Sister to Shout Hallelujah with!

Last winter I did a Beth Moore bible study, which I truly enjoyed! One of the things that I remember Beth saying, and is the reason for the name of this blog, is that we all need someone to Shout Hallelujah with. I am so blessed because I have that "someone". That "Someone" is my sister Rachael. For as long as I can remember she's had a better sense of God, even when we were little. However, as she's gotten older and married and become a mom, she's grown in her relationship with God. The really awesome thing, is she excites everyone she knows about their own relationship with God. Everyone wants what she's got! Which is totally awesome because she owns her own hair salon and literally touches the lives of hundreds of people just through the time they spend in her chair. Now, she's not preachy in any way, shape, or form, so it's not like she wraps that cape around you and straps you in for a sermon, she's not like that. However, you leave her shop feeling good about life. She's just a very positive, uplifting person and if you share her belief in God and are excited to talk about it and share, she's right there with you. However, if that's not your thing, she's okay with that too, but you still leave her shop feeling awesome and it really has nothing to do with how your hair looks, although, that helps LOL God has given her a "stage" to do His work and show His love and she does it well, with His help and guidance.

Last fall she really wanted to go to a Joyce Meyer Womens Conference and couldn't find anyone to go with her. I love my sister and I knew how important this was to her so I told her if she couldn't find anyone, that I would go with her. I truly thought that I was only doing this for her. Boy oh boy, was I wrong! God works in fabulous ways doesn't He?? I've always been a Christian but because of that one fabulous wknd that I went to the conference "for my sister", I've started a new, better relationship with God of my very own. One of the most awesome parts of that relationship is that I can share it with Rachael. I know that if ever I need to Shout Hallelujah with someone and not get a funny look, I can call Rachael and she's right there with me!!!

I'm very blessed that my life is surrounded by many Believers, and I am very loved, but there's just something that much more special about having a Sister to Shout Hallelujah with. I pray that everyone has someone they can do that with, even better, if it's a Sister!

An epiphany

Ever have one of those still small voices that just pushes you in the right direction?? I had one of those last night in relation to trying to get a handle on our finances so that we can tithe without it feeling like we're drowning to do it. I so desperatly want to do this! I also, in listening to Andy Stanley have learned that financial freedom and being debt free is what God wants for us. This is an area I struggle terribly in. It's also an area that my husband doesn't get involved with. Not because he doesn't care, but because it's just always been this way. I'm in charge of writing the checks and making sure the bills are being paid. However, last night, my "A-HA" moment, was when I realized I cannot do this on my own. I need him to be involved in this, we have to do this together. It has become an area that I'm not so good at and that I need some added direction and guidance, and some one elses judgement and decision making. Now, I just have to break this to him, hmmm, maybe link to my blog is in order huh? Love ya honey!

A Time, A Place, A Plan

I love to read! I read books all the time, James Patterson, Janet Evanovich, Dean Koonz, Jan Karon, and countless other authors whose collective works don't impact my life in the least once I've read the last page of the last chapter and close the book.

However the one book whose contents affects every single moment of every single day of my life I rarely crack open. Why is that? Why is it so difficult to sit down and read the bible? I went out and I bought this great Vera Wang bible cover in this great tapestry pattern, with the little front pocket for my journal, my pen and my highlighter. It has this great little handle by which to carry it if I should ever want to take it anywhere. So it's all packaged real nice and looks real pretty. What good is all that though if I never open it?

I listened to a 3 part series by Andy Stanley from Northpoint Community Church about reading our bible. He likened it to a text message, a text message from God. In the last message of the series he challenged us to find a Time, a Place and have a Plan on how we're going to go about reading our bible. I thought, alright, this is just the challenge I've been waiting for, as if it needs to be some sort of sporting event type thing in order for me to open that book.

However, this morning, I picked my time; morning, mornings are good for me. I'm usually up before most everyone, and those few times that others may be up they're busy doing other things. I picked my place; the cozy comfy couch in the family room. Now my plan, hmmmm the plan thing is the fuzzy area for me. I think I'm gonna do the open and read what it opens to plan LOL, or maybe I'll pick a book and go through that. I started this morning with James, I'll finish that I think, it started good, I'd like to see how it ends.

So, do you have A Time, A Place, A Plan???

New CD

I talked in a previous post how important music is to the way I worship and this right now is my favorite cd! I just love it!!!

God is Awesome!!!

For those of you that may not know, I'm attempting to be an artist, this is something that I just feel with my heart of hearts that it's what I want to do and I feel that God's okay with that choice. I have started to venture out into the Art Fair world a bit and let me tell you, it's a scary thing. Yesterday was my first ART Fair and what a positive experience it was!!! First of all, all week the forecast called for thunderstorms, so I prayed about it and asked for a nice day. What do you know, it was beautiful all day long, blue skies and sunny and warm! The spot we got for our tent was awesome, right near a big shade tree!!

Now when I decided to do this, I have made it my goal not to focus on sales. Yes, sales are nice, but at this point it's not what I want to focus the Art Fair experience on. Selling is nice, and I'm thrilled that someone would like what I do well enough to display it in their home, however, I'm more interested in feedback at this point. Having someone come into my booth and tell me they like what I do, and how different and interesting it is. When they ask questions and want to know about my art, to me, at this point anyways, is more rewarding that the almighty dollar. I got so much positive feedback from people I cannot even begin to tell you about it all.

The best part in all of this is that I truely felt the presence of God yesterday. He was there in ever aspect of it. He helped calm me when we were on our way and I was beginning to get nervous all the way till it was time to pack up and go home. I just felt so blessed yesterday and I know that I owe everything to the Glory of His name. Our God IS and Awesome God!!!!

The Power of Music

I know that worshiping God is more than just music, but music moves me. I've always been very much into music and being an artist, I use music quite often to set a mood. There are some worship songs that you just cannot help but want to raise your hands to the heavens and praise God. One of the songs lately that has just really moved me is a newer one by Delirious? called "My Soul Sings", and sing it does!!! That's one of those songs that when it comes on, I have a hard time continuing what I'm doing because it's so powerful that it requires my full attention.

Missing Church

I haven't been to chuch in 2 weeks, and I have an art show tomorrow so wouldn't be able to go then either. Even though I know that I don't NEED chuch to have God in my life, church is like my weekly revival or recharging. When I don't have it I feel like I'm slipping away from God cause I'm not getting that recharge, that boost that reminds me to nurture my relationship with God. Our church has a Saturday evening service as well so we're going to go to that tonight thank goodness. I need my recharge.