I just want to give praise where praise is due! God is blessing and providing beyond my wildest dreams on the Prayer Walk for Our Schools! All Douglas county schools now have leaders and walkers and most of the Cobb county schools that needed leaders and walkers now have them. Paulding county is still a little behind but I've had a few more filled up!
So, warriors, keep praying that God will continue to provide and that all the schools located within the West Metro Baptist Association will have leaders and/or walkers on their appointed dates!
Love to all in Christ,
Stephanie
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
School Prayer Walk Update & Request
Hello God-fans!
I just wanted to pop in and do a quick update on the WMBA 11th Annual Prayer Walk for our Schools. As the new prayer coordinator, I am in charge of organizing this event this year but, I have to tell you, that I've done very little and God has done a WHOLE LOT! Most of the schools (we have a total of 85 that fall within our association in a tri-county area!) were gobbled up at the planning meeting back on July 12! Praise God, praise God, praise God!!! And the ones that were not gobbled up then are being quickly gobbled up now and its looking like every school will have at least one person bathing it in prayer on the appointed day! God is sooooooo good!
Here is a list of the schools that are left to walk:
Douglas County:
Annette Winn Elementary
Lithia Springs Elementary
Lithia Springs High
Sweetwater Elementary
Turner Middle
Cobb County:
Austell Intermediate
Austell Primary
Compton Elementary
McEachern High
Powder Springs Elementary
Riverside Intermediate
Riverside Primary
Tapp Middle
Varner Elementary
Paulding County:
Abney Elementary
Burnt Hickory Elementary
Dallas Elementary
Hiram Elementary
McGarity Elementary
Nebo Elementary
New Georgia Elementary
Northside Elementary
Panter Elementary
P.B. rich Elementary
Poole Elementary
Roberts Elementary
Russom Elementary
Shelton Elementary
East Paulding Middle
McClure Middle
Moses Middle
South Paulding Middle
East Paulding High
North Paulding High
As you can see, Paulding County has the greatest number of schools that still need walkers! Please help me get the word out!
Love in Christ to you all!
Stephanie
I just wanted to pop in and do a quick update on the WMBA 11th Annual Prayer Walk for our Schools. As the new prayer coordinator, I am in charge of organizing this event this year but, I have to tell you, that I've done very little and God has done a WHOLE LOT! Most of the schools (we have a total of 85 that fall within our association in a tri-county area!) were gobbled up at the planning meeting back on July 12! Praise God, praise God, praise God!!! And the ones that were not gobbled up then are being quickly gobbled up now and its looking like every school will have at least one person bathing it in prayer on the appointed day! God is sooooooo good!
Here is a list of the schools that are left to walk:
Douglas County:
Annette Winn Elementary
Lithia Springs Elementary
Lithia Springs High
Sweetwater Elementary
Turner Middle
Cobb County:
Austell Intermediate
Austell Primary
Compton Elementary
McEachern High
Powder Springs Elementary
Riverside Intermediate
Riverside Primary
Tapp Middle
Varner Elementary
Paulding County:
Abney Elementary
Burnt Hickory Elementary
Dallas Elementary
Hiram Elementary
McGarity Elementary
Nebo Elementary
New Georgia Elementary
Northside Elementary
Panter Elementary
P.B. rich Elementary
Poole Elementary
Roberts Elementary
Russom Elementary
Shelton Elementary
East Paulding Middle
McClure Middle
Moses Middle
South Paulding Middle
East Paulding High
North Paulding High
As you can see, Paulding County has the greatest number of schools that still need walkers! Please help me get the word out!
Love in Christ to you all!
Stephanie
Friday, July 17, 2009
Even in the valley....
"Even in the valley, God is good; even in the valley, He is faithful and true; He carries His children through like He said He would; even in the valley, God is good."
I'm in the valley today but truer words have never been penned. God is so good! Even when we walk through the "valley of the shadow" we need to remember that in order for there to be shadows there MUST be light and God is that light. This thought has been the one thing that has gotten me through today.
On a slightly lighter note (b/c who wants to hear about me being depressed, right?!) I got my application to Gwinnett Hall Baptist College completed today. I have to slap a picture on it when I get home and send it and the $40 application fee off tomorrow and then wait and see what happens. If I get accepted, I'll start classes on August 31 at their Powder Springs campus. I'm very excited but scared at the same time at the thought of undertaking a college degree and THEN life on the mission field at the age of 32 but its what God has told me to do so there's nothing else I can do except obey. Its a little daunting, though, to think about my age when I get done with school and am able to apply to a mission board but, if I start thinking about it too much I get really nervous so I'm just trusting God to work it out since He's been very clear on the course He has set for my life and the school He wants me to go to.
I pray that all of you have a great weekend. I'm going to get in some crafting with my Mother this weekend and make some homemade salsa because my tomatoes and jalapeno peppers are coming in like crazy and I've got to do something with them.
Love to all of you in Christ,
Stephanie
I'm in the valley today but truer words have never been penned. God is so good! Even when we walk through the "valley of the shadow" we need to remember that in order for there to be shadows there MUST be light and God is that light. This thought has been the one thing that has gotten me through today.
On a slightly lighter note (b/c who wants to hear about me being depressed, right?!) I got my application to Gwinnett Hall Baptist College completed today. I have to slap a picture on it when I get home and send it and the $40 application fee off tomorrow and then wait and see what happens. If I get accepted, I'll start classes on August 31 at their Powder Springs campus. I'm very excited but scared at the same time at the thought of undertaking a college degree and THEN life on the mission field at the age of 32 but its what God has told me to do so there's nothing else I can do except obey. Its a little daunting, though, to think about my age when I get done with school and am able to apply to a mission board but, if I start thinking about it too much I get really nervous so I'm just trusting God to work it out since He's been very clear on the course He has set for my life and the school He wants me to go to.
I pray that all of you have a great weekend. I'm going to get in some crafting with my Mother this weekend and make some homemade salsa because my tomatoes and jalapeno peppers are coming in like crazy and I've got to do something with them.
Love to all of you in Christ,
Stephanie
Thursday, July 16, 2009
"Be still and know that I am God."
First let me say taht I'm so, so, so thankful that He looks at me through the blood of Christ. Without that blood I would be on a dark, scary road to hell but, praise His Name, I am not!
My friends and I are singing in church Sunday morning and I'm sitting here listenting to "our song". We have so many songs but this one is "You Raise Me Up". As I listen, I'm reminded of a comment made by a Bible teacher while I was studying the book of Daniel. The comment was that when adversity comes, our God will either deliver us from the fire, through the fire or by the fire straight into His arms. Even if, in a time of adversity, God decides to call us home just think of how "raised up" we would be then. It pretty much sounds like that we're winners any way you slice the cake, which is just one more reason (of the trillion or so I can think of!) to be thankful for my salvation.
I think that this song is ministering to me because, on a personal note, I have a family member that is going through an extremely tough time. The tough time they are going through is making things difficult for several others in the family, myself included. I pray for them on a daily basis and find myself getting frustrated over their attitude and actions. I just really wish that they could grasp the concept in Isa. 40:31. Waiting on the Lord and doing things in His time is the only way to go. I know thats a hard thing for all of us to grasp but I've experienced it and it is a wondeful feeling and places you in a wonderful place. However, my family memeber doesn't pray things through that often. It just breaks my heart because they were raised in a Christian environment and have made a profession of faith but are living in the world and of the world.
I said all of that to say this: my heart is burdened and I'm trying my hardest to put into practice "waiting on the Lord." I really want to just smack my family memeber and do a little yelling at them and ask them just what in the heck is wrong with them but I know that would be completely counter productive and have the opposite effect that I would wish it to have. So, I'm just going to do like the first verse of "You Raise Me Up" says: "when I am down and oh my soul so weary; when troubles come and my heart burdened be; then I am still and wait here in the silence until you come and sit awhile with me." I know that He will come and He will give me clear direction in this situation, just pray that I don't loose my patience!
On a much brighter note, we have a special group of folks coming to our church for 3 weeks in August/September. Pastor Vladimir, his wife Virginia, son Tony and 2 wonderful young ladies, Kate & Valentina, will be here from a sister church in Moldova. We have a team that has been making mission trips to Pastor Vladimir's church for the last 6 years and God has worked it out so they will be to come here and worship & fellowship with us for 3 weeks and then head back to Moldova at the same time our team heads there this year. Can I just say that God is good?!!! I haven't ever been fortunate enough to go over on a trip but I will get that opportunity next year, Lord willing. I will, however, have the chance to work with them and help them out while they are here so I'm really looking forward to it.
Well, I guess I better get some work done! I'm thankful every day for this job and the folks I get to work with. This job and these people were truly an answer to prayer. God was exceptionally good to me when I was out of a job and has been more gracious to me than I ever deserve by allowing me to have this job so I guess I better get to it!
Love to you all!
Stephanie
My friends and I are singing in church Sunday morning and I'm sitting here listenting to "our song". We have so many songs but this one is "You Raise Me Up". As I listen, I'm reminded of a comment made by a Bible teacher while I was studying the book of Daniel. The comment was that when adversity comes, our God will either deliver us from the fire, through the fire or by the fire straight into His arms. Even if, in a time of adversity, God decides to call us home just think of how "raised up" we would be then. It pretty much sounds like that we're winners any way you slice the cake, which is just one more reason (of the trillion or so I can think of!) to be thankful for my salvation.
I think that this song is ministering to me because, on a personal note, I have a family member that is going through an extremely tough time. The tough time they are going through is making things difficult for several others in the family, myself included. I pray for them on a daily basis and find myself getting frustrated over their attitude and actions. I just really wish that they could grasp the concept in Isa. 40:31. Waiting on the Lord and doing things in His time is the only way to go. I know thats a hard thing for all of us to grasp but I've experienced it and it is a wondeful feeling and places you in a wonderful place. However, my family memeber doesn't pray things through that often. It just breaks my heart because they were raised in a Christian environment and have made a profession of faith but are living in the world and of the world.
I said all of that to say this: my heart is burdened and I'm trying my hardest to put into practice "waiting on the Lord." I really want to just smack my family memeber and do a little yelling at them and ask them just what in the heck is wrong with them but I know that would be completely counter productive and have the opposite effect that I would wish it to have. So, I'm just going to do like the first verse of "You Raise Me Up" says: "when I am down and oh my soul so weary; when troubles come and my heart burdened be; then I am still and wait here in the silence until you come and sit awhile with me." I know that He will come and He will give me clear direction in this situation, just pray that I don't loose my patience!
On a much brighter note, we have a special group of folks coming to our church for 3 weeks in August/September. Pastor Vladimir, his wife Virginia, son Tony and 2 wonderful young ladies, Kate & Valentina, will be here from a sister church in Moldova. We have a team that has been making mission trips to Pastor Vladimir's church for the last 6 years and God has worked it out so they will be to come here and worship & fellowship with us for 3 weeks and then head back to Moldova at the same time our team heads there this year. Can I just say that God is good?!!! I haven't ever been fortunate enough to go over on a trip but I will get that opportunity next year, Lord willing. I will, however, have the chance to work with them and help them out while they are here so I'm really looking forward to it.
Well, I guess I better get some work done! I'm thankful every day for this job and the folks I get to work with. This job and these people were truly an answer to prayer. God was exceptionally good to me when I was out of a job and has been more gracious to me than I ever deserve by allowing me to have this job so I guess I better get to it!
Love to you all!
Stephanie
Monday, July 13, 2009
"Be strong and of a good courage. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."
What encouraging words! The sermons at church yesterday were centered around Joshua chapters 1 & 2 and how to live without fear and how to have a transformed life.
I have always loved the book of Joshua simply from the vantage point that its a great story. But I'm finding that, as an adult, it has a much more special meaning to me. It speaks volumes to me through the lives of Joshua and Rahab and others noted in the book. It lets me know that God can use anyone for any purposes. I mean, who would have thought that God could use a harlot (a.k.a. a prostitute!) in the direct lineage of Christ?!!! If He can use Rahab, surely he can use me! If He can use Joshua, who really wasn't anyone special, to step into the place of Moses when he passed off the scene then surely He can use me!!!
The lesson for me, and for all of us, is to TRUST IN HIM! Do we (including myself here) really believe that God is who He says He is and can do what He says He can do? I have often said to folks that the same God that made a dry path through the Red Sea for the children of Israel is teh same God that we serve today and He can do the same things for us; He is simply waiting on obedience, faith and trust from us. After I get done delving into Acts, I'm moving on to Joshua!
God-fans, lets endeavor to treat God like we believe He is who He says He is and that He can do what He says He can do! Its tough but we can do it through Him!
Love in Christ,
Stephanie
I have always loved the book of Joshua simply from the vantage point that its a great story. But I'm finding that, as an adult, it has a much more special meaning to me. It speaks volumes to me through the lives of Joshua and Rahab and others noted in the book. It lets me know that God can use anyone for any purposes. I mean, who would have thought that God could use a harlot (a.k.a. a prostitute!) in the direct lineage of Christ?!!! If He can use Rahab, surely he can use me! If He can use Joshua, who really wasn't anyone special, to step into the place of Moses when he passed off the scene then surely He can use me!!!
The lesson for me, and for all of us, is to TRUST IN HIM! Do we (including myself here) really believe that God is who He says He is and can do what He says He can do? I have often said to folks that the same God that made a dry path through the Red Sea for the children of Israel is teh same God that we serve today and He can do the same things for us; He is simply waiting on obedience, faith and trust from us. After I get done delving into Acts, I'm moving on to Joshua!
God-fans, lets endeavor to treat God like we believe He is who He says He is and that He can do what He says He can do! Its tough but we can do it through Him!
Love in Christ,
Stephanie
Friday, July 10, 2009
The Lord is on His Throne
Good morning God-fans!
God is still on His throne and still in control of this vast universe and in control of my life! What an awesome, comforthing thought. I'm so glad that I don't have to worry about being "in control." God is SO much more able to take care of me than I am able to take care of myself. There are times when I forget this fundamental truth and try and handle things myself but, after falling flat on my backside (or face!), I quickly remember why its so much easier and so much less painful to let God do His thing and just be obedient.
That's my 2 cents for right now! I've got to get back to work now. Talk to all of you soon!
Love in Christ,
Stephanie
God is still on His throne and still in control of this vast universe and in control of my life! What an awesome, comforthing thought. I'm so glad that I don't have to worry about being "in control." God is SO much more able to take care of me than I am able to take care of myself. There are times when I forget this fundamental truth and try and handle things myself but, after falling flat on my backside (or face!), I quickly remember why its so much easier and so much less painful to let God do His thing and just be obedient.
That's my 2 cents for right now! I've got to get back to work now. Talk to all of you soon!
Love in Christ,
Stephanie
Thursday, July 9, 2009
First post!!!! WooHoo!!!!
Well, this is officially my first post on this site! I love blogging and used to do it through MySpace but I ditched them so had to find a new outlet. I have decided that this blog is going to be an avenue for me to "live out loud" for Christ. We were challenged a few weeks ago in a sermon at church to not hold our peace so this is me not holding my peace!
God is here and is moving! I witnessed that last night at church in the lives of some very dear friends of mine that are on a mission team headed to Moldova in September. Airfare was a huge concern for them because its $2,000.00 just for the round trip airfare, not including all the other costs involved with such a trip. My dear friend Shay was very worried about how she was going to be able to go but trusting God to make a way and, boy howdy, did He ever make a way. Our church had conference last night and they voted "Yes" on a motion to pay the airfare for the team! How about that God-fans?!!!!! Is He awesome or what?!!!! It was very encouraging to me to see God move in such a huge way.
I've also seen God moving in my life in the last week. I'm the prayer coordinator for the association that our church belongs to and have been working on getting prayer walks coordinated for the tri-county area located in our association. In one of the counties, we only cover a portion of the schools (about 1/4) located in that county. I had a principal call me from one of the schools we don't cover and specifically ask if we would come and walk his school! I, of course, said YES and immediately felt God's overwhelming presence. This also opened up an opportunity for me to get a neighboring association involved in the prayer walks so I got a "2 for!"
I do have one thing that is weighing on my mind. I know, beyond a shadow of doubt, that God has called me into missions. Part of that is getting the proper education. I have found a school that I can afford but it always seems that the money to pay the tuition goes somewhere else before it can be sent there. Please pray that God will leave the door open and the money issues will work themselves out before September.
Thats all for now, God-fans! I love you all! May the Lord bless you and may His coutenance shine upon you!
Love in Christ,
Stephanie
God is here and is moving! I witnessed that last night at church in the lives of some very dear friends of mine that are on a mission team headed to Moldova in September. Airfare was a huge concern for them because its $2,000.00 just for the round trip airfare, not including all the other costs involved with such a trip. My dear friend Shay was very worried about how she was going to be able to go but trusting God to make a way and, boy howdy, did He ever make a way. Our church had conference last night and they voted "Yes" on a motion to pay the airfare for the team! How about that God-fans?!!!!! Is He awesome or what?!!!! It was very encouraging to me to see God move in such a huge way.
I've also seen God moving in my life in the last week. I'm the prayer coordinator for the association that our church belongs to and have been working on getting prayer walks coordinated for the tri-county area located in our association. In one of the counties, we only cover a portion of the schools (about 1/4) located in that county. I had a principal call me from one of the schools we don't cover and specifically ask if we would come and walk his school! I, of course, said YES and immediately felt God's overwhelming presence. This also opened up an opportunity for me to get a neighboring association involved in the prayer walks so I got a "2 for!"
I do have one thing that is weighing on my mind. I know, beyond a shadow of doubt, that God has called me into missions. Part of that is getting the proper education. I have found a school that I can afford but it always seems that the money to pay the tuition goes somewhere else before it can be sent there. Please pray that God will leave the door open and the money issues will work themselves out before September.
Thats all for now, God-fans! I love you all! May the Lord bless you and may His coutenance shine upon you!
Love in Christ,
Stephanie
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