We had a fantastic night tonight at church (springhillbc.blogspot.com) with guest quartet Paul's Journey. If any of you in the south Alabama area would like to hear some great music this weekend, head on down to Harmony at the Gulf in Orange Beach tomorrow through Sunday. Paul's Journey, along with many other groups, will be ministering through their musical talents all weekend.
I encourage you to visit their website and check out their music: paulsjourneyonline.com. You will be blessed!
Their message tonight through music was just the energy boost I needed to rejuice my system to make it through the rest of this week. I haven't been feeling well lately, which is why I haven't been blogging much (sorry!). I'll catch up soon, I promise!!
Tonight, I want to leave you with this thought: Are you doing what God wants you to be doing?? I don't just mean overall in the big scheme of life. I'm talking about today, tomorrow, this week- are you doing what God wants you to be doing right now, in this moment, in this situation, under these circumstances??
No matter what is going on in your day to day, God has a purpose and a plan for every aspect of your life, not just the big decisions. He may lead you to go to Hardees instead of McDonalds for breakfast because the cashier there needs you to witness to her - who knows! When you surrender to Him, even the little, seemingly insignificant things can turn into ministry moments that could change someone's life... maybe even your own.
Doing the Happy Dance!!!
I'm done! I'm done! I'm really really done!!!!!
Whoo-hoo! Hip hip hooray!!! My novel is complete and ready for publication. This is a day I've been working toward my whole life but thought would never happen because I didn't believe in myself enough to go for it in the past. I thank God for putting people in my life who do believe in me and who have pushed me to see this through.
In high school, becoming a writer is all I really wanted to do (other than play in the WNBA, of course), and to have this dream come to fruition a decade later overwhelms me. To be able to walk into my ten-year class reunion as a published novelist... it's more than I thought I'd ever accomplish.
Thank you for your prayers over the last year, and especially the last few months as I've been finishing up my manuscript. My excitement is beyond what my words can express (which is kind of bad since I'm a writer). One of the most exciting aspects of being finished is that I can get back to blogging!! I have stored up so many things I want to put onto paper while I've forced tunnel-vision on myself in order to meet my deadline, and I look forward to sharing all of those thoughts with you here.
2013 is going to be the best year of my life!! I can feel it in my bones!! :-)
Thank you, Lord, for your blessings!
Whoo-hoo! Hip hip hooray!!! My novel is complete and ready for publication. This is a day I've been working toward my whole life but thought would never happen because I didn't believe in myself enough to go for it in the past. I thank God for putting people in my life who do believe in me and who have pushed me to see this through.
In high school, becoming a writer is all I really wanted to do (other than play in the WNBA, of course), and to have this dream come to fruition a decade later overwhelms me. To be able to walk into my ten-year class reunion as a published novelist... it's more than I thought I'd ever accomplish.
Thank you for your prayers over the last year, and especially the last few months as I've been finishing up my manuscript. My excitement is beyond what my words can express (which is kind of bad since I'm a writer). One of the most exciting aspects of being finished is that I can get back to blogging!! I have stored up so many things I want to put onto paper while I've forced tunnel-vision on myself in order to meet my deadline, and I look forward to sharing all of those thoughts with you here.
2013 is going to be the best year of my life!! I can feel it in my bones!! :-)
Thank you, Lord, for your blessings!
No write...
Today is one of those days when I feel I can't do anything right... which, in turn, means no writing gets done. You know how those days are. Fortunately, none of my problems are really even big enough to call 'problems'; they're just inconveniences, I guess.
Primary mess up at the moment - my husband is searching high and low for something he swears I've hidden from him (which is likely true since I'm usually to blame for putting things away then forgetting where they are), but I have no idea where it is. I'm sure he'll eventually give up, then I'll have to look for it and probably find it in a matter of minutes, which will then prompt him to believe I knew all along where it was (but I don't - I promise). Editing note- He did give up, and I found it in 5 minutes. To his credit, I was the one to put it away and forget where it was, just as I expected.
Frustrating time-waster number two - I spent a while this morning carefully planning a grocery list with coupons, then the cashier wouldn't accept some of them (which makes absolutely no sense since the coupons came from the same place as others she processed for me with no problem and they clearly were not out of date). So instead of saving $2, I spent an extra $6 because I didn't want to take the additional time to return the items to the shelves. Big deal, I know you're thinking, $6, whoop-dee-whoop.
Lastly, while I'm trying to concentrate on editing my novel (with my husband loudly rummaging through every nook and cranny of my house and yard), my phone keeps ringing with Avon customers looking for their products. My Avon shipment came in a few days behind schedule, so I just got it in this morning instead of last week. I guess I'll be spending this afternoon working on that job instead of writing.
Tomorrow is already booked working a temp job, and I go back to my teaching job next week, so I'm running out of time to edit my novel and, therefore, feeling so frustrated that I'm letting little bity things like $2 in coupons throw me out of my rhythm.
Lord, please help me look past these little things that often get in my way. You know how I struggle with maintaining my stress level and thrive with a steady routine, which gets complicated by even these minor mishaps. Please help me to not get caught up with worrying about these minute details of life that really don't matter at all, and help me to shake off all things - big or small - that would put me in a less than happy mood. Thank you for a house with so many closets that things get lost. Thank you that I have time to clip coupons and for the dollars I did save and that I'm able to buy groceries without pinching pennies. And thank you for my successful Avon business that keeps me busy even on what I consider my off days. Please help me finish editing my book and guide me so the finishing product will glorify You. In Jesus name, Amen.
Primary mess up at the moment - my husband is searching high and low for something he swears I've hidden from him (which is likely true since I'm usually to blame for putting things away then forgetting where they are), but I have no idea where it is. I'm sure he'll eventually give up, then I'll have to look for it and probably find it in a matter of minutes, which will then prompt him to believe I knew all along where it was (but I don't - I promise). Editing note- He did give up, and I found it in 5 minutes. To his credit, I was the one to put it away and forget where it was, just as I expected.
Frustrating time-waster number two - I spent a while this morning carefully planning a grocery list with coupons, then the cashier wouldn't accept some of them (which makes absolutely no sense since the coupons came from the same place as others she processed for me with no problem and they clearly were not out of date). So instead of saving $2, I spent an extra $6 because I didn't want to take the additional time to return the items to the shelves. Big deal, I know you're thinking, $6, whoop-dee-whoop.
Lastly, while I'm trying to concentrate on editing my novel (with my husband loudly rummaging through every nook and cranny of my house and yard), my phone keeps ringing with Avon customers looking for their products. My Avon shipment came in a few days behind schedule, so I just got it in this morning instead of last week. I guess I'll be spending this afternoon working on that job instead of writing.
Tomorrow is already booked working a temp job, and I go back to my teaching job next week, so I'm running out of time to edit my novel and, therefore, feeling so frustrated that I'm letting little bity things like $2 in coupons throw me out of my rhythm.
Lord, please help me look past these little things that often get in my way. You know how I struggle with maintaining my stress level and thrive with a steady routine, which gets complicated by even these minor mishaps. Please help me to not get caught up with worrying about these minute details of life that really don't matter at all, and help me to shake off all things - big or small - that would put me in a less than happy mood. Thank you for a house with so many closets that things get lost. Thank you that I have time to clip coupons and for the dollars I did save and that I'm able to buy groceries without pinching pennies. And thank you for my successful Avon business that keeps me busy even on what I consider my off days. Please help me finish editing my book and guide me so the finishing product will glorify You. In Jesus name, Amen.
Links for Reading the Bible through in 2013
Weekly Bible Reading Chart http://70030.netministry.com/images/WeeklyGenresChart.pdf
(I will be loosely following this chart while incorporating my Sunday School lessons from LifeWords Adults by LifeWay)
Bible Reading Checklist http://raebear.net/faith/readingplans/
I'd like to say THANK YOU to Jessica for posting this checklist and other Bible study tools online for free on her website. I don't know her last name, but take a minute to visit her website and blog if you're interested in other tools for studying the Bible or just want to read her testimony. I searched and searched for a good checklist to use, and the two she posted are the best I found. So, thanks!!
(I will be loosely following this chart while incorporating my Sunday School lessons from LifeWords Adults by LifeWay)
Bible Reading Checklist http://raebear.net/faith/readingplans/
I'd like to say THANK YOU to Jessica for posting this checklist and other Bible study tools online for free on her website. I don't know her last name, but take a minute to visit her website and blog if you're interested in other tools for studying the Bible or just want to read her testimony. I searched and searched for a good checklist to use, and the two she posted are the best I found. So, thanks!!
Goals for 2013
This new year poses new opportunities for me - the publishing of my first novel being at the forefront - and I want to make sure I start this year off right! I'm not making resolutions -- I always need to eat healthy and exercise, why start January 1st? -- but I am taking the time to evaluate my life and make decisions I know will benefit me in many ways.
One of those "resolutions" I plan to share with you and hope you will join me in making this resolution yourself!
I read the Bible through many many years ago, but I feel that knowing my beliefs backwards and forwards is extremely important in today's society where Christianity is being put down and discarded by many. To be honest, the idea of reading the Bible through has often seemed a chore to me. I can make it through Genesis, but I get stuck in Exodus and Leviticus (I cannot get passed the "begots"). I know myself well enough to know that after a two days of "___ begot ____ and ____ begot ____", I'd be less likely to pick up my Bible on the third day, and my whole rhythm and motivation would be messed up.
So, I searched for a plan that would work for me! I like the idea of reading the Bible chronologically, but I'd still end up in Exodus day after day for a while, so that wouldn't work. I also like the plan that involves reading three separate passages from different areas in the Bible each day, but I don't feel that reading about multiple topics all at once will give me the best overall study. I'd rather just focus on one passage each day.
Then I found it! The study I've chosen to use is the One Year Bible Reading Plan on www.christiananswers.net. Each day of the week studies a specific type of writing from the Bible: Monday- The Law, Tuesday- History, Wednesday- Psalms, Thursday- Poetry, Friday- Prophecy, Saturday- Gospels, Sunday- Epistles. I love this plan!! Varying the types of passages from day to day will keep the text feeling fresh, and I like that it is broken down in to weeks rather than starting January 1st.
I will be blogging about the passages I'm studying so you can learn with me as I go, and I'd love to hear your feedback. Send me an email: rhondastaylor.blogspot@gmail.com.
I hope you had a wonderful CHRISTmas -- I sure did! -- and pray you have a happy and healthy 2013!
**My wonderful parents also gave me a new study Bible for Christmas. It's beautiful!! and HEAVY!!! I needed a large print study Bible to use while sitting at my writing desk, and this is perfect! Thank you!
One of those "resolutions" I plan to share with you and hope you will join me in making this resolution yourself!
I read the Bible through many many years ago, but I feel that knowing my beliefs backwards and forwards is extremely important in today's society where Christianity is being put down and discarded by many. To be honest, the idea of reading the Bible through has often seemed a chore to me. I can make it through Genesis, but I get stuck in Exodus and Leviticus (I cannot get passed the "begots"). I know myself well enough to know that after a two days of "___ begot ____ and ____ begot ____", I'd be less likely to pick up my Bible on the third day, and my whole rhythm and motivation would be messed up.
So, I searched for a plan that would work for me! I like the idea of reading the Bible chronologically, but I'd still end up in Exodus day after day for a while, so that wouldn't work. I also like the plan that involves reading three separate passages from different areas in the Bible each day, but I don't feel that reading about multiple topics all at once will give me the best overall study. I'd rather just focus on one passage each day.
Then I found it! The study I've chosen to use is the One Year Bible Reading Plan on www.christiananswers.net. Each day of the week studies a specific type of writing from the Bible: Monday- The Law, Tuesday- History, Wednesday- Psalms, Thursday- Poetry, Friday- Prophecy, Saturday- Gospels, Sunday- Epistles. I love this plan!! Varying the types of passages from day to day will keep the text feeling fresh, and I like that it is broken down in to weeks rather than starting January 1st.
I will be blogging about the passages I'm studying so you can learn with me as I go, and I'd love to hear your feedback. Send me an email: rhondastaylor.blogspot@gmail.com.
I hope you had a wonderful CHRISTmas -- I sure did! -- and pray you have a happy and healthy 2013!
**My wonderful parents also gave me a new study Bible for Christmas. It's beautiful!! and HEAVY!!! I needed a large print study Bible to use while sitting at my writing desk, and this is perfect! Thank you!
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