~ Happy New Year ~

Another Year is Dawning

Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be

In working or in waiting, another year with Thee.

Another year of progress, another year of praise,

Another year of proving Thy presence all the days.

Another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace,

Another year of gladness in the shining of Thy face;

Another year of leaning upon Thy loving breast;

Another year of trusting, of quiet, happy rest.

Another year of service, of witness for Thy love,

Another year of training for holier work above.

Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be

On earth, or else in Heaven, another year for Thee.

~ Frances R. Havergal ~

"So teach us to number our days,

that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

O satisfy us early with thy mercy;

that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

Let thy work appear unto thy servants,

and thy glory unto their children.

And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us:

and establish thou the work of our hands upon us;

yea, the work of our hands establish thou it. 

~ Psalm 90:12,14,16,17 ~

May the Lord guide us each in this coming year, draw our hearts closer to Himself, give us a deeper love for Him, cleans us and purify us, conform us to the image of Christ, grow us in our love for one another, and use us as lights of His kingdom for His glory and honor.

Happy New Year from the Alexander Family!

~Elizabeth

What is it Really all About?

For God So Loved the World

John 3:16-21

(16)  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

(17)  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

(18)  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

(19)  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

(20)  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

(21)  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Duty is Ours, Events are God's

"The great thing that is our all in all to us is duty, and not event; for duty is ours, events are God's - our own duty, and not another's; for everyone shall bear his own burden - our present duty, and not the duty of the time to come; for sufficient to the day shall be the directions thereof: a good man's steps are ordered by the Lord, (Psalm 37:23); he is guided step by step.  Now all our duty is summed up in this one of following Christ.  We must attend his motions, and accommodate ourselves to them, following him to to do him honor, as the servant his master; we must walk in the way in which he walked, and aim to be where he is.  And if we will closely attend to the duty of following Christ, we shall find neither heart nor time to meddle with that which does not belong to us."

- Matthew Henry -

~Brittany

Tea for Two? :-)

Anyone that knows our family knows that we like tea, especially Brittany!  So in honor of her, I thought I would post this article in hopes of encouraging others but also just to bring a smile to Brittany when she reads this.  Love you Brittany and am so thankful for you!  You add such a special sparkle to our family!!! ~Mom

So make yourself a cup of tea and enjoy the read.  :-)

Cancer-Fighting Beverage: 10 Health Benefits of Tea

By Ty Bollinger

Are you thinking about changing up your morning coffee routine? Maybe you’d like to add a healthier drink to your diet. Perhaps you simply love the taste. Whatever your reasons, the many health benefits of tea are going to change the way you feel inside and out. 

The scientific focus of this historical beverage is a fairly new undertaking. Ancient cultures, however, have known how wonderful tea is since 1,000 BC. The Chinese were the first to introduce tea to the world. For more than a thousand years they used it almost exclusively for medicinal purposes. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) often refers to tea throughout their texts for ailments both big and small.

Many scientific studies are finally touting the health benefits of tea, particularly the green tea varieties. Qi Sun, assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, has said, “Tea consumption, especially green tea, may not be the magic bullet, but it can be incorporated in an overall healthy diet.”
10 Ways You Receive the Health Benefits of Tea

1. Polyphenols Content: Polyphenols, especially catechins and epicatechins, have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. These little powerhouses protect your body from the bad things you consume. Over time, they may even help reduce the risks associated with diabetes and cardiovascular disease. If you drink too much caffeinated tea, you may get a little jittery, but overall it suits a healthy lifestyle. 
2. Weight Loss: Tea may be able to help you lose weight or keep that waistline in check. In a study of tea drinkers versus non-tea drinkers, the people consuming hot tea on a regular basis had smaller waistlines and a lower BMI (body mass index). 
3. Increased Muscle Endurance: If you’re looking for better exercise endurance, green tea may help. Scientists discovered that antioxidants in green tea extract increase your body’s ability to burn fat as fuel. This allows you to build your stamina at the gym more quickly and reap the benefits of a healthier body.
4. Cancer Protection: The powerful antioxidants found in tea can actually protect your body from cancer. Current research has shown that tea helps your body fight off certain cancers, including colon, breast, ovarian, prostate, and many others. Tea isn’t a cure for cancer, but it is a simple and effective superfood that can help lower your personal risk.
5. Fight Free Radicals: What’s a free radical? They’re the bad guys that invade your cells and alter them for the worse. The extensive damage they cause has been scientifically linked to heart disease, cancer, and even Alzheimer’s disease. Despite your body’s design, it is not always able to fight off the free radicals – especially if you have a poor diet or lifestyle habits. Antioxidants found in tea help fight the bad guys. 
6. Defend Bones: The compounds found in green tea improve bone strength and density. This is great news as we age and our bones begin to weaken. Used in conjunction with mild weight or strength training and a healthy diet, green tea can help you fight the ravages of osteoporosis.
7. Regulate Blood Sugar: People with Type 2 diabetes benefit from regular tea consumption. The compounds in green tea help the metabolic system process sugars more efficiently. In a surprising finding, studies showed that people who drank at least six cups of green tea per week were less likely to develop diabetes at all. 
8. Boost Brain Power: Many factors influence your brain health. Age, weight, activity levels, and smoking all factor into the way our brains age. Polyphenols in tea may slow the effects of aging in the brain’s memory and learning centers. This includes neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and dementia.
9. Hydration: Your body is comprised mostly of water. You have to have it for your body to function properly and experts estimate that 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Not everyone enjoys drinking gallons of water every day, and coffee (despite its other benefits) has dehydrating effects. Tea, despite the caffeine, is a hydrating beverage. Next time you’re falling asleep at 3 pm, try iced green tea for a refreshing pick-me-up instead of coffee.
10. Healthy Teeth and Gums: Countries known for their tea consumption likely drink it plain or only lightly sweetened. Tea contains naturally occurring fluoride and tannins. These help prevent plaque from forming on the teeth. Unsweetened tea, along with a daily regimen of brushing and flossing, helps keep those pearly whites healthy.

What Type Should You Drink to Gain the Most Health Benefits of Tea?
There are a myriad of choices of tea in your local grocery store so you’re sure to find one that suits your taste. Before you go diving into a fancy flavored blend, keep in mind that real tea (Camellia sinensis) consists of four varieties: green, black, white, and oolong.
Teas referred to as “herbal” are not the same. These types of brews are not made from tea leaves but from flowers, fruit, or roots. 

Read your labels if you’re looking for health benefits and avoid pre-bottled varieties that have had all the good stuff processed out. While tea is healthy, sugar is NOT! Processed beverages are loaded with additives that negate the health benefits of tea. If you can’t stand unsweetened drinks, consider using maple sugar or raw honey instead. 

Hot or iced, unsweetened or gently kissed with honey… tea is a wonderful choice for your anti-cancer lifestyle.

Stay informed and don’t miss a single article or interview from The Truth About Cancer. Go here to be notified each week about new, cutting-edge information that impacts your health.

Don't Look Around; Look At Christ!

"Men's hearts failing them for fear,

and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth..."

- Luke 21:26 -

I was so struck when I read this verse yesterday morning.  It immediately took my mind to the following passage.

"But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.  And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.  And when the disciples saw him, they were troubled; and they cried out for fear.  But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.  And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.  And he said, Come.  And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.  But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sin, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.  And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?  And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased."

- taken from Matthew 14:22-32 -

When we keep our eyes on the Lord we can walk with strength and confidence through places we could never walk otherwise.  It is when we start looking around at the waves, at all that is happening around us, that our strength fails, we are overcome with fear and our hearts fail and we faint.  It is our lack of faith that causes us to doubt.  Our lack of confidence causes us to waver.  Yes, sometimes the waves are big and we feel the force of the wind around us.  We feel like we are walking only fictitiously on water, but in reality our feet are set solidly on the Rock of our Salvation, Jesus Christ.  Let us keep our eyes steadfastly set on Him!  We don't need to look around.  All we need to see is Him.

"In thy light shall we see light."

- Psalm 36:9b -

"Men ought always to pray, and not to faint.

Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"

- Luke 18:1b,8b -

~Brittany

It's About the Cross

A precious sister shared this with me and I LOVE it!!!  Thanks Emily!

A Pure Heart is a Single Heart for God's Will

"A pure heart is a single heart, not divided.

A pure heart wills what God wills,

no matter what the cost.

Strength of will is to will against oneself,

to say, "Not my will - Thine.""

~Elisabeth Elliot, Quest for Love

~Brittany

Your Weakness Should Drive You to Christ

This short sermon clip by Paul Washer was such a blessing to me tonight. 

 May we all run to Christ and cling to Him!

~Breanna

There’s More Room in a Broken Heart (God’s use of the pain we live through)

This is a beautiful post by Matthew Jacobson on brokenness and our perspective of it and God's purpose for it in our lives.  I hope it may minister to some of you!
~Breanna

Every morning since he was about 8, my son Dauntless goes out to the chicken coop to collect the eggs. But, this morning was different. He came into the house with a bowl of eggs, shell, and runny yellow yolks all mixed together in a slimy mess, with bits of egg running down his trembling hands. He tripped on the way back to the house.

Brokenness isn’t beautiful. Broken things aren’t beautiful. And,  a broken heart definitely isn’t beautiful. 

We feel the searing pain of every false smile, faithless friend, disappointment in a spouse, and the hard injustice we see on every side. Life is filled with broken things and, if we’re honest, most of them are on the inside of that person we see in the mirror every morning.

Instinctively, we know there is something better, something whole that life was intended to deliver, but somewhere those plans were destroyed and we live in the aftermath, piecing together disparate parts that don’t fit together so well. And where is the purpose in all that?

Some people speak as if brokenness is beautiful, as if life was intended to be a cubist painting – identifiable as “life” but chunked up, chipped and badly distorted, like a basket of eggs handled by a carless child. A basket of fresh eggs smashed to pieces from a fall is not a good thing. Any child will tell you that.

“You have cancer”, “Your child is severely brain damaged”, “He was killed in a car accident” “Your husband has been cheating on you”, “Your unmarried daughter is pregnant”…. Brokenness is not beautiful. It’s ugly, lonely, disfigured, painful, and perverse.

The mistake is to believe there is no purpose in our pain – that broken things can have no value.
The Creator of all that was right and good (before it was corrupted by sin) says that the worst thing that has happened to you He will use for good. . . . if you let Him. Romans 8:28 assures us of God’s use of our broken places – And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Our journey is our own but the human experience is universal, which is why the next time you encounter someone, you can rest assured they are filled with broken places, too, and the good that God brought into existence from the pain you’ve suffered just might be the grace and understanding heart you have for your fellow traveller. 

There’s more room in a broken heart and sometimes God has to break our hearts to make room for others.
Brokenness hurts, sending shards of pain throughout our life. Who could want that? Brokenness exacts a high cost but it can also be of great worth in God’s hands. The value of our own brokenness is seen in God’s use of it in the lives of others.

Life has forced you to pay a heavy price but will you receive the value of your brokenness? Will you receive what God has in store for the worst things that have happened to you, allowing Him to bring peace to your heart and good to the lives of others from all the pain, shame, ugliness, and heartache?

. . . . Casting all your care upon Him; for he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7
~Matthew L. Jacobson

Poem ~ The Glory Due

The Glory Due

To give the Lord the glory due unto His name

We must be steadfast in the same.

Must not be distracted by other things,

Must not give my heart to things unredeemed.

If it is Him that I would glorify

I must my own self life defy.

The Lord demands and deserves all,

Commands our whole lives His name extol.

To give the glory due His name

I must my own self be renamed.

Before my own master, now a servant;

Christ Jesus’ disciple, steadfastly fervent.

With my whole life I wish to give recognition

To my Savior who’s blood has redeemed my condition.

So now to His name I’ll give the glory due.

By His grace I’ll keep pressing to, my whole life through.

 ~B.A.A.

~Brittany

Are Your Trials Making You Bitter or Beautiful?

Trials are part of the Christian life.  We were so encouraged as Lisa shared in this week's Real Life With Lisa.  We hope you will be as well.  

http://club31women.com/are-your-trials-making-you-bitter-or-beautiful-encouragement-for-when-youre-in-a-hard-season-real-life-with-lisa/

~Brittany

An Encouragement for Singles~George Muller's testimony of answered prayer in regards to marriage

This was definitely a blessing and encouragement to Brittany and I when we read this and I hope it will be to some of you as well.  God is so faithful to guide according to His perfect and amazing will if we will but just trust Him and surrender ourselves fully to Him!
~Breanna

Mr. Müller shows the ordering of God in his meeting with and subsequent marriage to his first wife, Miss Mary Groves.

“In giving her to me, I own the hand of God; nay, His hand was most marked; and my soul says, ‘Thou art good, and doest good.’

“I refer to a few particulars for the instruction of others. When at the end of the year 1829, I left London to labour in Devonshire in the Gospel, a brother in the Lord gave to me a card, containing the address of a well-known Christian lady, Miss Paget, who then resided in Exeter, in order that I should call on her, as she was an excellent Christian. I took this address and put it into my pocket, but thought little of calling on her. Three weeks I carried this card in my pocket, without making an effort to see this lady; but at last I was led to do so. This was God’s way of giving me my excellent wife. Miss Paget asked me to preach the last Tuesday in the month of January, 1830, at the room which she had fitted up at Poltimore, a village near Exeter, and where Mr. A. N. Groves, afterwards my brother-in-law, had preached once a month, before he went out as a Missionary to Bagdad. I accepted readily the invitation, as I longed, everywhere to set forth the precious truth of the Lord’s return, and other deeply important truths, which not long before my own soul had been filled with.

“On leaving Miss Paget, she gave me the address of a Christian brother, Mr. Hake, who had an Infant Boarding School for young ladies and gentlemen, at Northernhay House, the former residence of Mr. A. N. Groves, in order that I might stay there on my arrival in Exeter from Teignmouth. To this place I went at the appointed time. Miss Groves, afterwards my beloved wife, was there; for Mrs. Hake had been a great invalid for a long time, and Miss Groves helped Mr. Hake in his great affliction, by superintending his household matters. My first visit led to my going again to preach at Poltimore, after the lapse of a month, and I stayed again at Mr. Hake’s house; and this second visit led to my preaching once a week in a chapel at Exeter; and thus I went, week after week, from Teignmouth to Exeter, each time staying in the house of Mr. Hake. All this time my purpose had been, not to marry at all, but to remain free for travelling about in the service of the Gospel; but after some months I saw, for many reasons, that it was better for me, as a young Pastor, under 25 years of age, to be married. The question now was, to whom shall I be united? Miss Groves was before my mind; but the prayerful conflict was long, before I came to a decision; for I could not bear the thought, that I should take away from Mr. Hake this valued helper, as Mrs. Hake continued still unable to take the responsibility of so large a household. But I prayed again and again. At last this decided me, I had reason to believe that I had begotten an affection in the heart of Miss Groves for me, and that therefore I ought to make a proposal of marriage to her, however unkindly I might appear to act to my dear friend and brother Mr. Hake, and to ask God to give him a suitable helper to succeed Miss Groves. On Aug. 15th, 1830, I therefore wrote to her, proposing to her to become my wife, and on Aug. 19th, when I went over as usual to Exeter for preaching, she accepted me. The first thing we did, after I was accepted, was, to fall on our knees, and to ask the blessing of the Lord on our intended union. In about two or three weeks the Lord, in answer to prayer, found an individual, who seemed suitable to act as housekeeper, whilst Mrs. Hake continued ill; and on Oct. 7, 1830, we were united in marriage. Our marriage was of the most simple character. We walked to church, had no wedding breakfast, but in the afternoon had a meeting of Christian friends in Mr. Hake’s house and commemorated the Lord’s death; and then I drove off in the stagecoach with my beloved bride to Teignmouth, and the next day we went to work for the Lord. Simple as our beginning was, and unlike the habits of the world, for Christ’s sake, so our Godly aim has been, to continue ever since. Now see the hand of God in giving me my dearest wife: 1st, that address of Miss Paget’s was given to me under the ordering of God. 2nd, I must at last be made to call on her, though I had long delayed it. 3rd, She might have provided a resting place with some other Christian friend, where I should not have seen Miss Groves. 4th, My mind might have at last, after all, decided, not to make a proposal to her; but God settled the matter thus in speaking to me through my conscience— you know that you have begotten affection in the heart of this Christian sister, by the way you have acted towards her, and therefore, painful though it may be, to appear to act unkindly towards your friend and brother, you ought to make her a proposal. I obeyed. I wrote the letter in which I made the proposal, and nothing but one even stream of blessing has been the result.

“Let me here add a word of Christian counsel. To enter upon the marriage union is one of the most deeply important events of life. It cannot be too prayerfully treated. Our happiness, our usefulness, our living for God or for ourselves afterwards, are often most intimately connected with our choice. Therefore, in the most prayerful manner, this choice should be made. Neither beauty, nor age, nor money, nor mental powers, should be that which prompt the decision; but 1st, Much waiting upon God for guidance should be used; 2nd, A hearty purpose, to be willing to be guided by Him should be aimed after; 3rd, True godliness without a shadow of doubt, should be the first and absolutely needful qualification, to a Christian, with regard to a companion for life. In addition to this, however, it ought to be, at the same time, calmly and patiently weighed, whether, in other respects, there is a suitableness.

For instance, for an educated man to choose an entirely uneducated woman, is unwise; for however much on his part love might be willing to cover the defect, it will work very unhappily with regard to the children.”

Happy Birthday 21 year old!

Happy Birthday to this now 21 year old!  How can my little brother be 21 already, married and with a kiddo of his own?!  This guy has brought more smiles and laughter over the years than I can even begin to count.  He's always had that way of bringing sunshine into a room, making you smile even when you didn't feel like it and finding a way to make even a serious or sad moment turn into laughter.  He was an amazing brother to grow up with, daddy's right hand and has always had a special place in mama's heart!  All of our younger ones adore their big brother!  He's a hard worker, wide open and never afraid to get dirty and always ready to lend a helping hand.  It's been so neat to get to watch him become a husband and daddy and begin his own home.  He is one of the most special guys I know and we are all so very thankful for him!  Praying that this new year brings you and all of your incredible amount of energy and determination into a quest to know, love and serve the Lord in ways you never imagined!  Love you lots and lots buddy!
~Bree for all of us

Just Because You're Right...Doesn't Mean You're not Destroying

Wow!  This article by Matthew Jacobson was such good reminder!  And this principle doesn't just apply to married couples, but really to any kind of relationship whether with a spouse, a sibling, a friend, etc.  Is it really worth it to be "right"?
~Breanna

We love being “right” don’t we? In the midst of an intense discussion (argument!) about something, we feel the surge of adrenaline when besting the other person. Who doesn’t love winning?

Hey, the facts were on my side. 

Aren’t they always?

And then, there’s marriage – where the consequences of how that argument went down and our “rightness”  have an immediate (negative) impact on just about everything.

Do you truly care about the truth of what you were discussing with your husband or wife . . . or is it really about winning – about being the victor, again? Are you sure pressing your advantage wasn’t more about pride than what was best for your relationship? You don’t have to guess. In Proverbs 13:10 says, contention comes from pride.

You’re not experiencing contention with your spouse because ‘truth’ is on the line. It’s happening because you are both prideful.

Being right and being prideful are often two ends of the same stick we use to bludgeon our way to winning. The “truth” can be very deceiving as we convince ourselves it’s the most vital element in any argument. But, it’s important to be correct, isn’t it? Yes, it is. But when it comes to disagreements in marriage, there is something that trumps truth and arguing your spouse into the corner.

That’s right, sometimes emphasizing how right we are is far less important than how much we value our spouse. Beating him/her with the club of correctness won’t get the job done. It will, however, get a job done. It will beat us apart from one another.

Is that what you want? Being right . . . and alone . . . separated emotionally (and often physically) from the person you pledged your life to?

In most arguments in marriage, truth isn’t the trump card we often think it is. When there’s a disagreement, it’s not a zero-sum game where someone is completely right and the other person is all wrong. How we see the same circumstances is based on perspective, personality and many other subjective factors. And in every disagreement in marriage, there are two sets of those.

And then, there’s maturity – where age and experience have shown you the many times you were so cock-sure you were right but turned out to be wrong. Humility is Maturity’s best friend. Maturity in marriage begins to take root when we realize that our own personal understanding is not the final arbiter of all that is true and correct.

Do you wan’t to grow in maturity and keep from damaging your marriage by always communicating how right you are and how wrong your spouse is? You can choose humility, right now.

How about the next time you “get into it” with your spouse, instead of digging in, you start by saying,

I may be wrong about this but, this is what I’m seeing . . . 

. . . and choose to have a discussion instead of an argument? Because you may be wrong and you may be seeing incorrectly. Pride distorts our perception and destroys every relationship it infects. Unyielding certainty in disagreements about subjective matters will put distance between you and the heart of your spouse, leaving no place for humility and no chance for maturity.

And, who wants that for their marriage?

A service of work and a service of waiting

 When I read this portion from Streams in the Dessert the other day and then again this morning, I was so blessed and encouraged by it.  We often think that to be in the service of the Lord is to be doing something, especially something great for God.  But we forget, or maybe are not even aware of the fact, that God at times will call us to serve Him by waiting on Him, by being still before Him, by simply drawing near to Him, doing exactly what He puts before us for that day and nothing more, no matter how insignificant it may seem to us.  If He asks us to do it, then no matter how seemingly small and insignificant the duty, the duty is still ours to be done in joyful and surrendered obedience to the service and glory of the Lord.  God does not see big things and little things.  Every act of obedience is the same in His eyes and they all bring Him glory, even when He commands us to simply wait upon Him.  It often seems that in those times of waiting, silence, and stillness, we often hear the voice of the Lord the clearest and are enabled to draw the nearer to Him in those times as we learn to trust and wait upon Him and to hear His voice better.  Perhaps some of our readers are experiencing a time of waiting in their lives.  I hope this will be an encouragement to some of you.
~Breanna

After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithyma: but the Spirit suffered them not (Acts 16:7).
What a strange prohibition! These men were going into Bithynia just to do Christ's work, and the door is shut against them by Christ's own Spirit.
I, too, have experienced this in certain moments. I have sometimes found myself interrupted in what seemed to me a career of usefulness. Opposition came and forced me to go back, or sickness came and compelled me to retire into a desert apart.
It was hard at such times to leave my work undone when I believed that work to be the service of the Spirit. But I came to remember that the Spirit has not only a service of work, but a service of waiting. I came to see that in the Kingdom of Christ there are not only times for action, but times in which to forbear acting. I came to learn that the desert place apart is often the most useful spot in the varied life of man--more rich in harvest than the seasons in which the corn and wine abounded. I have been taught to thank the blessed Spirit that many a darling Bithynia had to be left unvisited by me.
And so, Thou Divine Spirit, would I still be led by Thee. Still there come to me disappointed prospects of usefulness. Today the door seems to open into life and work for Thee; tomorrow it closes before me just as I am about to enter. Teach me to see another door in the very inaction of the hour. Help me to find in the very prohibition thus to serve Thee, a new opening into Thy service. Inspire me with the knowledge that a man may at times be called to do his duty by doing nothing, to work by keeping still, to serve by waiting. When I remember the power of the "still small voice," I shall not murmur that sometimes the Spirit suffers me not to go.
--George Matheson

"When I cannot understand my Father's leading,
And it seems to be but hard and cruel fate,
I Still I hear that gentle whisper ever
pleading,God is working, God is faithful, ONLY WAIT."

Welcoming Fall

So happy to see the first day of fall!  Fall is such a peaceful, refreshing, encouraging time.  I am very much looking forward to seeing how the Lord continues to work His perfect, beautiful plan in this season!  He is at work everywhere in everything!

~Brittany

Sweet, Sweet, Sweet

For several weeks the children at church have been working at memorizing the books of the Bible. Mommies have worked with them at home, we have played games and worked on them as a group at church on Sunday afternoons.  I thought it would be fun to take a video of these sweetie pies singing the Books of the Bible.  Enjoy and be inspired!

Special note of Encouragement for moms

Special women are a treasure to have in your life.  A dear friend and sister in the Lord shared something that her precious mother-in-law shared with her and I was so blessed by it that I asked her permission to share it with our readers.  Thank you Mrs. Deborah Smith!  May your words of truth and encouragement be a blessing to many more ladies!

Encouragements for Mom's with their Boys

Oh, I nearly felt I had found a pot of gold this afternoon.  :-)  I hope these articles will be an encouragement to other mom's that have been blessed with sons.

Sons . . . what a blessing they are.  Just this afternoon, when my husband came home for lunch,  he and Titus start sword fighting; we all were just sitting around smiling and laughing, I thought 'I love having sons, they add so much fun to a family'.  We only have three sons and they are 10 years apart but I am SO thankful for them.  Now I must admit that there are times that I have really struggled with different aspects of raising sons and being a wife too.  Pink and blue are truly different but, a wonderful different.  Well that is once we ladies begin to understand and appreciate the differences.  :-)  Dr. Emerson Eggrich in his book and video series called Love and Respect  says it is not wrong just different.  The more years that go by and the more I grow the more I love the differences and so appreciate them.  I still have a whole bunch more to learn about boys but I am SO thankful for my three and for my precious husband who is so patient and faithful in loving me and helping me grow.

I love you Seth, Tayte, Titus and Benjamin!  

You are treasures in my life!

Hope the articles are a blessing to you as they have been to me.  They are all from Lisa Jacobson's site club31women.com

http://club31women.com/boys-are-awesome-and-best-way-to-love-them/
http://club31women.com/15-things-to-love-about-being-a-mom-of-boys/
http://club31women.com/rite-of-passage-moms-boys/
http://club31women.com/how-can-a-mom-show-love-to-her-son/
http://club31women.com/how-to-instill-vision-in-your-son/
http://club31women.com/how-to-raise-a-good-son-in-a-decaying-culture/
http://club31women.com/12-lessons-want-son-learn-turns-12/
http://club31women.com/21-questions-son-really-needs-ask/
http://club31women.com/a-dozen-ways-to-reach-your-sons-heart/
http://club31women.com/raising-our-sons-to-seek-after-god/
http://club31women.com/mom-raise-boy-strong-godly-man/

Blessings!  ~Karen

Littles Make the Great

LITTLES MAKE THE GREAT

Little rills make wider streamlets;

Streamlets swell the river's flow;

Rivers join the ocean billows,

Onward, onward, as they go.

Life is made of smallest fragments,

Shade and sunshine, work and play:

So may we, with greatest profit,

Learn a little every day.

Tiny seeds make boundless harvests;

Drops of rain compose the showers;

Seconds make the flying minutes,

And the minutes make the hours.

Let us hasten, then, and catch them

As they pass us on the way;

And with honest, true endeavor,

Learn a little every day.

Are we reaping what we sow?

Steve Maxwell sends out encouraging thoughts for dads each week(we moms get to read them too) :-).  Here is this weeks.  I thought it was very thought provoking.  Do you??  His wife, Terri also has encouraging articles specifically for moms too.  To read or sign up to get either or both click here:  http://articles.titus2.com/ 

WHO WOULD HAVE IMAGINED?

This was posted on September 7, 2016 by Steve Maxwell.

Who would have thought the current laws of the land possible?

Who would have thought the current laws would be so selectively enforced?

Who would have thought a mother could legally kill her unborn baby?

Who would have thought we would have the current presidential candidates?

Who would have imagined the current impact of the “church” on our nation?

Who would have imagined so many professing families in so much trouble?

Who would have thought that so many professing families would not be in the Word daily (personally and as a family) nor obediently following the Spirit?

Hmm, thinking of it, it really does make sense, doesn’t it? “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7)

Steve

Don't Give Up

This is simply fantastic!  Hope this sweet song, that has many memories for our family, is an encouragement to you!

How to Enjoy Perfect Peace No Matter Your Circumstances

Another fantastic Real Life with Lisa video!  What a timely blessing this was in our family!  I hope it will be to some of you also.  All too often life gets chaotic and full of busyness and just anything and everything that feels like anything but peace.  But Mrs. Jacobson reminds us that we can ALWAYS have peace and that it's not really about what's going on AROUND us at all, but it's what's going on INSIDE of us that makes whether we have peace or not.  I hope you'll be blessed!
Just a note, Lisa Jacobson from club31women.com, is posting a weekly on Wednesday video series called Real Life with Lisa.  This is the third video she's done.  We've greatly enjoyed each one already. 
~Breanna

http://club31women.com/enjoy-perfect-peace/

Buddy's 1st Hair Cut!

Our little guy has a head of hair that grows like crazy!  You always hate to do that first hair cut, but it was truly time.  He was such a little trouper and did super!  Elizabeth was a great help by holding him on her lap.

 Okay, here we go...

 "Okay, I'll just chew on this then since I'm stuck in it anyways."

 Lol!  What can I say?!

 Esther and Sarah were awesome helpers in keeping him entertained and distracted.

Oh that face is SO darling!

All finished! He was glad to be done too. :-)

Mama did a super job on his little head!

And yes, we did save some of the hair to put in his baby album. :-) 

~Breanna

Happy Birthday Essie!

Our sweetie pie turned 8 this year.  How can she be that old already?!  So thankful for each and every day that we've had with our precious ray of sunshine these past eight years!  She is a constant burst of life, energy and joy and brings many smiles and laughs into our home.  Esther means "star".  We pray that she will truly be a star that shines brightly with the light of the Lord Jesus in this world!  We love you so much sweet heart!
~Big sis Bree

How to Find Courage When All You Feel is Fear (Real Life with Lisa)

Last week we posted a video by Lisa Jacobson from Club 31 Women speaking about hope in the new series she is doing called "Real Life with Lisa".  Her topic this week is

How to Find Courage When All You Feel is Fear

 What a blessing and encouragement this video was to me!  I don't know why fear is something we as human's tend to struggle so much with, but I am so thankful that in Christ we can have peace, confidence and courage in the Lord!  I hope you will also be blessed and encouraged to be courageous!

~Breanna

 http://club31women.com/how-to-find-courage-when-all-you-feel-is-fear-real-life-with-lisa/

Having Peace Like A River

Yesterday while sewing, I was extremely blessed and challenged by this message.  Do we take having the peace of God in our hearts and lives seriously?  As John Dees explains in this message, we should take it seriously because God does.  Do we pursue it?  How do we have this peace?  Isn't being busy for the Lord important?  I hope some of you will take the time to listen to this message and be blessed also.
~Breanna

Thought provoking...

I recently began my second attempt to read through the autobiography of George Muller.  Though a very large book and sometimes tedious, it is so worth the effort to read through it!  As I read the introduction to the book by Jim Elliff, a few things really spoke to me and I thought that it may also be thought provoking and perhaps even inspiring to some of you.
~Breanna

Faith, to Muller, was finding out what God said or what He permitted, and doggedly hanging on to the promises even when circumstances were screaming otherwise.

 God delights to show Himself strong to those whose greatest aspiration is to demonstrate to the world that God is who He says He is.

 People do not care so much about what you can do for God, but they desperately need to see what God will do for you.

Hope

My precious daughters sent this message of encouragement to me this morning.  How blessed I am!  I am so hopeful, as it was such an encouragement to me, that it might be also be to someone else out there.  ~Karen

Precious Visitors!

Saturday we were so blessed to be able to enjoy a short but very sweet visit with Tayte, Martha and our precious little niece Alexandria.  We treasured just being able to wrap our arms around all three of them and enjoy watching how much our little sweetie pie has grown and changed!

Catching up and adoring the babies in the living room


Big brother was tickled to get to see his littlest brother
that he hadn't gotten to see since Benjamin was 1 month old

Benjamin fully approved and decided he liked his biggest brother. :-)
He doesn't know this yet too well, but his big brother can be lots of fun! :-)


And here's our little ray of sunshine!  She's 10 months old now.  What a precious little doll she is!  Big smiles and big personality! Grandma and she had a lot of fun together and Grandma's eyes are sparkling with delight. :-)


It was so fun to watch Benjamin and Alexandria together!
Mom described it that size wise,
Benjamin is like the football player and Alexandria is like the cheerleader. :-)

Zandry, as Tayte and Martha call her, thought that since Uncle Benjamin seemed to think that pacifier was so good, surely he would be good enough to let her have a taste too! She gently put her hands on it and he gently released it so she could pull it out.  It was so cute!  But we did stop her before she got any further. :-)

 
As you can see, Alexandria had next to no attention. :-) The girls had so much fun with her!

 
Snuggles for Aunt Sarah and fun with Aunt Esther 

                                   

Grandpa and Granddaughter sharing some cheese.  They had fun together.
  I don't think Grandpa could get quite enough of her though and would have kept her much longer!

 
Martha's smile says it all here.
She totally loves babies and was so thrilled to get to hold our little guy.
He seemed to like her too. :-)

 Those two...makes me smile all over again just seeing this picture.
I love the look on Tayte's face...so Tayte!
He was quite fascinated with Benjamin's singing toy that's mouth opens
 and Martha seemed to delight in his enjoyment of it.  :-)


It was great that they let Alexandria eat pretty much anything now, because it was a perfect way to win her over! :-)  Ice cream, cool whip, oreo cookies and chocolate syrup.  It worked really well. :-)


Tayte showing us a video that he took at his work place of part of what he does.
He's an Alexander guy through and through- a very hard worker!


 Oh Aunt Bree didn't want to let go!
That big hug was very very treasured.  I just wish they didn't have to get big so quickly.


Benjamin took a definite liking to Tayte and before they left he kept leaning back for Tayte again and again.
I think it melted big brother's heart. :-)


Tayte picked Sarah up and put her on his lap when he was telling her goodbye.

 And then there's these two...LOL!  Tayte was determined to put Titus up to the ceiling, but each time we see them Titus gets bigger and bigger and Tayte decided to make it the last time he did it.  After a few attempts, he did get him up there. Titus drank up every second of it! I love their faces, so full of life.  Brother's are the best! 

A quick shot of our four amazing Alexander men.
They for sure couldn't deny that they are related!

We were never able to get a good picture of the three of them, 

but we're thankful for the ones we did get anyways.
Love the smiles on Martha and Alexandria's faces!

And there's little sweetie's finger!  Her and that finger!  She has a "thing" with pointing.  :-) 

 Made us laugh!

We love and miss you all tons!

~Breanna