that slipped into the list…).
I am loving these beautiful days. But in the midst of this autumn-joy, there is a sense of heaviness. This old world is just not quite…right.
Do you feel it?
Is the surrounding beauty diminished because of worry, anxiety, or hardship?
May I share the verses that comfort me when stress threatens to steal my joy?
Thank you, Father, for the beauty of Your creation. Thank you for drawing us into worship—not of what You have made—but of You. You are beautiful, glorious, and almighty. We praise Your Holy Name!
I am thankful to be a part of a church family who is serious about the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20. Over the coming weeks we have teams serving in New York, Baltimore, Senegal, and Guatemala. Still others will serve our local community through ministry in nursing homes and homeless shelters. Many will be involved in prayer-walking and in leading block parties.
Whatever gifts and abilities a person has—there is a unique place to plug in and be a part of reaching the nations with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Some, however, still doubt they have anything to offer. They feel intimidated about signing on the dotted line and committing to serve. I can’t speak or preach or travel 2000 miles…
So…just for fun, I’d like to share a simple poem that outlines important qualifications required for involvement in ministry.
As long as someone can check at least one thing on this list, they are good to go…
So, here’s the thing—I like football. I mean, I really like it. College, pro, whatever.
(I’m partial to the Carolina Panthers and the New Orleans Saints.)
I’m pretty sure it goes back to my childhood when my family lived in Luling, Louisiana, a small town just outside of New Orleans. My dad would manage to get tickets to see the Saints play at Tulane Stadium on a Sunday afternoon (yes, we would slip out of church services a few minutes early) and he would take my sister and me with him, giving my mom a much-needed break.
There, in the upper section, Dad would cheer/moan/groan as Archie Manning did his best to carry his teammates to victory (um…didn’t usually happen). And it was there that a ten-year-old girl fell in love with the game.
Hi, Sweetheart. Mom here.
It’s that time of year and I’m feeling it—that uncomfortable heart-squeeze from the effort of letting you go. Again.
You would think it gets easier, but um…it doesn’t. So with that in mind, there are a few things I would like to say. None of this is new to you—but humor me. Sometimes a mom needs to “put it all out there.” (We tend to worry about gaps in your life-education.)
So, here goes…
Leigh Ann Thomas 