Purity is Priceless

Friday and Saturday have come and gone in a flash. Kind of like the toddler and adolescent years of Elizabeth. It seems like yesterday I was expecting my first baby, a girl! I have always loved the name Elizabeth and Carolyn was after my mama.
What was so big about this weekend? It was a milestone weekend. Elizabeth and I attended My Best for You. It is a seminar on God's Design for sexuality. Perfect for her age group, 5th and 6th graders. Two ladies from our church wrote the curriculum and fits their personalities great! It was awesome to see so many moms and dads there with their kids. We were all there for the same purpose. We want our precious children to save themselves for their spouses. In our culture that is becoming such a rarity. I was brought to tears a couple of times thinking about the opportunities and privileges Elizabeth has that I never did. I am so thankful and honored to be raising my young lady in a God worthy manner. For her to know, she is WORTH saving herself for marriage. She is a gift from God and has been given a gift that is for only one person. That fact was solidified for her this weekend. At the end of the seminar, the young girls and guys had the opportunity to sign a purity covenant. Elizabeth signed and dated hers as I was watching over her shoulder, praying God will give her strength in the coming years to keep that covenant! They also were to write names of others who will help them keep their covenant. It was precious to see the names of friends and family she wrote on there, mommy, dad, grandpa, grandma, teachers, friends,and friends' parents. It was at that moment I was reminded of how the church is supposed to be. We are to love one another and help each other. To hold each other accountable, even if it hurts to do so.
Two of Elizabeth's BFF's were there, Morgan and Amelia. Both of these young ladies have been an answer to prayer. I have prayed since Elizabeth was in the womb God would give her Godly best friends from strong Christian families. Anyone who knows these families, knows God has indeed answered my prayers. These 3 Musketeers will be together all the way through high school. It is my prayer that they will ALWAYS be friends through thick and thin and help each other keep their Purity Promise. At the end of the seminar all the kids got to take a "gift" off the table. It is not to be opened until their wedding nights and it is for their spouses. How cool is it that Elizabeth already has TWO wedding gifts for her future husband!?
Grandpa and Grandma kept all the boys so we could have a day with Elizabeth. We took her to Indianapolis to see a movie and out to dinner. The highlight, (for mommy anyway!)was when Elizabeth chose her purity ring. She chose the one that reads, "true love waits." She is so proud of her ring. I am proud of Elizabeth for making a choice today that will effect her for the rest of her life.

Joyous New Year

So far, in this new year, I have had bronchitis, our van was victim to a hit and run, and the starter went out. Happy? Not necessarily... content? Maybe... Joyous? Yes... "Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me." Psalm 51:12
In my salvation is my joy, not happiness. Happiness is fleeting. Joy can be permanent, especially if we are believers.
I don't make resolutions. However, I do like to set goals for the new year. This year I am dubbing a year of prayer. I have been putting my relationship with Christ on the back burner for too long, now. I need to put Him on the front burner to ignite the flame that has been a mere ember for some time! Things have been stale and it's time for a fresh perspective! My spiritual goals for this year are simple. To be in constant prayer and to be in a Bible study. It has been 2 years since I have been part of a study. Mostly, due to schedule and time...this year it becomes a priority once again. I am also thankful He never forsakes or rejects me. He ALWAYS loves me.
Psalm 66:20: Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17


I woke up this morning with a grateful, thankful heart. I have so much to be thankful for... I give God all the praise and glory for all I have and have experienced. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. Chances are, if you are taking the time to read this you have impacted my life in some way. Thank you and may God's blessings be upon you.

Thank you, Lord, for:
the hope I have in Jesus and my eternal future
the FREE gift of my salvation
Michael Denis Riley II, the love of my life
Elizabeth
Luke
Isaiah
Elijah
Emma and the precious time I had singing to her and the opportunity to hold her this side of eternity
the privilege of holding Emma while You lovingly held out Your hands for her
the years I had with a loving mom and dad
time I get to spend with my brother and his family
Wednesday mornings with my precious friend, Julie
Starbucks!
turkey
a new church home where my children are loved
extended family
friends
world missions and all that is being done to reach unbelievers
the time we had at FamilyLife
our time in Arkansas
my precious cousin, Christa, who I am convinced should have been my sister :)
trials I have walked through
a roof over my head
an automobile to drive
food to nourish me (& the indulgences!)
flowers, sun, rain, snow, blue skies, cloudy skies, green grass
the sound of the ocean
a bed to sleep in and clean clothes to wear
running HOT water
the time we spent in El Salvador
the opportunity I had to be with my mom, daughter, and dad as they slipped into eternity
the sounds of little voices and the feeling of little arms wrapped around the neck
sweet little kisses from my kiddos
sweet big kisses from my honey bunches of oats
laughter, tears
family time
the first Thanksgiving of the pilgrims and Indians
the fact that our country was founded on Christian values
modern medicine and technology
Most of all, I am thankful for the opportunity to live and breathe and to be here in a time such as now. I pray that I live my life with integrity and have a positive impact on those around me. I pray that my legacy will be one of great faith.

Happy Thanksgiving! Blessings to you as you take time to reflect on God's blessings in your life.

God's Goodness

I have been thinking a lot about God's goodness recently. I think more appropriately, it should be His mercy and grace.
I go back about seven and a half years ago to when I went into preterm labor and loved on a one pound baby who now sits with her Creator. I think about a dad dying from cancer and being reconciled with him 2 months before he departed this earth. I think about moving back to Indiana from Arkansas and leaving a life I had come to love. I think about how others have responded to my children in an unloving manner.
I look at all of those yucky situations and I see the good that God brought from the ruins. In the midst of those situations I could honestly say "God is Good!" In the midst of the storm, I made a point to say "Thank You, Lord, for allowing me to go through this!" I have noticed that when something great happens one of the first things out of a person's mouth is "God is good!" Are they as quick to say God is good in the midst of turmoil? Don't get me wrong... I agree 100% that He is good. However, isn't God good, ALL the time, even in the bad times??? To say or believe otherwise is to discredit the very nature of God.

I think, too often, people have a skewed view of our Creator. A friend once presented it this way: "We see God as holding us on His lap and us stroking his beard, kind of like Santa Claus. We forget about God's wrath and punishment." Isn't that so true for many? He allows us to walk through the valleys to build us, to grow our character. Romans 5:3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

God is Good, ALL the time... not just during the good times!!!

My time

When I created this blog I fully intended to update more often than once a month...
That was not knowing how much time and effort it would take to get through this semester of school. MDR is working his regular job plus teaching 3 evenings a week. I am taking Anatomy/Physiology on Thursday mornings and shuttling kids to and fro. I am not complaining. We are just busy, which reminds me of an acrostic I once saw.
BUSY: Being Under Satan's Yoke. Isn't that the truth!? The busyness of everyday tends to over run everything else...sometimes (often times) to the point I fail to even ask Christ to be the center of the day.
Most recent, I had pushed Him aside so far that I could not concentrate. I had a test last week. I should have been studying on one particular morning but I could not concentrate for anything. I knew what was going on. God was trying to beckon me. I wanted to ignore Him, but it didn't work, thankfully! I put down my book and fell to my knees over the bed. Tears flowing harder than they have in a long time, I had what I call a purge session. I confessed every know sin I had been harboring plus asked for more to be revealed. It was a true outpouring from my heart. For the first time in a long time, I was open and broken to His leading. He led me to pray for my family, especially my precious, Elizabeth. I had a fresh perspective. It was great. I pray God will help me be disciplined to do that everyday.
I thank God for that day... each and every day, actually. When I wake up I utter, "Thank you for a new day, another day of life, give me strength, this is the day You have made, get me through it." I truly do love the Lord and desire for others to know His grace, mercy, and forgiveness.