When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers,
they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be
burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.
~ Isaiah 43:2 ~

The other morning during my quiet time I found myself watching for my coffee-drinking daughter to appear so we could exchange greetings and smiles.

I hadn’t realized how much I look forward to that first glimpse of her each morning.

From there my thoughts moved to reminiscing about where my children find me each morning.

I’ve always had a place where I have my daily quiet time with the Lord. We just moved here 5 years ago after being in our former home for 14 years. At our previous home my “spot” was in the living room, right near the bottom of the stairs to the bedrooms. Since I usually got up earlier than our children, when they came down they would usually find me in my quiet time spot, and would sit in the chair beside me to snuggle until they were fully awake.

When we moved my chair didn’t change, but my spot did. Now I’m at the top of the stairs with a view of the entry and stairs going to our children’s bedrooms, so I am still where I’m one of the first things they see each morning.

I didn’t do this purposefully, yet I’ve realized how much of an impression it has made on them over the years to know that each morning their mother is meeting with the Lord. It seems like such a little thing, but children are very impressionable and I hope this is one of the ways they will always “picture” me.

We started to teach our children from a very early age that this was the proper way for a believer to begin each day.

In a previous article, “Quiet Times in Busy Homes” I share how we began to train our children to have a daily quiet time.

Now at ages 18, 21, & 23 it is a habit that is firmly in place and we seldom have to remind someone about it – just like our beds are always made first thing in the morning. It truly is rare for there to be an unmade bed in our home or a day to go by without each of us having a quiet time.

Yes, alone these seem like little things, but little step by little step, we’ve built good habits into our daily schedule until they are rote – We rarely even think about making our beds, because its just what we do when we get out of them. Our schedule has changed many times over the years we’ve homeschooled, but that first hour or so in the morning never has — we get up, make our beds, take care of personal hygiene, and have a quiet time with the Lord.

Since we have a God of order I think He expects us to build order into our lives too. I’ve often shared verses like this with our children to show them that God put things in order – and that we never have to wonder where the moon, sun, or stars might be.

Gen 1:16 -17 “And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: [he made] the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,”

We are currently working to add exercise into our lives. I’m hoping that this too will become part of our weekly routine so that we won’t have to work so hard at being sure it gets done.

What are some ways you have built order into your lives?

Finding Joy in the Journey,
Phyllis

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Phyllis Sather
Proclaiming God’s Faithfulness at:
http://www.Phyllis-Sather.com

© 2010 Phyllis Sather
All rights reserved

Contact me at: Phyllis@Phyllis-Sather.com

I recently heard this quote by Grace Murray Hopper, “A ship in port is safe, but that’s not what ships were built for.”

If you know me at all, you know that I am not a risk taker. Our children used to tease me about the commercial where the little boy was wrapped in bubble wrap — “That’s Mom!” they would say in unison.

Well I don’t think I’m quite that bad, but I do like to take precautions — a lot of them.

A couple of weeks ago we had a sermon on risk by Mark Huffman.  Clicking on his name will take you to the link.

In it he taught on Hebrews 11: 1—31

He talked about the “let us” (lettuce) in verses 22—25.
V 22 Let us—draw near
V23 Let us—hold unswervingly to the hope that we profess
V 24 Let us—spur one another onward to love and good deeds
V 25 Let us — meet together
V 25 Let us—encourage one another as the day is approaching

Next he shared the “By faith” verses in verses 31—18 — examples of those who have gone before us and risked everything for their faith.

Then he asked us what risks we were willing to take in several areas of our life…
such as time, money, health, or reputation. He promised us it would be difficult.

He and his family are a good example of this. Years ago they left our comfortable little church home to move to a small town and plant a new church — hard work for a growing family but they did it. Then they felt called to the mission field so again they packed up their family and moved to Ukraine, where they still live and bring the Gospel to those who lived without it under Communism for so long.

Partially because his life validates his teaching, I’ve felt the need to lay down bigger portions of my life and allow the Lord to open new opportunities for me to risk some of the things I hold so dear.

And now I want to ask you too — what are you willing to risk for the Lord in 2010?

I’ll leave you with this quote by Karl Wallenda, “Life is being on the wire, everything else is just waiting.”

Let’s encourage each other to live our life on the wire the Lord chooses for us.
Finding Joy in the Journey,
Phyllis

I would love to have the opportunity to keep in touch with you. Please sign up to be notified of new entries and to receive my Free E-zine. (Your address will not be shared)

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Phyllis Sather
Proclaiming God’s Faithfulness at:
http://www.Phyllis-Sather.com

© 2010 Phyllis Sather
All rights reserved

Contact me Phyllis@Phyllis-Sather.com

It is snowing here in cold Minnesota and when the roads get nasty I stay home, so to keep myself from getting cabin fever I thought I would gather up a few of my current favorite freebies and pass them along to you. My husband says, “No one likes a bargain like my wife!” and he’s right.

Are you ready for some fun? Here are a few of my current favorites:

Uniball Super Ink Pen This looks like a really nice pen – Molly Green passed this one on to me.

Vista Print — I used this company to print some 4 X 6 photo flip books for some family member Christmas gifts and was really pleased at the quality.  I found myself wishing I had ordered one for myself.

Hot Prints – I haven’t used this company yet, but they are offering a free 16 page Hot Book each month. I’m looking forward to putting one together.

Speaking of free — If you didn’t win a copy of Purposeful Planning Bundle in Molly Green’s giveaway, you can still win one in these giveaways:

Hal and Melanie Young of Raising Real Men are giving away three bundles.

If you aren’t familiar with them, be sure to check out their website and their book Raising Real Men.  We ordered it when it was first available and haven’t been disappointed. If you have boys to raise you need this book! It has gotten great reviews from people like J. Michael Smith, Esq, President, HSLDA , Tedd Tripp, and Chris Klicka.

They also have a free download of the Bogart Families
Copying the Hymns: All Things Bright and Beautiful

And another place to win your own copy of the Purposeful Planning bundle: Youthful Tips

Last, but not least — here is a great book study you may want to follow at the Girls Gathering Place. They are studying a book titled Character Makeover

Don’t forget to stop by and check out the freebies I’m offering!

Finding Joy in the Journey,
Phyllis

I would love to have the opportunity to keep in touch with you. Please sign up to be notified of new entries and to receive my Free E-zine. (Your address will not be shared)

Sign me up!

Phyllis Sather
Proclaiming God’s Faithfulness at:
http://www.Phyllis-Sather.com

© 2010 Phyllis Sather
All rights reserved

Contact me at: Phyllis@Phyllis-Sather.com

Once again I want to welcome the new subscribers to my ezine. I will try to send you worthwhile articles that will challenge you to Proclaim God’s faithfulness in your daily life.

Today I was reminded while I was praying for my particular “mountain” this morning that I was unable to do anything about it, but I pray to a mighty Lord who is able to move mountains of any size or shape.

Matthew 17:19-20 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

So I will put my mustard grain of faith in the Lord and watch HIM move mountains.

Today I want to share on of my favorite articles with you. It is called “A Message to Garcia”, and has been around since 1899. Its author died on the Lusitania.

I’ve read it many times during my homeschool years, yet it never grows old and always prompts my family and me to get busy delivering the “letters” that the Lord gives us to deliver.  Read it and see if it doesn’t do the same for you.

A Message to Garcia
______________________________________________
Enjoy it and remember it was originally published in March 1899.
______________________________________________

On February 22, 1899, the publisher of a small-town newspaper was discussing with a friend who the real hero of the Spanish-American War was. He wrote down his thoughts in an hour and put them in a leftover spot in his newspaper. Soon orders came for more copies, and eventually 40 million reprints of that article were distributed around the world. This is a powerful testimony to the worldwide recognition of the importance of diligence.

When war broke out between Spain and the United States, it was necessary to communicate quickly with the leader of the insurgence. Garcia was somewhere in the mountain vastness of Cuba—no one knew where. No mail or telegraph message could reach him. The President must secure his cooperation, and quickly. What to do?!

Someone said to the President, “There’s a fellow by the name of Rowan who will find Garcia for you, if anybody can.” Rowan was sent for and given a letter to be delivered to Garcia.

How “the fellow by the name of Rowan” took the letter, sealed it up in an oilskin pouch, strapped it over his heart, Read More…

I hope you have found this article helpful in your daily walk.

Finding Joy in the Journey,
Phyllis

I would love to have the opportunity to keep in touch with you. Please sign up to be notified of new entries and to receive my Free E-zine. (Your address will not be shared)

Sign me up!

Phyllis Sather
Proclaiming God’s Faithfulness at:
http://www.Phyllis-Sather.com

© 2010 Phyllis Sather
All rights reserved

Contact me at: Phyllis@Phyllis-Sather.com