Monday, August 12, 2013

SURPRISE

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     With Nathan's birthday recently and mine yesterday, our church threw us a birthday surprise party after church last night!  Have I mentioned that our church is the greatest?!!!  We love each one so much!  They are so thoughtful!  His side of the cake was camo and mine was the beach.  Don't they know us so well?  The food was delicious!  The gifts, money, and cards were greatly appreciated!  Each one was just perfectly what we love!  We love y'all bunches & bunches!  Y'all are our heart!

Friday, August 2, 2013

Detour Ahead

 Lord, help us put our faith in You 
& feel Your presence near
Through each moment of uncertainty,
whatever we may fear.
Give us strength & understanding,
and the reassurance, too,
That You're always here beside us
when we put our trust in You.
Sometimes only God Himself
can help us understand
When life starts going differently 
from what we may have planned-
When things we used to count on
don't seem certain anymore,
Or when we're facing challenges
we've never known before.
Sometimes only God Himself
can put our hearts at rest
By showing that He loves us
and He always know what's best.

      Apparently this will be a year of change for us!  For years we have prayed, fasted, & begged God to lead us.  Maybe sometimes without really wanting to be led???  There is such a fleshly comfort in doing what you've always done.  There you know the road ahead & the challenges that are all too familiar.  This summer has been a real eye opener for us.  We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the church we pastor & know that this is God's will for us.  Several times during this watermelon season, it has been a work vs God's burden.  We were needed in both places at once.  For one, watermelons are a delicate, perishable produce that are ripe when they are ripe & must be moved quickly.  They don't wait on our convenience.  Another issue involved is that no one can feel or carry this burden that God places on our hearts.  This summer has seen a peak of a long battle.  We have been pleading with God for direction.  We became open to His will.  As always, He answers right on time!  Our hearts have been heavy with decisions basically because of debt.  We have felt trapped with no other option but to stay right in our situation.  The Bible is so true to expound that debt is a burden!!!  You become slave to the debt.  You cannot make your own choices.  You cannot live freely.  Be warned, you tie your future down by debt decisions you make today!  As soon as we were willing to obey God no matter the situation, God began working things out as He always does!  He is so faithful!  We are so thankful!  This year we faced the worst weather yet watermelons have made a great yield, sold higher & easier!  PTL!  Our carnal debt will be paid!  So in short, we will no longer be a part of the farm's LLC.  This is huge for us.  It has been our life for over 10 years!  However, the Lord has called us out of where we are.  He has made the way.  Please keep us in your thoughts & prayers as we follow Him.  We have countless decisions ahead of us.  We will eventually move from where we've always been & no, we don't have answers to many questions that obviously arise.  We are now awaiting His divine leadership for our lives.  Yes, we are excited!  God's ways are best!  There is a peace is knowing we're in His hands!