Praise God from whom all blessings flow

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye Heavenly Host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

We have been studying Worship at church. Last Sunday, one of the girls at the MOM house, signed to the song, Alabaster Box. It was her testimony. It was my testimony. The church body erupted in praise before the song was even over. Our church family is sweet. Perhaps they all are, but I'm telling you they are sweet and no, it is not a usual event to 'erupt' in praise, but we did. We couldn't help ourselves and didn't seem to want to. It was an awesome, unedited, unplanned and spiritual expression of our love for God and what He has done for us.

Now, we are studying expectation. I can't wait, for I'm am indeed expecting God to come and dwell in the praises of His people.
Yesterday, I was blessed to go to our evangelism conference and hear Robert Smith, who teaches preaching at Beeson Divinity School. He can preach and my husband, pastor and one of the MOM residents could hardly contain ourselves. Again, I left expecting God to move, to speak, to come to our aid. He did.

Our biggest need (other than land) was a van. We always have to take two vehicles to church and last Sunday we had to have our daughter come get some of us. This morning, I received a call from a friend saying a couple, soon to retire, want to give their van to a non-profit. We will soon be receiving a van from God, from whom all blessings flow.

Magnify the Lord with me!

Michael Faulkner, off to the mission field

Below are pictures of our baby boy, Michael. He will be leaving in February for the YWAM training camp in Peru.
Michael is 29 and it took a while for him to get here, even though I knew before he was born, this was where he would be and yes, I told him. It did take a little faith believing I had indeed heard from God about Michael. You see, he burned down the field when he was around 7, a baseball field where my other son was playing in the state championship. When I saw the flames, I knew Michael was involved. He also got kicked out of the neighborhood pool almost every day. As a baby, he had such a deep voice, I would be pushing him in his stroller and he would say "mamma" at which the local store clerks turned around and said, "Did that baby say that?" He nearly choked on candy, coming home from a trip, stuck a spoon in his eye, jumping off furniture ( I was chasing him) and most of the time, we wondered, how will we get to this day? God, did you really say?
Well, the day has come. God takes snotty little boys and grows them up. Michael loves kids. On his trip to Romania, they followed along side the bus when they were leaving. He cried. In Ecuador, there are few pictures that don't show Michael holding a child, with a big grin on his face.
I had several days of depression raising this child. His picture is in the dictionary under "strong-willed"
We have loved him (and laughed at him) his whole live.
His name means, 'who is like God'
And who is? There is none like God. And I thank Him so, for setting His love on my youngest child.
How very blessed we are.

Take a few minutes and look at these pictures of my beautiful, sweet, loving son-the missionary.

Flannel PJ's and a good life

Tonight it turned a little cooler and I quickly searched for my pink flannel P.J.'s and fluffy pink socks. I smile every time I put them on. I think about how good my life is and how very thankful to God that I can be thankful, satisfied and content with my pink P.J.s. It hasn't always been so, but God has labored with me.
I bought all the girls in the house flannel PJ's. Jacqueline's are bright neon green. Victoria's are black and white and Donna, who will be here this week are blue and white, she even has a button that lights up.
I've never been homeless, never had to do without.
I did spend much too much time looking for contentment in ways the enemy would lay out before me.
Some may think my contentment is finally here because I'm 60, but not so. I'm content because I know God and because He knows me. I know my purpose. I live in it everyday and some time I have the unique joy to live it in pink flannel PJ's.
How blessed I am.

Regeneration v. The Idolatry of Decisional "Evangelism" Paul Washer

“The kings heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” Proverbs 21:1 (KJV)

Perhaps you think I’m am referring to the results of the election yesterday. While this scripture is a wonderful reminder that God is indeed sovereign in all things, this scripture today is much more personal to me.

Yesterday, I received a call from a parole officer of one of the two girls who had been referred to us by the chaplain of a local women's prison. After a few questions, he actually approved her to parole out to us in December when she gets out. About an hour later, another parole officer called with the same questions. He also was ready to approve us until I told him about the earlier call for another parolee. At that point, he completely shut down and said, absolutely not. Two felons on parole cannot live in the same quarters unless you are a licensed half-way house. I told him no, this was our private residence but did tell him that this is the work we have been doing for sometime. Again, he said no-with no lack of certainty about the situation. I ask if he would talk to the other officer that and called me and I didn’t want to be the person who decided which woman would come and which wouldn’t. After looking the officer up in the computer, he ask me to hold for a few minutes. About five minutes later he said he had talked to both his supervisor and the other parole officer and they agreed to allow us to have both girls parole to Miracles of Mercy.

Everything we sing about God is true. He is indeed awesome, highly exalted and we are favored by Him. Our very steps are ordered by the Lord.
I know that today, we want to thank Him for all things. So, celebrate the LORD with me and magnify His name.

Psalm 138:2 “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth; for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.”

Here we go again, defining 'Biblical Womanhood"

Well, here we go again. The fall issue of Southwestern News is a focus on "Biblical Womanhood."
Generational women with children on the cover, advertising for Seminary Wives program, along with a quote from a female college student saying..."Although I believe being a homemaker is fulfilling God's created purpose for my life, it doesn't mean I have a comprehensive, innate knowledge of has to do it best. I still need to learn what my responsibilities include, to practice achieving them well and to get used to using the necessary tools?" I suppose this was a plug for the homemaking school.

I am not taking issue with this woman's perspective at all, in fact I agree whatever purpose one has in their life, one must train scripturally, yield themselves completely to God's will, totally, and continually define how and in what way's God desires us to work and walk out out that purpose in everyday life. It's not easy, especially in these days where everyone has an answer for you. The problem is, these answers are often diametrically opposed and the opposition comes from the same place-the very body of Christ.

The last few evenings at our Church on Wednesday night, our pastor taught on Genesis, the creation account. While I missed Genesis 2, (not on purpose, really) I assume he agrees with Dr. Dorothy Patterson concerning the creation order. She contends this text is "packed with theological meaning" and one must leave this text with the same conclusion she has, in fact adhering to a fundamental view of creation order. The problem is-I don't, and from what I hear, many don't. What I've been told by many, is because I don't see in this text, what others see, I am therefore designated as "liberal" at worst, or naive and unskilled in scripture at best. I admit I am not seminary trained, I also admit I am not liberal. I believe the Word of God.

I believe the same Holy Spirit, that moved on, inspired the writers of the scripture, move on me as I read the scripture. Yes, I believe the Holy Spirit illuminates the text to me, so I have no need of any one to teach me. (1 John 2:27) I believe anything less has a tendency to turn the scriptures into a text book and pastors, teachers and seminary professors into transcribers or interpreters for the Holy Spirit.

I am not a feminist, nor do I ascribe to a view of patriarchal leadership in the church. I ascribe to the view that God is head of all. He is sovereign in all things and of all peoples. I ascribe to the view that in the Spirit there is no Jew or Greek, no Male or Female... For my fundamental friends, I'm not a preacher, I actually have a ministry and calling to single women with children. Never have I longed for a door to be opened to me, that God has not opened. I feel no need to shove doors open or control or manipulate others into believing exactly as I do. Here is what I'm asking of you...

Let me read The Shack without calling me a heretic. Allow me to read the scriptures and allow God to speak to me. Stop calling me a feminist simply because I don't agree that the creation order confirms or designates order or authority in the church. I'm a 61-year-old wife of 40 years (and by the way, my husband isn't scared of me, or my ideas,) I'm mother to 4 children, stayed home until they were in school, taught them to read, PTA mom and I've never burned a bra in my life, they are entirely too expensive.

THE CALL, praying for a pure and undefiled religion

Every state has a list of hundreds of children waiting to be adopted. Many have been in foster care for most, if not all of their lives. As I was searching our states list, I came across this profile of a young girl, 12 years old. She says;

"Meet _______ . ________ is a sweet young lady with pretty brown eyes. She is a loving and artistic. ________ is good with schedules and likes to follow a routine. ___________ enjoys going to school and does well in her classes. Her favorite class is art. _________ loves to run track and has competed in the Special Olympics where she was awarded a medal. Her favorite food is any kind of seafood, especially shrimp. _________ favorite color is blue! __________ says her favorite vacation was when she went to Florida because she loves the beach. ____________says she hopes that when she is adopted that she can have a pet of her own. __________ needs parents that can provide a loving and stable environment. ____________ has a strong desire to be adopted and hopes that she can be adopted by a Christian couple.


Amazing, isn't it that this 12 year old girl, knows what God knows, Orphans are to be cared for by the church.
Many children need homes. In Arkansas, you can apply withThe Calland get a fast track to being certified as foster care parents and be on track for adoption also. I urge you to check your own state and get involved in what God had commanded us to do-care for the fatherless.