De-cluttering..to be of one mind and one heart~

About a month ago I began a quest to de-clutter my life. My home, my heart and my spirit were bogged down. God has brought a lot of direction in this process and I am grateful. He has used friends in their love  and wisdom to help me  see the truth. I needed to focus on Him more and listen for His voice in every area. As He is helping me to do this, I am experiencing more peace and His direction. I cannot look at others and compare. I MUST be obedient to His Word and not other's opinions. God in His gentleness and faithfulness has brought me back to a place of fasting and more serious prayer. Daniel 9:3 says, Then I set my face toward God to make my request by prayer and supplication and fasting.

My desire is to sweep out all the things that distract me from knowing His heart and loving Him with my whole heart, soul and mind. I want to be of ONE  mind and ONE heart with Him so that I may accomplish HIS purposes for my life and HIS kingdom. Nothing else matters.

As a friend so wisely put it; God is showing me that LESS is MORE.

God Bless,

Tamara

cold frosty morning....

Sometimes in the evenings our family sits around and plays music and sings. We love to worship the Lord and sometimes just play songs that are enjoyable to listen to. Practicing our skills is part of why we play as well. On this particular evening we were playing a song called Cold Frosty Morning.

This is the day that the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.

Loaves & Fishes

As a family, the Lord has given us a desire to minister in music. We have done this in various ways throughout the years. We have led worship in the community and in the local church.  We have shared at senior centers and nursing homes as well as at family gatherings. Our family has always enjoyed singing and music. Most songs are accompanied by a variety of instruments. At times the children have signed to a song and others are sung accapella. The music ranges from patriotic to classical. However, as diverse as it has been, our desire has always been to honor God and to encourage others.

In the past year, we have been feeling  a stronger desire to minister to people with our music and have been practicing a lot. Our hearts desire is to minister to the lost and encourage the family of God. We would like to add prison ministry to our outreaches.

  It doesn't matter how small the gift. Just give it in faith, out of love and obedience and allow Him to touch it and bless it...just like the loaves and fishes.

God is Faithful

Today I am finding myself more encouraged than I have been in several months. There has been a lot of change in my life recently and though these have been positive and necessary changes allowed by a loving heavenly Father, they have been very difficult to accept and adjust to. I have felt weak, vulnerable and very insecure in my relationship with God and with others. There have been moments of despair and feeling completely overwhelmed. There were many times of tears and fearfulness Even knowing that God is faithful and loving did not comfort me or give me hope.

I didn't feel the hope or the love but knowing that His Word is true and that He is faithful, I knew that He would help me to hold on until my beliefs were made manifest in my heart and my life. Through prayer, reading the Word and gentle and consistent encouragement from my husband, children, friends and the Lord Himself, I am experiencing the hope that I knew existed. My circumstances have not changed but He has been faithful to bring me through that dark time to a place where I can see His light and feel His loving goodness and warmth once again. I am so grateful for a loving God who has made a way for me in the wilderness, has given me strength and never leaves me.

I will pray for my readers to know that same assurance and to be able to rest in that place.

Blessings~
Tamara