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After a day of caking my face in makeup for our play I thought I should get a few pictures out of it...no I didn't really cake it :) -
Tuesday, 16 August 2011
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How Shall I
How shall I,
a mere creature of sin,
express with words,
my love and adoration of your presence here in my heart,
I cannot attain a word that is good enough to describe you,
nor can my heart strings give my voice the notes to sing that would glorify your name to the utmost,
How then can I praise you?
If I cannot adore you, why do breathe?
If I cannot praise you, why does my body still move?
I will praise you with the only words I know,
With all my breath I will praise you with the words you give me,
With all my heart I will sing the songs that you put into my heart,
Only you can give me the words to say,
Only you can give me the notes to play,
So I will write for you,
So I will sing for you,
For you alone my words will be,
For you I write and speak for all the world to see,
For you alone will my lips open in song,
For you and for you alone,
My El-Shaddai,
My Elohim
My Adonai,
My Abba Father,
My Alpha & Omega,
The Great I AM.
I will ever be yours,
and I will ever serve you,
For you are MY GOD.
-Elisha (08/16/11)
Tuesday, 28 June 2011
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No Pain, No Gain
"Those things which are easily gained, are easily given up or thrown aside. But, those things which we gain through much pain, trial, hardship and at much expense, become over time the things we value most in life and we will fight to the death to keep them."
Have you ever heard the saying "No Pain, No Gain"? I have heard it often, but usually in association with a workout. I never really associated it with the Christian life. Why would I associate it with the Christian life? Well, many times we as Christians (especially American Christians) think that we should never have to go through any pain or suffering. But, I beg to differ.
God allows us to go through hard times, not always because of sin in our lives, but because He wants us to always lean on Him. I know that right now God is teaching me patience and to take others into consideration (instead of always thinking about how I feel) and teaching me Phillipians 4:11 as well as 1 Timothy 6:6-7.
I always have a hard time with pain because I always associate it with me being sinful, but God reveals in the whole book of Job that God allows certain things to happen to guide us straight to Him. More often than not we tend to think that we can do something on our own without God (sometimes this mentality happens upon us without realizing it) and that's when we start to fall, but there are many times we are right there in the will of God and troubles come our way and we look to God and ask "why" and He says "Because I AM, do you trust me?" and sometimes we say yes and other times we say no.
Let me encourage you to memorize Proverbs 3:5-6 because this scripture has been my constant companion over the past couple of weeks, and it has helped me to say "yes" when I felt like saying "no". God is God and we don't need to question Him, the only motives we need to question are our own and I know many times I find that I say my motivation is God, but my actions say otherwise.
God does care about you and He tells us that His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:30), so although we go through trial and tribulation and sometimes even persecution we know that God gives us the strength to make it easier and lighter along the way. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
I encourage you to stay in the scripture, pray always, and Love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul and mind.
Sunday, 12 June 2011
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Some Lessons I Have Learned This Past Week
It's so very awesome to see God at work in your own life, many times as a person we aren't able to step out and see the "Big Picture" of what God is doing in our lives. A few weeks ago I was so content as a person in everything that was going on, I was happily building up my business (albeit slowly), loving life, enjoying my family and just being near them and getting to know each and every one a little better, happy to be single for however long God wanted me to be, etc. I was just content. Then it seemed God threw a little bump in the road and upset my whole apple cart... now I'm not saying that I am not happy with any of the above stated facts. But, everything just seemed to happen all at once and all the sudden I don't feel so confident in my contentment anymore. In fact I feel down right vulnerable right now and I hate that feeling, because I love being in control and feeling strong.
One evening this past week, while I was really feeling that vulnerability and I was at my weakest I decided to go outside and just walk in my gardens and be with God (not that He's in my gardens, but I always feel so much closer to God when I am outside, plus He is wherever I am). I was crying out to God for some answers (and I mean literally crying) and as I sat down at the edge of my herb garden Proverbs 3:5-6 came to mind the words flowed through my head as the tears flowed freely down my cheeks "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding; But in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.". There are times in our lives when we know in our heads what we need to do, but it's getting our hearts to freely follow Christ's bidding that is so hard (Jeremiah 17:9).
God gave me a rare opportunity to step outside of myself (not literally), to step back and see a big picture of sorts and just see some of the things He had prepared me for, to see some of what He had been doing in my life over the past few years. I was so shocked at what I saw. I mean in reality I shouldn't be shocked to see what God has done, but for me it is a lot easier to see God work in others rather than to see what He is doing in my own life (1 Cor. 2:6-12).
God is so good to this child who's faith often wavers and sometimes seems to come crashing down, but Jesus is always there to pick me back up, show me where I was wrong and guide me back onto the straight and narrow. I know my heavenly Father loves me and is watching over me, and right now while my thoughts are swirling around certain things in my life that I am not sure where they are headed, I know that my loving, heavenly Father will always take care of me and that He has a plan for my life and I don't need to worry (Jeremiah 29:11).
Here are some things that God has taught me this week... He has taught me to daily lean on Him (and that's hard to do for someone who likes to be able to stand on her own two feet with no one's help), He shows me that my strength is not my strength, instead my weakness (or my vulnerability) is what God uses to make me strong through Him (2 Cor. 12:9-10), that no Glory belongs to myself, but to Him and Him alone...don't look back at the past victories that God has given me lest I think they are "my" victories(1Cor. 1:26-31) and last but not least God has taught me that He (not I) brought me out of nothing to something, He made me His child and I need not worry about tomorrow (Matthew 6:33-34).
What has God been teaching you lately?
Thursday, 26 May 2011
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In Memorial to A Godly Wife & Mother
Today (May 26th, 2011) marks 14 years since our mom passed away from Inflammatory breast cancer. My older sister created a video in honor of her life, especially after hearing "Temporary Home". Mama knew that this was indeed her temporary home & even though it meant leaving her loving husband and beautiful children behind, she was very happy that she would soon be able to worship at the feet of Jesus. She left this earth with a smile on her face. Don't take any moment for granted - it could be your last. Cherish every moment with every member of your family. You never know when your life will be turned upside down. But God gives grace & through Him all things are possible. Only by His strength and grace have we made it through this far. We LOVE you Mama/Cathy Cooper Strickland!!!
here is link the to the youtube vidoe...it wouldn't embed sorry! -
Pictures: Farmer's Market & More
Farm Girl 
My lil sis is always faithful to come with me to the Tues. FM 
She got bored...and thought that she would try being a rabbit for a little while
Me and My cRaZy sis...yea we were a little bored
can you tell?
my poor herbs were wilting from being out in the sun :(
I'm ready to go home 
Tea 
Fresh Herbs for Sale (First Saturday FM) 
FIRST ECHINACEA BLOOM...YAY!!!! 
My sign 
Our little set up at the Saturday Farmer's Market 
Applemint Tea
Dandelions gathered for making Dandelion syrup 
Fresh Cut Herbs For Sale! 
Dried Herbs & Applemint Jelly 
All-Natural Popcorn
The_Virtuous_Woman_In_Training
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- Name: The_Virtuous_Woman_In_Tra
- Gender: Female
- Member Since: 7/31/2009
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