Sweet Georgianna!

Georgianna was our sweet waitress at Cracker Barrel this morning. When she asked if we wanted coffee, we declined because we were going for Starbucks. She told us how she loved their skinny vanilla lattes but it has been 2 years since she had been to Starbucks because of her crazy work schedule.

Well...guess what we picked up for her at Starbucks??

We headed back to Cracker Barrel to give Georgianna a warm Christmas treat!

The absolute BEST part of my thanksgiving!

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!

Yesterday marked 4 years ago that my Granny Sarver went home to be with Jesus and last night I received a call that my Grandma Hales passed away. Please be in prayer for my dad and our family as we celebrate her life this weekend. My grandmother lived 95 years on this earth and now she spends her thanksgiving today with my papa in heaven in the presence of Jesus. What a blessed thanksgiving that will be for her!

Happy Thanksgiving and to God be ALL glory!

"Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord."

Psalm 150:6 (NIV)

~ Quiet Moments of Praise ~

This morning I'm thankful for quiet moments to reflect on my amazing God! Before I set up shop in the kitchen for the day cooking and preparing food for thanksgiving, I long for this time alone with my Jesus. It's in these moments that I can praise him for who he is, I can pour my heart out for burdens that weigh down, I can open his Word as he guides my heart, and I can be still and listen for his voice.

Lord, this day is yours! I commit it to you and I give you praise!

"From the rising of the sun to its going down The Lord ’s name is to be praised."

Psalms 113:3 (NKJV)

Ahhhhh! :)

Tonight I am thankful for this reminder email! ;)

Preparing for Thanksgiving

Prepare your hearts and minds for this week of Thanksgiving! Begin today by praising our God and giving him the firsts of all we have!

Worship and bless his holy name!

"Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations."

Psalms 100:1-5 (KJV)

Grocery Shopping

Crazy as it may sound...I love going to my little grocery store! I enjoy exchanging pleasantries with nice smiling faces up & down the aisles, planning our family meals, making sure I'm staying on budget (which can be tough with rising prices) and praising God for His provision as I exit the checkout line. I am thankful!

God is so good! 

Happy Saturday

This morning I am thankful for all the little people in sleeping bags that I tripped over on the living room floor and big Saturday morning breakfasts that I can serve my hubby in bed!

Happy Saturday everyone! 😊

Wacky Tacky Night

"Wacky tacky" night at the Jordans! Yes, I know, it's not much different than any other night!  Haha! Finished dinner and now time for movies, hot chocolate with marshmallows, and homemade cookies! Louie found a quiet spot under the tree to escape the "fun". Lol! Missing Ben but enjoying our sweet neighbor, Leah, tonight!

Simple Things

Today I am thankful for the simple things.

A day at home to homeschool my kids, a long quiet time in the Word with my Jesus, drinking my cup of coffee at one time instead of reheating it several times over the course of a couple of hours, doing laundry and praising God for the amazing people that wear those clothes, surprising my hubby when he came home by having the Christmas tree decorated and a home cooked meal on the table, and now cuddling with my family watching a Christmas movie.

It's been a beautiful day filled with blessings!

My home, my family, my Jesus...so much to be thankful for!

Sweet Memories

Ben and Callie just came in from youth group laughing and cutting up. The stories I hear of their road time sing-a-longs and great times together at youth group make this mama's heart feel blessed! I'm so thankful for my kids relationships and that they enjoy learning and growing together through life. Such incredible memories they are making! I love those sweet kiddos so much!

Winter Bible Study....Coming soon!

Alright ladies! Preparations are underway for the winter session of our Wednesday night Bible study! It looks as though it will begin January 8. I am so excited!!! I cannot wait! Our fall session was amazing as we saw God change hearts and instill in us hearts of gratitude.

I've already been praying that God would lead me to the study he desires us to do. It's all about HIM! I'm asking you to pray as well. I'm also asking you to join me as we dig in the Word together. Invite your friends as we encourage each other in the Word.

Let's be women of strong faith, women of great wisdom as we seek him more, women of commitment to study and grow, women called to the cause of Christ, and women that lead others to Jesus!

Let's go ALL IN!!

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)

"30 Days of Thankfulness" Day 18

"Look, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me."

Isaiah 49:16 (NIV)

Today, I am thankful for those precious hands! Hands that took nails for me. Hands that hold me when I'm weary. Hands that praise me when I celebrate. Hands that are now forever etched with my name. 

Thank you, Abba!  

~ A Holy Virus ~

I've been feeling like I'm trying to catch some sort of nasty virus for the last week. Working in a preschool and living in crazy temperatures (snow one day and hot & sunny the next) almost guarantees some kind of virus making a visit. Nothing serious, just the yucky sinus pressure and sore throat that are trying to rear their ugly heads and to be honest...I just don't have time to be sick. Lol!

I stayed home from my Sunday evening Bible class tonight tying to catch some much needed rest. These last couple of weeks have been extremely exhausting and with a week and a half till Thanksgiving break, I still have a lot on my plate. Tonight though, I took a sinus pill, jumped in my big comfy bed, and just immersed myself in God's word! Wow! That was the best medicine I could ever take! (Talking about God's Word here not the sinus pill! Haha!)

Flipping through those pages brings such excitement in me! Reading the very words of my Savior sometimes is almost more than I can take! His promises, his guidance, his truth! How He nourishes me with those words when my soul is hungry! How he quenches the thirst of my heart when it's parched and dry. Only He can truly satisfy!

Wow!

O, how I love studying the Word! The more I study and learn, the deeper I desire to go! Lord, take me deeper in YOU!

Tonight, I prayed for other women to join me in going deeper. God placed a burning desire in me a couple years ago to see women grow more passionate in their faith in Christ. To see women grow so in love with their Savior that every life around them is changed because of it.

What is required?

A commitment to go "all in" for Christ! A commitment to study, to learn, to seek wisdom, to die to self, to be courageous, to share it with others!

So, as tonight I try and rid myself of a sinus cold and virus creeping in, my heart prays intently that more and more women will catch hold of the holy virus that God is calling us to! A virus to go deeper in His Word and so contagious that lives around us are changed forever!

ALL IN!!

"God has breathed life into all of Scripture. It is useful for teaching us what is true. It is useful for correcting our mistakes. It is useful for making our lives whole again. It is useful for training us to do what is right. By using Scripture, a man of God can be completely prepared to do every good thing."

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIRV)

"But be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you."

1 Samuel 12:24 (NLT)

~ Be the Blessing Today ~

Good Friday morning! This is probably the one day in the work week that people actually get up in a fairly decent mood because the weekend is just on the horizon! Lol! The countdown begins and everyone is looking forward to cutting off the alarm clock for the weekend.

I took the week off of Facebook and finally logged back in this morning. No, I didn't go anywhere for revolt against it. Haha! This was a week that my Jesus called me to a "time-out" to step away from other distractions and spend more time with him. It was a call to stay in an attitude of prayer and praise to him through some burdens on my heart. O, how I love him so much! When things don't make sense here on this earth (and many things don't) and the path seems foggy and unclear, sometimes we have to step away in solitude and get raw before The Lord. We have to lay it all out before him and find comfort that he sees it clearly and will guide us through. Comfort in knowing that even though he doesn't always calm the storm, he certainly calms his child in the midst of it! Isn't he AMAZING? So, I'm thankful for the extra time with him! I love to be in his presence alone and give him praise! It's been a blessed week!

It's good to be back to my awesome Facebook community and have the opportunity to pray for you today! I take those prayer requests very seriously and you can rest assured that they are taken before the very throne of God on your behalf! So my friends, how can I pray for you?

The Lord woke me many times through the night and kept reminding me to be the blessing today! You know, I love my sleep! Hahaha! It's true! I'm not a night owl and one evening this week I do believe I was sound asleep at 9:00. Lol! But last night The Lord kept waking me up. I prayed through it so I would not get bitter. He can be a little bossy! Hahaha! But every time he kept telling me to be the blessing and He brought scriptures to my heart. So my day just began really early! Lol!

You may ask, "How can I be a blessing to someone today?" Well, I'm glad you asked!

As you get out of that warm cozy bed today (probably not so willingly, lol!), make your spouse a cup of coffee, make your kids a special breakfast or just leave them a love note in their book bags to remind that you love them. As you go to your special coffee house this morning and rattle off your very detailed coffee drink order to your barista, offer a blessing to the patron behind you and pay for theirs or leave your barista a nice tip. If you run through the bagel or donut shop for a special, "It's Friday and I deserve it breakfast", bless someone today with a morning smile or even breakfast and remind them of the treasure they are to their Maker. When you enter the workplace, offer a smile and encouraging word to your coworkers instead of the usual grumpy "it's too cold, it's too early" mumblings that typically get uttered. When you encounter a perfect stranger today in the grocery store line, smile and strike up a small conversation about how amazing your God is!

There are so many ways to be the blessing today! It doesn't have to be a monetary thing but God calls us all to be encouragers. Opportunities all around us today to be the hands and feet of Jesus! How exciting is that??

I'm ready, Lord! All for YOU today!

How can you be the blessing to someone else today?

"Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."

Proverbs 16:24 (NIV)

"Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.

Proverbs 12:25 (NLT)

"Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ."

1 Corinthians 11:1 (NIV)

"So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing."

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NLT)

"30 Days of Thankfulness" Day 14

It's days like these that God reminds me of just how precious His Word really is!

We finished out our fall Bible study last night and I am so humbled at the amazing women of God that He has surrounded me with. I have learned so much in these last 12 weeks of study. Learning how to find our purpose for each season of life we are in and how to have a life of gratitude even during times of trial. What a beautiful ending to our study!

Today, I am thankful for growth in Christ! Never do I want to be content in my spiritual life. I want to continually grow in my relationship with God and learn more of his heartbeat. I love our times of Bible study but as I shared with our class last night, if we are attending Bible study just because that is what we are supposed to do as good Christian women or just because our children are in the kids program and we need something to fill our time, then we are sadly mistaken. We should be in Bible study to grow and allow God to transform our lives through the power of His Word! We should walk away from each study changed and ready to move forward in His kingdom's work.

O, praise God for his Word! The more I immerse myself in it, the more deeply I fall in love with my Savior!

How precious are those women who have walked alongside me through times of intense study of the scriptures! Wow! When you join together for one purpose, God shows up! He did a mighty work among us and I look forward to growing even more in the days ahead!

To all my Bible study sisters....THANK YOU! Thank you for encouraging me! Thank you for holding me accountable in the Word! Thank you for digging deep as God challenged your heart! Thank you for your love of Christ!

I am blessed and I am thankful! Hallelujah!

"The Lord speaks; many, many women spread the good news."

Psalms 68:11 (NET)

Happy 13th Birthday Callie!

 

Happy 13th Birthday Callie!

On this day of celebration, I am so thankful for this beautiful young lady...Callie Elizabeth Jordan!

November 13, 2000, at 7:51 in the morning, Matt and I welcomed our beautiful baby girl into this world and we could have never fathomed what an incredible journey it would be! Callie brings so much joy to our home with her vibrant personality and love of life! It blesses my heart to see her growing every day into a beautiful young woman that loves her God and desires to be a light for Him! I am eternally grateful that God chose me to be her mom and count it such an honor to raise a young lady after God's own heart.

Callie, we are so proud of you and love you for the special, unique, beautiful, loving, passionate, joyful, charming, and fabulous girl you are! I am certain that this world is a sweeter place because you are in it and I cannot wait to see all that God has in store for you! As you seek and follow God, He will accomplish amazing things through you, all for His kingdom!

Happy Birthday sweet girl! I love you!

"30 Days of Thankfulness" Day 12

"30 Days of Thankfulness"

Day 12

This morning I am thankful for early mornings to spend with Jesus and watch his creation as he brings the sun up for a new day!

It's in these precious moments that I am reminded over and over again just how much I love HIM!

"The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy."

Psalm 65:8 (NIV)

"30 Days of Thankfulness" Day 11

"30 Days of Thankfulness"

Day 11

Today I am thankful for the men and women who put their lives on the line for our freedom! Veterans Day is a day to honor those incredible men and women and today I do just that! 

My prayers of praise and thanksgiving have been lifted for you all and from the bottom of my heart....I thank you! 

"30 Days of Thankfulness" Day 10

"30 Days of Thankfulness"

Day 10

Today I am thankful to be able to go to the house of the Lord with my family! It is rare that all my sisters, my mom, my dad, and my brother are all in the same house of worship! I look forward to singing praises to God together and hearing my brother preach the Word!

God has blessed me with an amazing family who desires to put Christ first in everything! This weekend has been so special. We have laughed together, cried together, and now we will join together in God's house to worship and praise His Holy Name!

I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” 

Psalm 122:1 (NIV)

"30 Days of Thankfulness" Day 9

The one morning I can sleep in and I'm wide awake at 5:30! Many burdens on my heart this morning but I'm thankful I can lay them at the feet of Jesus.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

I have always known that when God wakes me up, He desires time with with. Time for rest, healing, guidance, wisdom, truth, and praise!

So today, on day 9 of "30 Days of Thankfulness", I am thankful for early morning rendezvous with my Jesus where He reminds me that even though life is full of hurts and disappointments, He will never fail me. He is still at work! He is still Lord of all! He is in full control! AND He is still on His throne!

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” 

John 16:33 (NIV)

"30 Days of Thankfulness" Day 8

"30 Days of Thankfulness"

Day 8

Today I am thankful for my sisters! Amy, Stephanie, and Leslie, you three are the BEST! I am so grateful that my sister Stephanie was able to come in from Georgia and spend the weekend with us!

After a physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausting week, I'm looking forward to spending the afternoon with my sisters as we celebrate my mom's birthday and then take an evening drive (in our cozies) to our favorite coffee shop and sit by the fire and enjoy our time together! Yep, always a fun adventure when the Hales sisters get together! Lol!

I praise God for those three incredibly strong, beautiful women!

"30 Days of Thankfulness" Day 7

Happy Birthday to my mom!!!

"30 Days of Thankfulness"

Day 7

Today I am thankful for the most amazing woman....my mom! No matter what goes on around me, I can always count on my mom to show love and encouragement to me. Her selfless attitude and giving spirit are her trademarks and her love for Jesus flows out of every fiber of her being. When there aren't words to say, she is quick to offer scripture for comfort and her wisdom is a treasure. Though she lives alone, her house is always full because she is a gracious hostess! Providing meals, comfort, Bible studies, or just a place of respite, there is no other home like my mamas. With 5 children (and their spouses), 14 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild, she sacrifices so much to always give of her time, her love, and support. She loves her church and serves faithfully and reaches out to a community that needs Christ.

My love for Jesus began as I young girl watching my mom. There was something different about her. There was something that even in the midst of such a hard life, she radiated beauty and joy. What I found was JESUS! At 6-years-old, my mom shared that Jesus with me and my life was forever changed!

She truly is the hands and feet of Christ in this world and not a day goes by that I don't thank my God for the incredible blessing of that precious soul....my mom!

"Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised."

Proverbs 31:30 (NKJV)

Counting My Blessings

Today has been one of those days! You know what I'm talking about right?

And it's not even over yet! Lol!

Five staff members out sick, every sub called in, book fair in full force (with a special event at the book fair), new employee starting today, phone lines ringing off the hook, child throwing up in the hallway right at dismissal, tearing the book fair down for Wednesday night services so we can put it all back up in the morning, and my hubby taking the car in for brakes service and informs me that it costs double what was planned.

Shhheeeewwwww......

But in the quiet of this moment (and, yes, it's quiet right at this very moment, lol!), my thoughts go to all the blessings of this day:

Amazing women that I get to work with who love and minister to these preschoolers and their families.

The cutest preschoolers you've ever seen that are so full of life and their families who are such an encouragement.

My almost 13-year-old daughter, whom I drug out of bed at 6:45 to come run the book fair for me and she did so with such a sweet heart and a beautiful smile (even through a crash course in running the cash register).

Laughter throughout the day with my coworkers after crying together this morning over some heartbreaking news.

My awesome hubby for reminding me that God will always provide our needs even when we are shocked with unexpected expenses.

My son, Ben, for taking over Caleb's English lesson today and doing an amazing job!

For Caleb giving me a big hug and asking me how my day was.

And for a God who comforts me through it all, loves me through it all, and gives me strength for the journey!

You see, as crazy as this day was, God sweetly reminded me of His presence. He comforted me with His Word as scriptures would come to my heart often. Though I'm sure I didn't get it all right today, He gives me encouragement and opens my eyes to see all the amazing blessings that are there even through the chaos.

Now, I'm off to finish out this day and I go forward in praise to my God and continue counting my blessings! 😊

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever."
Psalms 118:1 (NLT)

"30 Days of Thankfulness" Day 6

"30 Days of Thankfulness"

Day 6

Today I am thankful for the power and comfort of prayer!

When tragedy strikes and questions are unanswered, I am thankful for the communication with my Heavenly Father. He knows our hearts. He knows our grief. He knows our pain. He LOVES his children.

This morning, I find comfort in going before my Abba and I am grateful He hears my prayer and comforts this child!

"But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."
Matthew 6:6 (NKJV)

"30 Days of Thankfulness" Day 5

"30 Days of Thankfulness"

Day 5

Today I am so thankful for the Word of God!

Comfort. Guidance. Light. TRUTH!

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

Psalms 119:105 (NASB)

"Your word is truth."

John 17:17 (HCSB)

"30 Days of Thankfulness" Day 4

"30 Days of Thankfulness"

Day 4

This morning, as I woke up, I glanced over beside me and praised God for that amazing man he brought into my life 24 years ago! I am so thankful for my husband! Matt is truly my best friend and the love of my life! We've been through a lot together in our 21 years of marriage and God has brought us closer because of it. He knows me better than anyone else and loves me in spite of it. He can make me laugh like no other and still makes my heart flutter when he pulls in the driveway everyday! He is a hard worker, a God-fearing man, an amazing father to our children, and a man of integrity! This week I am treasuring the time he is in town and praising God he doesn't have to travel. I look forward to cooking his dinner every night, making him coffee in the mornings, and holding his hand as we fall asleep side-by-side!

Matt Jordan, today (well...everyday ;) I am thankful for YOU! I praise God for you and I love you so much! 

~ "30 Days of Thankfulness" Day 3 ~

Today is "Orphan Sunday". A day to make a stand for the orphan...the fatherless. A day to raise awareness of the need to care for the 145 million orphans around the world.

"30 Days of Thankfulness"

Day 3

Today I am thankful for Caleb! This precious child has blessed our family in more ways than I could ever describe. He loves life and loves people and his personality is a blessing to all. I am eternally grateful that God chose me to be Caleb's mommy!

As he came downstairs this morning he said, "Mom, today is Orphan Sunday!" Just over six years ago, Caleb was considered an orphan. Abandoned as a newborn on the side of the road and raised for 3 1/2 years in a Chinese orphanage. But praise God he called us! He called us to the biggest leap of faith and today, we are blessed beyond measure that Caleb is home, he is loved, and he is NO LONGER an orphan! We praise The Lord for the miracle of adoption and also that Caleb, just last year, came to know Jesus as His Lord and Savior!

Today, my heart overflows in thanksgiving!

"Defend the cause of the orphans."

Isaiah 1:17 (NLT)

"30 Days of Thankfulness" Day 2

"30 Days of Thankfulness"

Day 2

Today I'm so thankful for quiet Saturday mornings! No jobs to rush to, no early morning ball games, no schoolwork to be done, no busy schedules that have to be met. Just a quiet house with family sleeping in late, a lazy dog by my side, a cup of coffee in my hand, and my favorite book opened on my lap! Enjoying the presence of my God as He refreshes my soul!

“My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Exodus 33:14 (HCSB)

~ Caleb is Armed and Ready for Battle ~

A few weeks ago, Caleb was flipping through a Christian magazine and spotted an amazing treasure....the full armor of God play set! He wanted it so badly and me, being the clever mother I am (haha!), told him I would order it if he could memorize what every piece of the armor represented by the time his daddy came home from work. Now, this is a popular scripture passage in our home but Caleb had not memorized it yet. So, I went about my way doing chores and getting dinner ready and about an hour later, Caleb comes barreling down the stairs reciting this passage from Ephesians 6!

This child had every piece of armor in memory and was ready for battle! Lol! Needless so say, I was extremely proud of my son (and a little surprised. Lol!) for his determination and I placed the order. The order came in today and he shared the significance of each piece as he put it on. He now has, not only a cool costume play set, but this important treasure from scripture embedded in his heart and mind. What a great reminder, daily, as we enter the battlefield!

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people."

Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV)

~ Beginning my "30 Days of Thankfulness" ~

Happy November!

As we enter the month of gratitude, today I will begin my "30 Days of Thankfulness". Every day we should be eternally grateful to God for all His amazing blessings. But this month, where Thanksgiving is situated, I want to focus on those incredible, every day blessings.

I hope many will join in and we will be a people with hearts overflowing with gratitude!

"30 Days of Thankfulness"

Day 1

Today I am thankful for new beginnings! A new month to give God praise. A new day to tell of His greatness! A new day to experience His grace and mercy.

He is a God of new beginnings and today my heart is full of gratitude for His faithfulness! HE is my portion!

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”

Lamentations 3:22-24 (NIV)