Having to seek forgiveness daily: Epic Fail?

Every single day I have to ask Jesus to forgive my sins; AGAIN.

 Epic Fail. 

Or is it?

Isn't this what the bible teaches us to do as Christians? We are human, we will sin and fall short. But we are also blood bought and called upon to ask forgiveness and move on in our walk with him. It's when you STOP asking forgiveness that you should be concerned. 

When you no longer think you need forgiven, or do no wrong, that is exactly the moments when you need to be on your knees praying the Lord to show you how to be more christlike, and to open your eyes to your faults.

Not a long post today, but I actually had another lined up and this was what came out when I started typing :) God bless

The answers to the questions people ask me about my life! Part 1

So many ask me about my past. I have left it there, thats why it is called PAST and not PRESENT. But, being that the Lord brought me out of some very dark situations, I feel its my duty to share my experiences. Here are some commonly asked questions and the answers pertaining to them and my life.

Q: Did you forgive the man that sexually abused you and HOW?

 A: Yes I have. I realized that I was carrying around so much hate, emotion, and distress over constantly plotting my revenge. It's not only what he did to me, but also to my relationship with my mother. That being said, I was a walking advertisement for hatred. While I was actively seeking God and his forgiveness for my horrible sins, I was expecting to hold onto this grudge and every emotion that came with it. The Lord says that revenge is for him to take care of. While I no longer WISH bad to him, I do know that the Lord will have a word with him about how he hurt me when I was a child. No man will go unpunished for hurting a child, unless he totally repents, seeks forgiveness, and makes the truth known. If that man brings his dark secret to light, seeks Gods face, and truely repents then I believe in my heart he will be forgiven from the Lord also. But for now, I know I have made my peace. How? and Why? Well, it was alot of praying. ALOT. And alot of reading my bible. But I finally realized that the only thing all that resentment was doing was HURTING ME STILL. He obviously didnt feel any remorse, so how long was I going to continue to let him control my life? To actively hurt my feelings and keep my thoughts on all those awful times? No more! I took it to the Lord. I forgave that man, knowing that he is not right in the head, something inside of him is sick and I praise Jesus every day for making me feel whole and sane again!

Q: Do you miss your mom and why don't you just make up with her?

A: Of course! I miss my mom every single hour or every single day! I weep for her, I pray in earnest for her, I fast for her! I LOVE her! This april my daughter will be 4 and it will mark 4 years I have not spoken to her. She is still with the man that did those awful things to me, and I will not, cannot let him around my children. I would love to have her in my life, it is her that made the decision to exit our lives. She has missed so much, my wedding, birth of my son, and getting to see her granddaughter grow into a young lady. But all I can do is pray for her and keep protecting my children. I always say, "It's more important to me to BE a mom, then to HAVE a mom" and I would not be a good mom if my selfishness in wanting my own mother led to my children being harmed in any way.

Q: Did you always go to church and live this lifestyle?

A: NO! I used to be a horrible teenager and young adult. I was constantly seeking that next drug, or pill, or "fix" to take my mind off of my problems. I always felt empty, lonely, and like I never fit in. I tried to fill that void with men, drugs, alcohol. and everything left me hurting and searching even more. Not until I hit rock bottom did I come to the Lord and he took every ounce of pain and filled that void

Q: Why do you homeschool? Don't you know you can't keep your kids in a bubble?

A: Of course I know that! I homeschool because for as LONG AS I CAN, I will keep and protect my kids under my wings, guide them in the Lord, and teach them the ways they should go. I do not have a problem with public school, it works for some kids, but not all. Too many are falling through the cracks, too many are going and being introduced to things that I don't wish my kids to be exposed to until they are older and better trained with the equipment needed to combate those worldly things. Also, to be honest, I do not trust any person that I don't know with my kids. Matter of fact, I don't trust alot of the people I DO know with my kids, because I know all to well how some of the people we are supposed to trust and look up to can hurt us in the worst ways. NOW, some people say "oh you are punishing your daughter and keeping her out of the social loop because you are scared because of something that happened to you. that isnt right." well, to me, it is. If I can do something as simple as keep her at home and teach her myself, and possibly protect her from one thing of harm, then Im going to do it. PLUS, we love it! It works for us!

Q: You have a boy and a girl now, are you done having kids? I hope you are on birth control because you don't want to have another right away.

A: Ummmm, okay thanks for the advice but my husband and I are fully capable of handling our family :) We pray about everything first, and yes for the record we do plan to have more children. Until someone else is paying our bills or we are asking for handouts, I don't see why others are so concerned with the number in our family. Oh well, but yes that is a very popular question believe it or not.

Well, time to teach school! These are just a few of the top ?s I get asked or emailed. There will be a part 2 to this because there are tons more!

The lies the world would have our daughters believe

Sitting at lunch today my daughter tells me, "Mommy I'm getting super skinny from eatting so much, I've been eatting breakfast, and a snack, lunch, dinner, and more snacks and I'm looking really skinny" Yes, her logic was a little backwards but it was the idea that my 3 year old daughter was "trying to be skinny" that caught me by surprise. So I ask her, "Why do you want to be skinny honey?" and to my horror she says "So I can be prettier"! Lets just say for once I was speechless.

What do you even say to that? Or how about a couple weeks ago when she told me she wanted to wear makeup. I told her she was so pretty the way God made her and didn't need that stuff. To which she promptly asked, "well when I grow up can I wear makeup?". 

That is a choice she will have to make on her own, but I pray that I am able to teach her along the way that the things of this world are not always right. How messed up is it that a little bitty girl, who by the way doesn't have an inch of fat on her, thinks that she needs to be skinnier or prettier! I explained to her that beauty comes from the inside, in her heart, and if she is a good person, kind, loving, loving God and treating others kindly then THAT is what being pretty is.

Sure she doesn't understand everything I am saying right now, but if she can absorb enough of the influence the world around her is throwing her way, then I can only pray she can grasp the influence that I am trying to teach her about the TRUE meaning of being "pretty". Please join me in praying for our young girls in the generations that are growing up in this messed up society where being beautiful is measured by the size of your waist, how much makeup you have on, and how nice your clothes are. These girls are going to be the next generation to carry on the Lords work and raise up their children, if we do not teach them our ways as Christian women, you can bet the world will be there to teach them their ways!

Who wants some Scentsy!?!

That's right, I started my own business and I'm super excited to be offering the fabulous Scentsy products! I love them! The spring scents are amazing and they go anywhere! We even have warmers for your nursery! Remember that the warmer and the wax never get hotter then body temperture, so if your little one spills it, won't hurt them at all. Your dog eat it? No problem. It's all natural. Did I mention it smells amazing?!  Come check out my page, I have an open party going on right now!

Help a fellow mom, buy from a christian company, and make your living area smell amazing :)

https://ladyintheskirt.scentsy.us/Home

How do others view your Christian life?

"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."—John 10:10

"More Abundantly", doesn't that mean a FULLER life? A BETTER life? A more interesting life? I have come to find that many people I run into seem to think all I do is sit at home reading my bible, teaching school, and taking care of my kids and husband. How boring they must think I am. But this is so far from how my life really is! Yes, when I used to fun in fast circles doing worldly things; partying, drinking, smoking, you name it I did it, that is what the unsaved people consider "FUN". But it is what it is, a fast, unfulfilled, depressed life.  I was called out of all that, to not do those things, and to live a life that would be pleasing to my savior. 

That does not mean I was called to live a boring life! It means that I have been called out from the worldly things that I used to find joy in, and although I used to spend my time doing those things, I know now that my life has much more meaning in living for God.

[A Christian] no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. (I Peter 4:2-4)

Jesus said himself that he came to give us a more full life! So are we enjoying it the way it was designed to be? As Christians we need to make sure that we are not portraying to others that we are boring, dull, and not into having fun. We all know that isn't true! But do others know that? Are we walking around showing how blessed and joyful we are in the Lord? Or are we still walking around in a daze, frowning through our days, and complaining to anyone that will listen? If we want to be an effective witness to how living for God is so fulfilling, joyful, and even FUN, then shouldn't we start living like it is?!

 Most people are not aware that this is a primary reason Christ came as a man to this earth—to teach us how to live abundant, fulfilled lives. Notice His plain statement in John 10:10:"I have come that they [His sheep, Christians] may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." According to the very Founder of Christianity, His disciples, if they follow His teachings, will live enviable, full lives! They will have lives worth living!
Where can you start to live a more fulfilling and enjoyable Christian life? First things first, start smiling! Start encouraging others! Start sharing more of your testimony on how Christ changed your life for the better! The things of this world do offer fun for a season, for sin IS fun, but when that season is over what is left? Nothing but searching for that next "fun" thing. But once you are called out by the Lord, saved, and start living for him, that emptiness that we spent so much time searching for is filled, overflowing, and our lives become more ABUNDANT through him.

So smile, tell a joke, invite someone to church, help someone in need, send a card, share a testimony, invite a friend out for a good time, just encourage and start showing people how much Christ has enhanced your life for the BETTER! Praise Jesus

How do we Judge?

How often do we judge others? Do we even realize that we do it anymore? Christ taught us to love others and to help guide them towards the truth and a more righteous life, but he also taught us not to look down on them. Do we forget that part?

I'm just asking these questions because I hear so often people say "well, I would come to that church but I feel judged, I feel like my clothes aren't good enough, or I'm not wearing the right thing. No one even comes up and talks to me". How awful is that?! What would Jesus think about that statement? I am positive he wouldn't be impressed with your fancy clothes, perfect hair, or amazing shoes, nearly as much as he would've been impressed if you have taken that person in, made them feel welcomed and loved. 

We are called to live differently, and so often people think that only applies to the way we dress. It doesn't. Yes, dressing modest and living up to Godly standards is very important, but that does not define who we are and how we set ourselves apart from the world. I believe when God calls us to live differently it is about WHO we are in our heart, how we treat others, the things we do and activities we engage in, and how we glorify God by the way we LIVE our life. The things that adorn our body, or do not adorn our body, do NOT qualify for any brownie points when we get to heaven. 

It's just been on my mind lately, a lot. I have run into so many people lately that have spoke to me about it subject, and more then one that was completely turned off from a church itself by the way people acted and treated them. I urge you to find that visitor sunday morning, make them feel welcomed, and find something on their outfit to COMPLEMENT! Remember that we all came out of the darkness, we all had to be saved from sin at some point, we were NOT born righteous, nor ever be righteous enough to deserve the mercy that God has given us :)

Do I wear skirts all the time? (check out raisingarrows.net:)

This past weekend I was at a fair with my family.  A Raising Arrows reader came up to me to introduce herself and her lovely family.

And I was wearing pants.

Capris, to be exact.

That’s right, the She Wears Skirts gal was NOT in a skirt!

Shortly after doing that series I got a lot of questions as to whether I would now be wearing skirts all the time.  So, I thought I would just answer that question here since I’m sure there are others wondering the same thing.

I do not wear skirts ALL the time. I wear skirts probably 90% of the time and I typically wear a skirt when we are out and about.

In fact, my husband and I went to the fair the day before and I was in a skirt.

For a moment in time, I wondered if that reader who so blessed my day was somehow disappointed in me…the real me…the me who doesn’t ALWAYS wear a skirt.

But then I recalled a conversation I had with a woman from a church we attended years ago.  She came to my house on a weekday…in jeans.  And she apologized profusely for being in jeans.  She was working with her husband, a carpenter, that day and she kept saying how she rarely wears jeans as if I might be disappointed in her for not wearing a skirt even while working alongside her husband on a rooftop.

Perhaps she thought I always wore skirts since we only saw each other at church or perhaps she felt self-conscience and was just trying to make herself feel better.  No matter what the reason, I wanted to tell her I didn’t care.  I wasn’t about to judge her for it because I couldn’t possibly live up to the standard I would be setting.

Do I think skirts are a great way to revel in my femininity?  Absolutely.

Do I think you should wear a skirt every single moment of every single day?  No.

Your husband and God are your guidance, not me.

And I will not judge you if I see you in pants.

And I will try not to worry that you are disappointed in me if you see me in pants.

I just had to share this post, it is from a fellow mom blogger at raisingarrows.net  her blog is awesome, check her out!