Free?! I'll take two!

One of my favorite pastimes is shopping, even if it’s just window shopping. Actually, window shopping may be my favorite kind of shopping because it’s the least expensive. Often times when I shop for groceries, I buy the store brand instead of the national brands. The more expensive, national brands are replaceable. You can substitute the store brand, and it usually is just as good. But, in this life, there is one thing that there is no substitute for:  the precious blood of Jesus. You see, He has already purchased our redemption with His own blood. 

A song says, “No other blood can heal my broken body, and no other blood could save my sin-sick soul. No other blood could conquer death and win the victory. No other blood but the blood Jesus shed for me.” He has already paid the ultimate price and has given each of us the best gift of all. If there was something in a store that was guaranteed to make your life happier, more peaceful, more lively would you not want to buy it? Then, what if you found out that it was free? Would you just leave it in the store’s window? No way! Why do we do that with the wonderful gifts that God has given? It begins with redemption. But, it does not end there. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV says, “For I know the plans I have for you,“ declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” You may say, “But, I’ll have to change my life to live in that redemption.” Yes, your life will change. But, that’s the best part!

Her price is far above rubies

As we near Mother's Day this year, think about the precious impact Godly mothers have on the lives of their children. I am reminded of the verse, “Her children shall rise and call her blessed.” I grew up in the lap of luxury-not the type of luxury that most people consider. Instead, I was surrounded by the luxury of a Godly heritage. For generations, my family has followed Christ. I don’t take that lightly. I know what a true blessing it has been. My mom reminds me of the scripture in Proverbs 31:10, "Who can find a virtuous woman for her worth is far above rubies." I am completely spoiled by the "above-ruby" mother that I am accustomed to. Mother’s Day is a special day to me because I believe that I had the best mother you could imagine. Growing up, our home was like a greenhouse-a place where we children learned character, values, and integrity. For Mom, loving God was a passionate pursuit and a way of life-not just going to church (although, we were always faithful). She taught us to seek the Lord for everything. She also reminded us that God doesn’t often speak to us in loud booms. More often, he speaks in a still small voice. So, she taught us to be prepared to respond when that still, small voice pricks our hearts. It doesn’t seem to say enough, but “thank you” to the mothers who make sure their children are capable of carrying on the sweet heritage of a Godly lineage.

A Hospital for Sinners

At church Sunday night, we had a wonderful service. The teenagers had just returned from Winter Renewal, and they were on fire! One of the teenagers, Caleb, testified. While he was speaking, he said that we need to reach out for sinners and welcome them into church-after all, isn’t that who needs it most? This reminded me of an Abigail Van Buren quote: “A church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints.” We have all been in need of God’s grace at one point or another. Jesus was criticized for eating with tax collectors and sinners. But, in Matthew 9:12-13 NLT he tells his critics, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor-sick people do.” Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” I was reminded of a song by the David Crowder Band called “How He Loves”. One of the verses says, "We are His portion and He is our prize, Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes. If grace is an ocean, we're all sinking." That is immeasurable grace and love. According to an online dictionary, grace is defined as “the free and unmerited favor of God.” How much must God love us to offer such grace! To comprehend God’s love for us, do we not have to love others? And, to serve Christ, we must serve others. David McCasland said it well: "When we reach out to people in need, we are able to extend to others the grace of God-guiding them to His healing touch." What kind of touch do you extend?

How Did Mary Do It?

Recently, I was reading the second chapter of Luke (concerning the birth of Jesus). I was struck by the nineteenth verse: “But Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.” There was so much going on around Mary. In this chapter, Mary has just given birth to Jesus, and the shepherds have come to see Jesus because they were told by an angel that He was the Messiah. It is also hard for me to imagine what was going through Mary’s mind. How exciting must it be to see the angel’s prophecy coming to fruition! If that were your baby boy, can you imagine how you would react? I think that I would have been tempted to be proud and boisterous. But, remember what Luke 2:19 said, “She kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.” I have to think that she wanted to capture each moment of her new life as it happened. If she had been busy gushing to everyone about how wonderful it all was, she might have missed out on something that was being said about her son-the Messiah.

As busy as our lives are today, imagine what we may be able to hear if we took the time to listen. The Lord could be speaking to your heart through those around you. So, when life is bustling, remember to take a moment to grasp the important things in your heart. Remember, the important things may not be the loud things going on in your life, so don’t let the noise distract you.

Power in a name?

Last week, I was making peanut butter fudge, and my phone started ringing. Since I was in the middle of making fudge, I couldn’t answer my phone (and risk messing up the fudge). But, when I was able to check my phone, I had numerous missed calls as well as a couple of voicemails. It turned out that a judge needed to get in touch with me about one of my cases. But, the judge did not have my phone number. So, she had to get other people to call me. That made me think about the direct connection I have to Jesus. I don’t have to depend on anyone else to “call” him for me. I can simply speak his name. If we could grasp this, we may surprise ourselves at the obstacles that we are able to overcome without ever feeling oppressed.

Something else that has been rolling around in my head over the past week or so is a song that Jeremiah Yocom sings. The song is titled “He Knows My Name.” It says:

He counts the stars one and all

He knows how much sand is on the shore

He sees every sparrow that falls

He made the mountains and the sea

He’s in control of everything

All creatures great and small

And He knows my name

Every step that I take

Every move that I make

Every tear that I cry

He knows my name

When I’m overwhelmed by the pain

I can’t see the light of day

I know I’ll be just fine

‘Cause He knows my name

I don’t know what tomorrow may bring

I can’t tell you what’s in store

I don’t know a lot of things

I don’t have all the answers to the questions of life

But I know in whom I have believed

Think about your favorite famous actor or singer/musician. Imagine how star-struck you would be if you saw him/her in person. Then, what if they knew you by name? Wouldn’t you go weak in the knees? Have you considered that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords knows you personally? He knows the number of hairs on your head. He longs for a meaningful relationship with you. But, as we all know, the key to a healthy relationship is communication. I want my relationship with Him to be all it can be. I want to be confident that He knows my innermost thoughts, concerns, disappointments, and satisfactions.

Hold On

There is a song that I used to sing with my church choir. One of the verses says,


The devil comes a-knockin', trying to steal your soul
Blinding you with circumstances that you cannot control
Your heart's been torn to pieces
You're at the end of your rope
You've gotta a choice to make
Are you gonna hold on or just let go


Hold on to what you got
The fire's not that hot
You can walk on through the flame
Holding on to Jesus' name
The devil is a liar, you can blow out his fire
With the power He has given unto us
Hold on to what you got


Sometimes, we don't give holding our ground enough credit. But, it made me think about what I was told as a child in regards to any potential bully-stand up for yourself. At times, it feels like standing is all you can do. But, remember, standing your ground is better than losing it. If you give up, you have just lost all the ground that you had gained. Psalm 27:1-3 NLT says, "The Lord is my light and my salvation-so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident."


There is absolutely no reason to ever give up. Even if all you can do is stand, consider Ephesians 6 "Having done all to stand, stand." 

Thankful Thirty

I was invited by a friend to join in an event on facebook. The goal is to name one thing each day (during the month of November) that you are thankful for. So, I thought that I'll blog about it too. My goal is to name one thing daily on facebook, and create an on-going list for my blog. I may expand more on each day in the blog also.


So here goes:


Day 1: I'm thankful for my wonder mom, Tina. She has been and will always be a true inspiration of what a Christian mom should be. When I was younger, I had no idea all that she did. But, now, as I reflect, I am truly amazed by what she accomplished, and she made it look so easy! I'm thankful for her discipline, love, sacrifice, and example. I could not be what I am today without her guidance over the past 27 years. Love you Mom!


Day 2: "I wasn't looking for someone I could live with. I was looking for the one I could not live without." I'm thankful for my husband. He loves me, brings me joy, and challenges me to be my best. He is a wonderful man.


Day 3: "A sister is a friend, chosen by God." I'm thankful for my twin sister, Lesha. I love that we still take our yearly vacations and completely enjoy the time together. We aren't alike in many ways, but I think that is what makes our connection so strong. I'm thankful that God gave me such a great friend from birth. What a blessing!


Day 4: "It was nice growing up with someone like you-someone to lean on, someone to count on...someone to tell on!" I am thankful for my brother, Jordan. If it wasn't for him, I would have probably never given a career in law enforcement a real thought. I still remember standing in El Charro talking about my job (as a hair stylist at the time) and Jordan saying, "Why don't you become a cop?" Now, when we go to El Charro, or sit around any other dinner table, we have plenty of stories to share.


Day 5: I am thankful for my sweet dad, Mar. "The words that a father speaks to his children in the privacy of home are not heard by the world, but, as in whispering-galleries, they are clearly heard at the end and by posterity." ~Jean Paul Richter. My dad doesn't give much advice; but, when he does, it is definitely worth taking.  ♥ ya Dad!