Tonight’s post comes after a long…. week with my baby. He’s been trying to cut his first tooth for ages now it seems - being fussy, unable to sleep well day or night, just all around bothered and irritated.

How relieved he was yesterday when 2 brand new teeth broke through - his relief was evident. (That’s how I knew they’d come through - his smile yesterday was huge and happy!)

Then something my childhood pastor, Mr. Ronny, always said in his messages came back to me. As he would preach a message and come to the invitation/ altar call - he would often pray that those unsaved or unwilling to submit to the Lord would have “rocks in their beds”, that the Lord wouldn’t give them rest until they surrendered to Him.

Like the baby’s teeth, our sins or disobedience have effects. These effects don’t bring peace to our lives, but “rocks”. We’re uncomfortable, unable to be happy and joyful - just all around bothered and irritated - are we not?

We’re tough, like his gums, making it difficult for the Lord to break through. But once we surrender to him, and allow Him to “break” us - the peace, the relief, the joy is unmeasurable!

As you read, ask the Lord to burden your heart - to show you if there’s any areas that you’re being tough and stubborn about. If there are areas He’s trying to break you in, but you’re resisting.

If you’re a child of His, He IS going to break through - He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it! It’s just a matter of how long you’re dragging out the process.

Break free, surrender to Him, and know His peace and blessings!

Greetings again!

I’ve had a difficult time with this posting. I have struggled with knowing I haven’t posted in awhile and not having any direction as far as what to write.

As I “made” myself go ahead this morning and write something, the Lord just didn’t allow anything to make sense or me to complete it. So, I just left it in His hands until He showed me what He’d have me write.

All afternoon, the song “It Is Well” has been running over and over in my head. I sing this song often, but haven’t had anything jumping out at me today from it. This leaves me to believe that the Lord has a special message for one of you. I pray He’ll give whoever is meant to read this an extra measure of blessing!

It Is Well (click here for link to music)

When peace like a river attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll.

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,

It is well, it is well with my soul.

What blessings are you experiencing today? What trials? What happiness? What sorrow?

What a blessing to know that the Lord God Almighty is in control of EVERY aspect of our lives! When we place our complete trust in Him, it CAN be well with our soul!

Trust him with your marriage, trust Him with your children, trust Him with your financial needs, trust Him with your physical needs, trust Him with your life and eternal destination.

Christ has taken all of YOUR sin and being nailed to the cross, carried your sin to Calvary for you to bear NO MORE! And one day soon He’s coming back in the clouds to take you with Him to Heaven - it is WELL!!

Have you trusted Christ as your personal Saviour? Have you confessed your sin and asked His forgiveness, asking Him to cleanse you by His blood shed on Calvary? Have you asked Him to save your soul and cleanse you and create in you a clean heart? If so - It is well with your soul!

If not, now is the time. Bow down humbly on your knees before the Holy God Almighty. Confess to Him that you are a sinner, unworthy of His glory and love.

Ask forgiveness for the sins you’ve committed against Him, and others. Ask Him to wash you in the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, that He shed on Calvary’s cross - and to save your soul from the eternal destination you deserve, hell.

Thank Him, believing He’s saved you! For assurance, read I John 5:9-15.

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved - Acts 16:31.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. - Romans 10:9-10.

Is it well with your soul?

Just to keep everyone posted on the website, I went tonight before the local zoning board for their approval on the “business” side of Heaven In Our Homes. I received 100% approval, and now only have to buy my license!

I’m so excited about all the Lord is bringing about through Heaven In Our Homes. I’ve been so blessed by your support and positive feedback, and blessed by stopping and reading myself all the Lord has been showing me.

I’m excited about the new “columnists” which are working on putting together financial and health related issues. I’m very excited about the new recipe section, where I’d love to have all of you get over this SHYNESS =) and send in your favorite recipes!!

In case you get discouraged in checking in and see the postings being several days apart, PLEASE don’t lose heart! I’m trying to devote time to building the website as well (keep checking in there often to see new additions). I’m having to tell myself what I share with you, being there for our families comes before anyone/ anything else - except the Lord of course.

This past week has been a difficult week for me, still thinking about the Burgess family. For those of you not local to Alabama, Rick Burgess of the Rick and Bubba Show (a radio program known across most the eastern US), lost his 2 year old son due to a drowning accident.

I’d like to share the website with you - www.rickandbubba.com - where you will find a link to view Rick speaking at his son’s memorial. It’s very powerful - this man loves his wife, his children, but most importantly - his God!

He shares from his heart what the Lord means to Him, what God has shown him through this tragedy, and what he and his wife challenge his children to live for. It was a blessing for me to listen, and although I don’t listen to the show or personally agree with parts of it, I believe the Lord is using Rick Burgess in a very mighty way at this time. I have no hesitations in sharing this with you.

Today’s post is based on a tragic event. One of our local celebrity radio talk show hosts lost his youngest son in a drowning accident yesterday. Having had listened to this show years ago, and having friends that are friends with his family - I feel like I know him a little.

Hearing this saddened me as a mother, to know the loss another mother is feeling right now. And then I flip the situation around - what if it was me? What if I lost my child?

We are all given a set amount of time here on this earth, from our first breath to our last - our life is in God’s Hand. This was comforting for me in a time of grief, to know that accidents don’t happen with God - only His plan and His purpose - even though it’s hard for us to deal with.

I’ve touched on living our lives for God here on the blog and how we live our own personal lives, but now I’d like to look at it from a mother’s perspective.

What if we knew that our child only had a day, a week, a month to live? What lessons would we teach and share with them, what activities would we do with them, how would we talk to and treat them?

Would we be “too busy” to do anything with them, or stop and spend meaningful time with them - doing things they enjoy?

Would we snap at every little thing they do wrong - intentional or accidental, or would we lovingly correct and discipline them?

Would we talk to them about God and teach them His ways and of His love, or would we stick them in front of the television to be filled with what the world might teach them?

Would we send them off for 8 hours a day to have them taught a generic curriculum, or be their own personal guide teaching them life lessons - building a knowledge/ wisdom on the True foundation?

Would personal freedom - whether by friends, jobs, activities - still come first, or would we cherish every moment would could spend with them?

I can’t imagine the loss of a child you’ve had a chance to know and love (this child was 2). I have lost a baby in the first trimester, and it was devastating. Here was a baby I’d never have to hold and love, to love me back. I’d never get a chance to know.

As hard as that was, I also see that I am blessed with 3 children. Children I DO have a chance to know and love! How do I respond to that….

At times, I do cherish each moment and really make an extra effort to be 110% the mom that God has called me to be.

I’ll admit there are other days that seem they will never end - that I’d love to get away from for just a little while. (Like the past two months when one of us has been sick constantly except for maybe a week or two - it’s tiring!)

Then something tragic like this happens, and the Lord uses it to open my eyes to see how I’m living in relation to my children - how I’m raising them, how and what I’m teaching them, how I’m loving them, how I spend time with them.

We’re not promised tomorrow. We’re not promised to see our children grown and have families of their own. We just expect that’s what will happen.

We only have one shot at life, one shot at our marriage, one shot at raising our children in the Lord. How are we doing? If it ended today, would you be blessed knowing you’ve had a precious time with your children - or would you look back in regret over what you could’ve/ would’ve done differently?

Live by faith, live with God’s love, live by God’s Word - all with love in your heart - and have no regrets! A wife’s and mother’s calling is a difficult one, but one filled with extra love/ blessings/ and rewards. Be encouraged to hold each moment dear and near to your heart.

Good evening ladies!

I’m steering away from the usual post tonight asking you for input on what you’d like to see on the website.

I’m sure most of you have been keeping up since the beginning and realize I have 3 small children keeping me very busy! That alone gives me limited time to devote to the blog and website - without the fact we’ve been sick the past two weeks, and for a month just before that.

Since this is a place to share and encourage one another - let me know what you’d like to see, please!!!!

I’ll give you an idea of what’s in the works now -

The Scriptures page on the site will have links back to this blog categorized by topics and verses.

The Dear Daughters page where I’d love input from ladies over 50’s to share with young moms, and ladies maybe in their 30’s to share with our daughters. I know of several Christian women I’d love to have share with us - please let me know what topics/ questions you’d like to see here.

The Children’s Corner page is where I’d like to have a curriculum that I’ve used with my children. They’ve loved it and learned too! Also, I’ll share learning links I’ve found, and would love to hear about “school” sites you use and recommend.

The Products page is slow go, sorry….. It takes a while to load images, descriptions, etc… and that’s where I’m limited at the moment. Several ladies have products - photographic post cards, Scripture prints, lotions, soaps, cards, monogrammed items.

The Heavenly Homes page shares a prayer guide, encouragement for moms, and links to two new additions - Money Matters and Around the House.

Money Matters will be designed to share practical money tips, as well as host a financial column which will address savings, investments, retirement information.

Around the House will share information for keeping our homes clean, in order - organizational tips. Also, I’ll be including a recipe section here. I’d like to start by asking you to email in your favorite chicken recipes to share. The tried and true ones are the best! Let me know if you’d like your name attached, or just your first name and city and/or state. Please jump in here - I need YOUR help!

I think this covers all of them? It’s late and has been a long day. Please forgive me for the casual post, and could you say a prayer for my oldest son - he’s pretty sick and after days of medicine seems to be getting only worse. Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you!

And FYI, I’m set to go before the zoning board on the 24th to be approved to sell on the website, then will only have to be approved for a business license.

Just click the comments link below the post to share. Don’t be shy! =)
Blessings!

Greetings sisters in the Lord!

Don’t you just love the simple ways the Lord speaks to our hearts sometimes! As my husband was reading a Bible story to our children tonight before bed, His quiet, gentle voice was speaking to me.

The story tonight was about Abraham and how God told him to sacrifice Issac on the altar. Can you imagine being Abraham? “What God, you want me to do what?? My son? But I love him so much, he’s the promised child you gave me. I have to kill him??”

What was Abraham’s response? He obeyed!! I wonder if his heart was sinking every step he took closer to the altar, questioning if he should obey. I wonder if he doubted God, or even His existence (as many do today).

We don’t know any of that, but we do know that he listened to God’s leading and obeyed 100%. God blessed that - and when He saw that Abraham trusted Him and regardless of his loss obeyed, God THEN provided Him with another sacrifice - another provision, another way to “meet the need”.

How do we respond to God’s leading in our lives? Do we pass it off, saying “God wouldn’t ever ask me to do THAT” or “that’s just of the devil” or even better - “God gives us freewill to make our own decisions“.

In response to those statements - maybe God is asking you to do THAT, and - if after prayer and confirmation in Scripture you can’t prove otherwise - it is from God. The devil wouldn’t lead 100% in accordance with Scripture and by prayer and supplication.

And last, yes, God does give us freewill. We can make our own decisions, but look at Scripture. What happened when people made their own decisions and didn’t follow the Lord? Samson, David, Adam and Eve, Cain, Aaron, and the list goes on.

Each of these were led away by their lustful, sinful flesh - desiring something other than what God’s design and commands were.

Notice that God didn’t provide a ram until AFTER Abraham had raised the knife over Issac. He knew then that Abraham trusted completely, his heart was 100% faithful to Him. What a blessing that God intervened! He provided a perfect sacrifice!

There were certain requirements from God for a sacrifice - perfect and spotless. Any other way than God said wouldn’t satisfy Him. (Remember, Cain offered a sacrifice he thought was acceptable - though it wasn’t what God asked. God didn’t bless that offering, though it was offered to Him, it wasn’t what He said.)

The ram was hung by his horns, nothing on his body was harmed. This was exactly the way God designed it. There is another relationship to the horns, but I’m sorry to say I can’t remember at this time what that was…

I believe I learned this in a Beth Moore Bible Study about the tabernacle years ago. If any of you have this, could you please share? I believe it was that there were horns on the altar at the tabernacle that held the sacrifice in place…. just as the ram was held in place in the bushes by his horns.

What has God been speaking to your heart about lately? What response have you had - yes Lord!, or questions and denial? Have you offered something of yourself to God, but it’s still not 100% what He’s asked of you? To obey in 99% of things still isn’t obedience, and God wants us 100% faithful to Him.

I’m not writing with a proud heart here, I’m guilty of doubting and lack of faith sometimes. I KNOW God knows this though, and at times I’ve had to pray to ask Him to help my unbelief.

Walking with God isn’t easy, we’re human and have a sinful nature. When I look at the Scriptures though I know He’s faithful - I have to continually trust that He won’t (#1) give me something that’s not in His will , (#2) give me more than I can handle, and (#3) won’t allow or ask something of me without providing a way!

Remember the verse - you reap what you sow? If you never put forth any effort in your Christian life, you’ll never reap results - blessings and growth. Sure you can live without taking any steps (risks), but you’ll never grow in a deeper relationship with Him. He can’t prove Himself in your life if you never trust Him and give Him the opportunity.

Issac was Abraham’s promise - and as a parent feel safe to say that he was his life to some extent. He “laid his life” on the altar for God.

What is your “life”, what things are important to you? Are you ready and willing to do the same - to lay these down before God 100% with what He asks?

Blessings

The other night, we had a water main break near our house, and for the first hour afterwards had low water pressure. After that, our water was completely off for maybe 7 or 8 hours.

Of course, we hadn’t expected this. Thankfully, the Lord allowed me to have dinner in the oven and the raw chicken washed off and cleaned up! But still - we weren’t prepared. Our water pitcher was low, and we just had a few bottles of water in our “emergency” stash.

You don’t realize how thirsty you can get until there’s nothing to drink! Or how dirty your hands can get without being able to wash them!

The Lord allows uses situations to reveal His truths and lessons if we pay attention. What did I learn from this?

Jesus is the well that never runs dry! He’s the Living Water that truly and completely satisfies our thirst! When we’re dirty, He washes us clean.

How does He fill and cleanse us? Through His Word! But we have to come to Him wanting to be filled. We can’t just pass by the Bible or church and “ZAP”- He fills us. NO, just as you can’t walk by a well and the water jump up into your mouth.

But what about times of drought? Well, in a physical sense - water won’t last, it dries up. For any of you living in the Southeast part of the US, you know exactly what I’m talking about here with our severe drought this summer. When water levels got low, we were put on very tight water restrictions. Only a little bit for true needs.

Spiritually, if we aren’t coming to the Well to draw our water, we’ll dry up. Earthly things will satisfy temporarily, but are they really assisting?

As our bodies need water to rehydrate, they only get more dehydrated if we drink “lusts” so to speak. Yes, Dr. Pepper tastes MUCH better than water, and the fizz is great - it satisfies for a short time. But in reality, it makes us thirstier and fills us with toxins - which requires MORE water to cleanse.

In our lives, TV, friends, money, jobs, homes, etc… satisfy us short term. But the end result is simply “distracting” us from our true need - the Lord! We end up needing Him more than ever as our lives become filled with more and more “toxins”.

We’re blessed to have the freedom to read His Word, attend church, pray to Him to fill this need, quench our thirst. Do we “store up” and prepare for emergency, or do we tap into our supplies without restocking - thinking we’ll never really “need” it?

Christians haven’t always been so blessed to have God’s Word or pray, and we may face a time again very soon where this freedom will be taken away.

How can we prepare and be ready in case of emergency? We can “store” God’s Word in our hearts through memorization and mediation. The Lord always brings to mind verses in His Word in times of need - but we have to “hide His Word in our hearts” first!

I can’t imagine it being illegal to read the Bible, but it is in places in our world. The adversary knows how powerful God’s Word is and is cleverly and deceitfully working to remove it from every aspect of our lives. He’s already removed it from our schools and is making his way through our government offices now. Step by step, he’s blinded us to what he’s doing. How scary that he might take it away completely from us, and then it’ll be too late if we’re not ready!

Like us the other night, we weren’t prepared and only had a small amount of water stored up. We had plenty once upon a time, but since we never really needed it, we would dip into our supply here and there - but never restocked.

If we aren’t prepared spiritually when we face trials and temptations, if our well is dry - we’ll feel the effects strong and hard. We’ll see how quickly our supplies diminish and how much we REALLY do need to have the Lord ALL the time. Do you ever notice when your “spiritual pressure” is low?

With our bodies, once you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. You have to constantly fill up to avoid this. With our lives, we must stay in the Word constantly, drawing from His well. It’s too late if temptation comes and we’re not filled with what really matters.

Another fact you might not know about water. When the ground is hard and dry, what kind of water saturates the best? It’s not a huge downpour and softens the soil the best - but a slow, steady rain.

Church once or twice a week, or revival twice a year isn’t going to do much - it’s too much too fast to really saturate your heart. The Lord can use it, but what does the best for you is a slow, steady, CONSTANT stream of the Water in your life - a daily walk with Him.

Are you dry? Come to the Water, drink and be satisfied! Blessings!

Greetings! Back to our verses based on Made in God’s Image, Eyes. (Did you know there were so many verses relating to eyes in the Scriptures - God is very thorough telling us how to use them!)

God tells us how to use our eyes, or how not.

Hebrews 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail* of the grace* of God; lest any root* of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.

Fail - this refers to Hebrews 4:1 - “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.”

Grace - this refers to James 4:6 - “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he waith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

Root - this refers to Deuteronomy 29:18 - “Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the Lord our God…”

I love this passage of Scripture - Hebrews 12:3-15. I encourage you to read this yourself, really soaking in the Father’s love for us.

I laugh as I remember hearing vs. 6 as I was receiving “scourgings” as a child, thinking it sure didn’t seem like love to me. But now that I’m a parent, I see God’s truth and wisdom.

I want to teach my children to obey and follow truth - because I love them so much and don’t want to see them fall and get hurt. It’s not love, but disregard if I allowed them to do as they pleased with no correction when they were wrong.

Do you not want to see your children grow spiritually, walk in God’s ways? Yes! Well, at times the sin nature has to be stopped and chastened - and this is something that must be done in order to get back on the correct path, and something that must be done in love.

Okay, our verse today is verse 15. We must be diligent “looking” to be sure we’re making straight paths in our lives - our homes, to follow peace and holiness with all men. We can’t just walk through life without paying attention to the road signs. (That’s what men do - ha! - never wanting to look at the map or ask for directions!)

We must diligently pull out our map - the Bible, and ask for directions from the Lord, fellow sisters in Christ, our pastors. If we just keep going without these, we’ll slowly but surely get off track and soon be in the middle of nowhere.

The straight and narrow path is the way of the Lord - looking straight you see Him and your focus in on Him alone. The world is wide and broad, the way “but everyone else is doing it” is - the easy way if you will, with plenty of detours and distractions.

We must look to make sure we are having relationships with those around us which are peaceful, that show God’s holiness through us. “Lest any root of bitterness that springs us trouble and defile us”.

Wow - I’ll tell you, this has been a lesson God has been teaching me the past 5 years. One that He allowed me to finally surrender to Him on year and a half ago.

There will always be people God brings into our lives to teach us things in our own. In my own life, I had a difficult time living out verses 14 and 15 with my new in-laws.

Of course, marriage in itself is a huge adjustment. In my situation, there were MANY other circumstances (to clarify - not people) that made it an even harder time for me. Add on top of that merging into a new family.

Well, this girl was a home body that wasn’t comfortable being other places, or being around a lot of people. You can imagine this was hard for my husbands family to understand, him being the oldest - the only boy - who went home once a month or so.

I didn’t live peacefully by any means. Any little thing that ever came up had me on fire, and it’s safe to say I was quite bitter very quickly. My heart was turned away from following the Lord, and even my husband as I struggled with all the new pressures our marriage brought.

Roots of bitterness were springing up on all sides, that we were all troubled by, and many were defiled in our hearts (our hearts weren’t pure towards one another, and thus towards the Lord either). And there I was pouring fuel on the fire, with no peace and NO holiness showing through in my life.

The Lord used many people to guide us through this time. Men showing my husband how to love me through this time and support me. And also showing me where I needed to surrender to the Lord, and allow Him to change my heart.

“What?!, Change MY heart?!”, I thought. “If HE would only change and do what he needs to do first, then things will be fine and I’ll be good”. Be honest, do we not all think this way sometimes?

Well, the Lord did give him an incredible amount of love and support for me - enough to allow the Lord to soften my heart towards Him and him.

Then came the hard part, humbling myself before God, my husband, and his family - admitting where I had been wrong in so many things over the years. But God gave me “Grace” (go back up to see the sidenote verse). He resisted me when my heart was full of pride, but when my heart was humbled - WOW!!!! God has given me such peace in my heart towards my in-laws now.

Vs. 14 - peace and holiness, without which NO man shall see the Lord! We can’t “see” the Lord when our heart is full of pride, full of ourselves.

Today, look at your own life. Which relationships immediately bring a proud spirit, or bitter spirit in your life?

Allow God’s Word in this passage to speak to your heart. Is it easy - NO!!!! I still struggle with pride and my flesh at times. But God can and will help you! Ask Him to give you peace from Him, through the Word, AND someone who can be with you, helping you follow Him through this “fire” in your life.

God uses the fire to burn away that which means nothing, to refine, to cleanse and make purer. It hurts, I won’t lie about it, but once you’re out it’s wonderful!

You will still have to be diligent to walk with the Lord, that’s not a one time thing. When situations or people trouble you, stop! Could it be the Lord is chastening you? I know it’s “grievous”. (vs. 11). But He loves you, and the “peaceable fruit of righteousness” will be given you.

He might even have you praying for others! Once your heart is clean in His eyes - once you’ve removed your “mote” - He’ll allow you to see where others are weak. This gives you the opportunity to pray for them, and give them the grace God gave you.

Remember, our life is but a vapor! Don’t let little things rob you of the time God gives us here on earth. Look at your life from one perspective - standing before God’s Throne of Judgement. What will really matter, someone wronging you, or the way you handled the situation (peacefully or with bitterness)?

“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” (Heb. 12:6)

He LOVES you - remember that when He “pokes” at your heart or “steps on your toes” - He LOVES you!!

It’s when life is all well and good that I start to panic. At least when things are tough I know that He’s loving me, and I know He hasn’t given up on me!

Love him back through your heart and actions. Blessings!

Happy New Year sisters!

If you’ve visited the site since my Dec. 30th posting - you’ll see that my response to that posting disappeared! No, you’re not crazy! In keeping this a site for encouragement, I felt my response would be best posted in a link. This would leave it open for those of you who would like to read it, and not force my beliefs on those of you which would rather not.

I mixed up my days when I said when the link would be ready, the New Year holiday messed me up. As I’m reviewing what I wrote, I’m adding in Scripture references as well - which is taking longer than I thought, but gives you the assurance that I’m speaking from God’s Word, not my own.

My intentions are to have this ready, proofed, and peace given from the Lord in order to post late Thursday evening. Thank you for your patience, as we only want the Lord’s guidance on this.

Below is the beginning of the post:

I’d like to start tonight’s posting by thanking a dear friend and sister in Christ for writing me sharing her heart about the blog/ website. She had great respect for our friendship in writing me for which I’m grateful. There are differences in our beliefs, and it’s a blessing to know we can still “be sisters in the Lord”.

As I’ve said before, I welcome any comments on what is shared. This keeps my heart in line with the Lord, making me stop and evaluate if I’m humanly speaking or sharing from Him.

I offended a sister in my Dec. 30th posting, and I would like to ask forgiveness for sounding judgmental of working women . I apologize all of you now for any judgement that you might have felt as well in my last posting regarding this. It was not my intent to sound judgmental. I was simply sharing a truth, and sometimes the truth hurts.

If I may share the comment on my last posting - “regarding their ” big job titles and paychecks sparkling before their eyes”. I personally believe that women can and do serve God faithfully in many capacities.”

**Click here for the remainder of the posting**. Be prepared, I’ve gone through many Scriptures - it’s a very long, detailed summary of God’s plan for mothers - working vs. staying home.

Note: I’m having difficulties tonight with my site building program, please let me know at Candace@heaveninourhomes.com if this link doesn’t work.