Proverbs Study Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of the book of Proverbs is an awesome chapter to me. I have underlined and highlighted many points throughout the years that have helped me along this life's journey. 

The verses highlighted below couldn't have come at a better time for me. I was having some relationship issues the night that I read this. I was crying because I just don't understand why certain people treat me the way they do. They must not know the real me! I'm such a giving, caring person. I would do anything for anyone, yet one person in particular who I thought was my friend has shown me absolutely nothing in return. I don't give in expectancy to get back. But when you've been trying to work on a relationship for years and it's always seemed very one-sided, it's really hard to understand. So these verses immediately popped out at me:

God says to just trust Him. Don't try to figure it all out. Acknowledge Him in everything that you do and He will direct your paths. I know that my God is bigger than the situations I find myself in. And I know that by continuing to love this particular person (because that's what Jesus would want me to do), her heart and eyes will someday be opened to the truth about who I am. We don't have to be best friends. She doesn't even have to consider me her friend at all. All I care about is that she sees Christ through me. She can never say that I failed to try or that I was a bad person.

The next set of verses that speaks deeply to me is about giving. I actually have it written on an index card and I carry it around in my Bible to remind me to always give God my best, whether it's financially or physically.

When I really think about this, it touches my heart at the works God has done in my life. My barns really are full. I'm constantly trying to "de-clutter". I just have too much stuff. But really, all of that stuff is a blessing from the Lord! And why? It's because my husband and I have always tried our best to honor Him with our possessions and our first fruits. We are faithful tithers, even when that tithing money could go to pay a bill that we otherwise don't have the money for. God has always been faithful to meet our needs. We have had many years of struggling, but He has always brought us through and moved us on to bigger and better things. I challenge you that if you don't already tithe, test God, try it, see what happens in your life. It may be a huge sacrifice, but just think of the sacrifices that Jesus paid for us. Our giving a tenth of our income will never compare!

Lastly, there is one other group of verses that speaks to me so much that I also have it written on an index card too. I keep this one right next to my bed and I look at it often.

Proverbs 3:24-25 says,

"When you lie down, you will not be afraid;

Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. 

Do not be afraid of sudden terror, 

Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes."

These verses just remind me that no matter what is going on at night, God is watching over me, keeping me safe. I have much more peaceful sleep when I remember that he tells me to lie down and not be afraid. He promises me sweet sleep! 

I hope you are enjoying this study on Proverbs! Feel free to chime in and let me know what you are learning.

Be blessed my friends!

GOD'S LITTLE REMINDER

God’s Little Reminder

This is one of the many songs I have written.
Finished on March 12, 2008 while waiting on the birth of our 2nd son.

I was down and out

all worried about

all the bills we had to pay

I wondered how we'd make it

in this little home

with a baby on the way

I hung my head down

and I started to cry

All I could do is ask

God...why?

In a moment when

all hope seemed gone

that tiny little baby

started kicking up a storm

and I knew right then...

that it was God's little reminder

to cling to HIM a little bit tighter

   And He will see us through

Six years later

he overheard me talkin

on the phone one night

saying I was a horrible mom

and a worthless wife

I hung up the phone

and I started to cry

All I could do is ask

God...why?

In a moment when

all hope seemed gone

my little boy hugged me

and asked, "mom what's wrong"

And I knew right then...

that he was God's little reminder

to cling to HIM a little bit tighter

   And He will see us through

   Yeah, He will see us through

Thank God for little reminders.

WISDOM WAITS

Have you been praying about a decision you need to make? Maybe even fasting, believing to hear from God for your answer? But, you're just not getting the green light from Him. Maybe it's something that you really believe would benefit your family, like a job opportunity or moving to a new area. Maybe it's even something that will benefit others like starting a ministry or going on a mission trip.

Well, I've been dealing with this issue for about a month. I've been going back and forth, trying to decide if I should rejoin a business that I was in before; a business that I was very successful in and I really enjoyed...until it just became too overwhelming. For some reason lately I've gotten it in my head that I could do it again, and even better than the last time. I even started asking people if they would support me again. And I got a lot of positive responses. I thought it was going to be so easy because so many would support me. Then I found out that I could even rejoin for free! 

Today God finally gave me my answer that I've been praying for.  It's not a yes or a no, but for now, it is WAIT! He caught my attention today when I was reading a paragraph from Elizabeth George's book, A Woman After God's Own Heart.
This is what she said: 

"It's impossible to read the book of Proverbs and not get the message that wisdom waits. As a general principle for practicing your priorities, know that it is safer to wait and do nothing than to rush in and do the wrong thing. One of the many proverbs that expresses this biblical truth says, 'He sins who hastens with his feet' (Proverbs 19:2)."

Now that God has finally given me clarity, I'm thinking, "What was I thinking?". It's not like I have less responsibilities now than I had before. Now I'm homeschooling two children while also taking care of a toddler and we live in a bigger home, which requires more upkeep. 

Once I learned that He really wants me to wait, I feel in my heart that it's actually a no. This doesn't mean that if He tells you to wait, it's an automatic no. I just think He's been trying to get my attention all along and telling me to wait was His way of telling me to stop going after what I thought would work and just trust Him. I just needed to really stop for a minute and stop chasing my desires. It was my desire to make more income for my family and this business is the quickest way I knew how. I knew that I did it before and it worked, so I could do it again. Even though God kept whispering, "Just write.", I continued to pray about this other opportunity. I have known for a long time that I'm supposed to write books that will bring healing and deliverance to others. And I know that God wants to use me through this blog. While I love to write, I mostly write for you, my reader. I want to pass on my experiences in hopes that it will help you in some way.

So, once again I will ask you, have you been praying about a decision that you need to make? Maybe God wants you to just wait! Or maybe, like me, He's already been whispering to you about something else that needs to be done. 

Be blessed my friends!

Silk Almondmilk Protein+Fiber Review

Our family got to try a free half gallon of Silk Almondmilk Protein+Fiber from Kroger because I am a BzzAgent. We first tried it out with the baby because he has been battling constipation issues and we thought it might have been related to dairy products. Almondmilk has 5 grams of fiber per serving, so we really hoped it would help his belly. Although he really seemed to like how it tasted, it didn't seem to have any effect on his digestive system. 

Next, I thought I'd try it out on our 5 year old son. He's a really picky child so I added chocolate powder to his Almondmilk. Check out this video for his reaction:

I think that if I wanted to make this a daily part of his routine, he would easily get use to it. Although his reaction seems bad, I know him well enough to know that this is something he could adjust to.

Next I asked my husband if he'd be brave enough to do an on-the-spot review. He graciously did this for me and here is his reaction:

I'll be honest, at first, I was just too afraid to try it. The texture seemed thick to me. I normally drink 1% milk, so it was a big change. I tried a drink when no one else was looking. To my surprise it really wasn't bad! It was a little thicker than I'm used to, but it had a slightly sweet taste that made it okay for me. If I had issues with dairy products, this drink would be my next preference. The price is comparable to other non-dairy types of milk and you can almost always find a good sale or a coupon; or even better, both!

I didn't think about it until all of the Almondmilk was gone, but I think it would've been a great addition to smoothies. I've also read other reviews where people used it for baking. What a great idea! 

Here are some awesome benefits from Silk Almondmilk Protein+Fiber:

• Packs 5g of protein, 5g of fiber and 100 calories or less per serving
• Provides 50% more calcium than dairy milk*
• May help keep you feeling full (increasing protein and fiber in your diet can help promote satiety!)
• Enjoy Silk^® Protein+Fiber Almondmilk anywhere you’d use your favorite milk — over cereal, in smoothies or straight up in a glass

*45% DV calcium versus 30% DV in dairy milk. USDA National Nutrient Database for Std. Ref, Release 26. Data consistent with typical 2% dairy milk.

If you have tried Almondmilk, let me know what you think about it! Do you just drink it as 

you would dairy milk? Or do you use it for smoothies, milkshakes, and baking?

Be blessed my friends!

Free Kellog's Family Reward Code

Do you enter Kellogg's Family Reward Codes? If so, here is a free one for you! Happy Tuesday! If you are not familiar with Kellogg's Family rewards, just go to www.KFR.com to learn more.

Be blessed my friends!

My New Job Title

I guess I've gone a little crazy since I've decided that being a stay at home, homeschooling mom to 3 boys just wasn't enough. I've always loved children's books and thought about getting back into direct sales to generate a little more income for my family so I am now a consultant for Usborne Books and More. Usborne is a children's book, direct sales company that has been around since the 1960's. Their books are all made in house and they are so fun and colorful. Many of them have lift the flap features or pull out pages. Some of the baby books are the ones they can feel different textures on. Here is a small sample. There are over 1600 titles to choose from, so there is definitely something for every child. 

If you would like to see more of these fabulous books, please check out my website by clicking HERE!

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog. Let me know if you have any questions about Usborne Books and More.

Be blessed my friends!

An Eye Opener About Money

A lot has been going on in my world. The day before yesterday I ended up in the ER because my heart was constantly fluttering and I got light headed. After spending 2 hours in the waiting room and another 4 hours or so in a room, I finally got to come home. All of my tests came back normal. I had to wear a heart monitor for 24 hours and I don't have those results yet. The next day I got a really big bill from the IRS. Apparently I made a mistake on our 2012 taxes. I cried my eyes out. I'm thankful that we have the money in our savings to cover it and thankful that my husband treated me with kindness as I explained what happened. Until now we've been living kind of care free; going out to eat, giving money away, and spending money like we have it...because we did. I feel like the last couple of days were a huge wake up call. I feel like God slapped me in the face. As I was going through my 2012 papers, trying to figure out what had happened, I found an index card that I had written on. It said, "If therefore you are not faithful in the use of worldly wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? Luke 16:11"  After reading this, I cried some more. We have always been givers and faithful tithers, but I feel like God told me right then and there that we have got to start taking money more seriously. We have to be diligent with it. We can still be givers and tithers (and we will), but we need to be faithful with the rest. Instead of blowing it all of the time on eating out and buying whatever our hearts desire, we need to budget and save money for the future. Although I'm really sad over the events that have happened over the last few days and the fact that our bank account has been drained, I am grateful that God has opened my eyes. What about you? Are you faithful with worldly wealth? If not, I pray that God will help you as you strive to be a better steward of the things He has blessed you with. I'm on this journey with you!

Be blessed my friends!

STOP TRYING TO FIGURE IT ALL OUT

Why are we always working so hard to try and figure everything out on our own? Will we ever learn that this isn't the way God intended it to be?

Let me give you some examples:

Bills ~ How will we pay them? There's more money that needs to go out than what we are bringing in. So what do we do? We spends hours, days, even months of our time creating plans that will either earn us extra income or decrease our living expenses. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. The Bible is full of verses that speak about using wisdom when it comes to money. But when it becomes an all-consuming thing and fear takes over, that's bad!

Work ~ What does God want me to be doing with my life? How can I get there? I'm afraid to take this leap. What if I don't like this new job? It just doesn't seem as secure as the one I have now. What if I don't get along with the other workers? Will this take too much time away from my family? What if it causes me to miss church? What if I fail?

Pregnancy ~ Will I ever get pregnant? I'll try everything I can. I want a baby so bad. Is something wrong with me? Is it my husband? Oh wow, there's a miracle inside of me. Wait, how are we going to afford this? What if something goes wrong? God don't let me lose this baby. Don't let me have a c-section. I want it this way!

Parenting ~ Another baby...how can I love it as much as I love the others? Protect them as they sleep God! Are they getting enough food? Am I feeding them too much junk? Don't let them ever get sick God. How can someone I love so much make me so angry? How can I control the anger? Private school, public school, or homeschool? I just can't handle this anymore. Are you sure this is what You want God? Wow, they grow up so fast! When do I have "the talk"? What will they be when they grow up? I pray that they will always keep you in their lives God. Protect them!

Relationships ~ Will I ever have real friend? God, I'm so lonely! What if I offend her? How could someone so close to me hurt me so badly? Save my lost family members God! Protect them!

Friends, I've experienced every one of these situations and there's a good chance that you have experienced many of them yourself. But the truth is, we need to stop living our lives like this. Trying to figure it all out on our own only leads to worry. Relax! God has had your best interests in mind since the time He thought of you. We know that His plans are to prosper us and give us hope!

I'm speaking to myself today. I've been feeling very unprepared with our 3rd baby on the way. I've been worrying about contractions and preterm labor, even though in the depths of my heart, I know my baby and I are going to be just fine. I want it a certain way! I want to have my house completely ready for him. But the truth is, I just can't do it.

But here's God's truth and what I want you to get today: Proverbs 19:21 (MSG) says, "We humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but God's purpose prevails".

It doesn't matter what you are facing today. GOD has a plan for you and it is His plan that will prevail. So, why waste anymore time trying to figure it all out? Just sit back, breathe, and let His peace come over you. Tell Him, "Your will, not mine. I give it to You, God." He already resolved your issues and He's already given you the resources to do everything that He wants you to accomplish. Follow His lead and let go of what you cannot handle or control.

Be blessed my friends!

A HUGE DECISION

I just realized that I never shared the news with my readers who may not know me personally. About a month ago or so, I wrote about a decision that would change my life and other lives. If you haven't read it, take a couple of minutes and read about it HERE.

So without further ado, my decision was to retire from direct sales. When I joined Scentsy Wickless Candles in November of 2008, I was so excited (and pretty scared too, because I had no previous sales experience). I started building a great team and before I knew it, I was a Director and had a team of over 100 members. Everything was going great for me. I was making new friends, breaking out of my shell and finding a side of me that I never realized was there, making extra money so we could pay our bills and even have extra, and actually using products that I believed in and that were great for my family.

Somewhere along the way though, this business that once brought me so much joy, began to be a burden to me and my family. Joy turned to tears from the countless times I had to drag my boys out with me to host parties and events. Customer orders (candles) melted in the car.  People would always be late. No one would show for parties that I spent hours preparing for. And then, here I was trying to balance this huge team of people who looked up to me for direction and encouragement, while running my own business and taking care of my family. It all became so overwhelming to me.

One day after the typical frustrations, I just broke down. I was SO sad and SO mad at myself all at the same time. I was sad because I realized that I couldn't go on anymore. I had envisioned being a SuperStar Director with a team of thousands, but in this moment, I realized that it just wasn't going to happen. I was finished! The madness came from feeling like a failure. I felt like I never finish anything I start. This was a VERY difficult day for me.

My husband gave me the idea of selling my business. After some prayer, we both quickly knew who we would give the business to. It was someone on my down line who was striving to become a Director. She hadn't been on the team as long as some others, but she works hard on her business and it was the Lord who directed me to her. Seeing her reaction to my decision and having someone at church pray with me that Sunday and speak over my life, really gave me the peace I needed to move forward and just trust the Lord.

So here we are in September. This is my first month without a commission check from Scentsy. I sat down the other day and wrote out a budget. I felt so discouraged when I had figured it all out. After paying for our basic needs (and $9 for Netflix), we have around $25 to spend on gas and groceries for the month of September. In August we spent $362 on gas alone. This budget has NO room for savings, NO room for eating out, we don't have cable and we no longer have a home phone and one other monthly expense that we had in our old house.

I sought the Lord over our finances again; and again I found His peace. I have blessed someone else with my business and therefore I can stand on His word, knowing that I will reap what I have sown. I am not worried about the bills. In fact, I believe that we will have extra. God has ALWAYS provided for us in supernatural ways. He has carried us through so many difficult times. His hand has not been shortened! I wanted to run out and find another way to earn income, but each time I tried to find something, He gave me a strong NO! So, I don't know where the money is going to come from, but I know that we have been faithful and obedient to always do what He tells us to do with our (His) money and I know that His Word will not return void. I have tested Him and I know He will open the windows of heaven up and pour out a blessing on us that we cannot contain. I can't wait to update you to tell you how He provided for us!

Be blessed my friends!