Shirley is the proud mother of two beautiful young ladies. She enjoys spending time with them on their ranch in the deep South with their three paint horses. Always looking for an adventure, she looks forward to hikes in the mountains chasing waterfalls, or scouring the coast for beautiful lighthouses! Shirley writes to encourage others and often times shares things that motivate and inspire her. She believes in living life to the fullest because no one is promised the gift of another day. Join her as we honor our bodies, minds, hearts, souls, and our Almighty Creator, God above!
Tomorrow, January 8th, marks a very important day. It is my oldest daughter’s birthday. It is a day that is filled with great celebration but also silent tears. She has gone from a perfect little baby that I cradled in my arms to a vibrant and happy little girl who once ran free in a meadow filled with wild flowers without a single care in the world. She turned into a teenager inching her way to independence. I admire and adore the young lady who is now making her own way in this world.
As she turns 17 years old, my wish is for her to always know, without a shadow of a doubt, how much I truly love her and will do everything within my power for her. More
There are several Christian books available for a limited time that I wanted to share with you. They are available for download for your Kindle, but if you do not have a Kindle, you can still download to your computer. These are also available for download on your Nook (as I verified earlier when I downloaded my free e-books):
How are you doing with the New Year’s Resolutions or goals that you set going into 2014?
If you have fallen off of the wagon, brush yourself off, and get right back on! This is going to be a GREAT year!
Here are a few things to keep in mind as you strive for a healthier you all year through!
First and foremost, trust in the Lord! He knows what the future holds. He holds YOU in the palm of His hand. Nothing that you will encounter this year will come as a surprise to Him! Trust Him. He has plans for us – plans to prosper us, plans to give us hope and a future. If in doubt, refer back to Jeremiah 29:11. That is one of my most favorite bible verses, and one this website is based on as well!
If you set out with great ambition on being healthier in the new year, you still can! Eat more fruits and vegetables and less junk food. Be mindful of what you are putting in your mouth. Do not eat in front of the computer or television. Take time to savor every bite. Then make sure you are drinking plenty of water. If you’ve ever wondered if you’re drinking enough water during the course of the day or just how much you need to drink, this simplifies it for you! No excuses now! Drink more water and less sweetened soft drinks, sweet tea, or juices. Water is so good for you! Add some fresh lemon juice for an added benefit! More
Have you seen this picture before? If so, have you stopped to consider what you would say to your younger self, or did you just sigh and scroll right on past that post on Facebook?
I considered the question, and I took the time to really search my heart. It is hard to answer this with only two words. However, the following keeps coming back to me each time:More
Yep, that’s right. I’m only human. I have days where things bother me, and I am tempted to become discouraged. Try as I may to push the negatives out of my head, they seem to resurface. At times like these, it is important to reach out to someone. There are just some times that you have to pour your heart out. You have permission to feel the feelings and to talk about them, just don’t dwell on them. That is where you get into trouble. The more you dwell on the negatives of a situation, it will start to consume you. As the saying goes,
You can’t live a positive life with a negative mind.
I heard another one today that rings true as well, and it is as follows:
Your thoughts about the situation lead to unhappiness.
I had a very sweet friend pray for me this week. Not only did she pray for me, but she reached out and let me know that I was on her heart and that she just had to let me know she was praying for me. I’m glad she did because her message came at just the right time. It was as if her heart knew that my heart was troubled and her words were like soothing balm to my soul.
What did I do to combat the negative thoughts this week? I prayed, and then I put on praise and worship music. I can guarantee you that if you put on some good uplifting “feel good” type of music and just start singing your heart out, you are bound to drive away those ill feelings! I do not believe that you can remain in a negative frame of mind when you lift up your hands or voices to the Lord to sing His praises. That was, indeed, the solution for me this week, more specifically tonight! More
So here I am proclaiming to the world that this post is part of the Happy Wives Club Blog Tour, which I am delighted to be a part of along with hundreds of inspiring bloggers. ~Insert excited giggle here!~
I just recently discovered Fawn and the Happy Wives Club. In this world filled with negative conversation, I have found that, unfortunately, marriages are on the top of that list! When so many people speak negatively about their marriage or marriages in general, Fawn has encouraged us to join together to tell the world that happy marriages DO still exist! We are living proof! More
We are mixing things up a little today and are doing a little assignment prompted by Lisa Jo Baker {I just love her!}. To find out all about how Five Minute Fridays got started, click here. Basically, you write about whatever is in your heart and on your mind for five minutes straight based on a prompt word. Don’t worry about run on sentences or if you misspell a word, etc. It’s okay! Just write for five minutes, and share with others by linking up on her site. If you don’t have a blog, that is okay, too, as you can add your Five Minute Friday masterpiece in the comment section of her site. I welcome you to add them here on my blog, too, if you feel so inclined.
I would venture to say that I am definitely on the right track with this blog and sharing God’s light, love, and hope. Why do I say this? Because in doing so, I have stirred up the enemy. Remember when I posted previously that he aims to steal, kill, and destroy? He has reared up his head this past week in places you would not even dream of … like church using “church people” or fellow Christians! While it is extremely sad, this is no surprise as we have had this happen to us before in churches. My dad even reminded me this week that the devil is more at work in the churches than one would like to believe. He is. People, beware!
Then today I had a “friend” attempt to launch an assault at me as well. Wow. If you’re wondering why I chose to word it that way … it is because although she attempted, I did not take it on. Although she tried to draw me in to her negativity, I did not allow it. I did not entertain it. I, instead, chose to continue in peace. I chose to continue to remain in a calm state. I chose to not be offended. I chose to hang on to my joy! More
Welcome to the very first day of 2014! We hope you had a wonderful holiday season and safely rang in the new year! Now it is time to get down to business!
To make sure this year gets off to a great start, Holley Gerth has offered a challenge! What exactly does this challenge entail? I’m glad you asked! Holley says:
The concept is simple: I’m asking you to pour out a little love with your words every Wednesday.
How does it work? Each week Holley will issue a prompt for us to ponder and then pour our hearts out into words of encouragement.
Holley goes on to say:
Research shows that those who focus on encouraging others are happier, healthier and live longer. So this could be the best New Year’s resolution you’ve ever made.
If you have a blog of your own, please consider accepting this challenge and posting on your own blog. If you do not have a blog, that is okay, too, as you can post on any social media platform of your choice. If you would rather not do any of these, then I encourage you to simply “reply” and leave a comment here on Light, Love, Hope … share your heart, pour it all out, bless someone with showing your light, love, and hope through words of encouragement. Just take this opportunity to pour out your words of love and encouragement. Your words do not have to be directed to me. Use this space to write whatever is on your heart. If there is something that you would like to say to someone that you haven’t gotten the nerve up to do just yet, consider writing it out here and praying over it. Then as God leads, share those words of love and encouragement! I know you have it in you. It is time to bless someone’s heart and life with your words.
I hope you’ll join me. I am VERY excited about this and thank Holley for this challenge issued to many far and wide!
Wow! The year 2013 is coming to a close in just a few short hours. We are receiving the gift of a new year. What will you do with it? What story will you write on the pages in your book of life in this coming year?
We begin tomorrow on this new journey into the year 2014. Please do not look back on this year or previous ones with sorrow or regret. The past is done, and there is not a single thing we can do about it now. There’s no changing it. Make peace with your past right this minute so that you do not carry around the weight of that type of baggage as we go into the new year.
If there were people that wronged you this past year, forgive them … not so much for their sake as that of your own! When you hold a grudge and carry the weight of that around with you, honestly you are only hurting yourself. This other person has probably gone on about their lives without giving a second thought to that which you are holding on to and that which is eating at you. Anger and resentment only hurt YOU! Pray for God to take this off of you, that He will release you from the chains that bind you!
There is only this moment in time that we are guaranteed. We hope that we’ll wake up tomorrow to be able to share the beauty of another day with our families. We pray that God will allow us a long life full of love. We pray over our family, health, and finances. We pray for healthy bodies, souls, and minds and that we would be protected and sheltered from all harm.
There are so many new opportunities as we ring in the new year. You have a chance to make a difference in the world. Yes, you! If you think you can’t, I know differently! I have faith in YOU! I believe in YOU! You have the power with the help of Almighty God to do great things in this life!
As I was writing the first paragraph about the pages in your book of life, I was reminded about God’s book of life. Is your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? Won’t you ask Him into your heart and life today? Will you follow Him and trust in Him? If things haven’t gone right in the past, if you’ve gone down the wrong path, this is your chance to begin again! You can start fresh and new right now by asking God into your heart and life. He won’t promise that there won’t be trials and tribulations along the way, but He will be with you every single step of the way.
If you are already a believer, yet don’t feel God’s presence moving in your life, ask yourself one question. Who moved? It wasn’t God. He has been right there the entire time watching you, waiting for you to come to Him, waiting for you to trust in Him. He’s with you as you read the words on this screen right this minute. When you cry out to God, He will be there to wipe every tear from your eyes! Oh sweet child, if you have strayed, won’t you come back to Him? He’s waiting.
You may have lost some people along the journey this past year. Some friends may have turned away from you. Although it may have hurt deeply, please know that God was pruning people and things from your life. He wants new things to happen in your life, and maybe the things that you have lost or the people you have lost just did not fit into the plan that God has for your life. Maybe they served their purpose and were there for a time, a season. Now that time has passed, the seasons have changed, and their place in your life is no more. Know that while it may have been a surprise to you, it was not a surprise to God. Trust in Him that He knows best. Treasure the time you did have with these people or doing the things that you were once a part of, and keep those fond memories close to your heart as time marches on. Pray that God will take away the sting of lost relationships and friendships. Something better is on its way! Just as the saying goes that if God leads you to it, He will see you through it, there is also another saying that if God closes one door, He will open another. I firmly believe this.
There are so many possibilities for the new year. There will be exciting things for this coming year. So many will embark on a journey that they never imagined possible before. Oh, but God knew … and He has His hands all over it. Some will see great changes in their lives. Carry God with you as you go.
As we say goodbye to the old and usher in the new, shed the old you and put on the new you. This is your chance! Accept the gift of a new year … be determined to be a new you! Embrace change! Take God’s hand on this new journey in your life as you carefully write the words on the pages in your book of life.
Blessings to you and yours for the new year and all year through!
Today there are free e-books from Beth Moore available on Kindle and Nook. If you do not have either, that is okay, too, as you can download them to your computer.
The links will appear on the right hand side to take you to Amazon’s site to download your free copies today! Here’s one, and you can go from there also: Believing God
