It's an Emotional Life.

It seems like so much has happened since I miscarried Gideon. For those of you who do not know, my husband and I do a lot of ministry in the area of abortion (if you couldn't tell from previous posts). We are the leaders of the Jackson Abolitionist Society and desire to see abortion completely abolished in all circumstances in every part of the world, with our target being America and more specifically Mississippi. Keith (my husband) was up at the abortion clinic on December 3 and recognized one of the women going in for consultation. She came to our previous church every now and then on Wednesday nights. He began talking with her and pleading with her not to kill her baby. He told her we would adopt. She went in the clinic. I got her number from a friend and texted her. She ended up telling us that we could adopt her baby. We were thrilled! I took her to the doctor last week and we found out she is having a girl at the end of April. So many emotions have been going through my mind. I can picture myself holding that sweet baby girl in the Spring, around the exact same time Gideon would've been born. The mom is now having second thoughts about the adoption. From the very beginning, I tried to not let myself set my hopes on getting the baby. I have memorized Psalm 138:8 and Isaiah 26:3 during this time. Psalm 138:8 says that the Lord WILL FULFILL His purpose for me. I apply that to my life in that if God wants me to have this baby, then I WILL have this baby. Nothing can thwart God's ultimate plan! Isaiah 26:3 says "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in You." God will keep me at peace, no matter how crazy my emotions get or how unsteady life seems. As long as I keep my mind steadfast and make sure ALL of my trust is in Him, I will be at peace with anything that happens in my life.
When she first offered us her baby, I was thrilled simply because of the idea that God would be giving me the baby I lost back. The more I thought about it, the more I want this baby so that I can teach her about Jesus. I know that my biological children will grow up in the ways and knowledge of the Lord, but I do not know that for this baby. God has already given us such a love for this child. Regardless of what happens in this particular situation, I know that God has definitely used this to show Keith and I how much we desire to adopt/foster children in the future. Every child deserves to grow up in a home that shows them the love of God because God has adopted us. When we adopt these children, we are able to understand more fully what God did for us! It's powerful!


Please keep us in your prayers. The adoption lawyer will be in town on January 15, so we need the mom to make a solidified decision by the first of the year so that we can raise funds to pay the lawyer and do a home study. Pray that the mom would come to know Jesus in a real way and that she surrenders her life to Him. Pray that God's will be done!

Sonogram of sweet baby girl due April 2015

Out with the old...

So the phrase is "Out with the old, in with the new" but when your husband is a landscaper and winter is fast-approaching and your grocery budget is $50/week, "new" is not really an option. I had heard that rearranging and redesigning parts of my house would help me take my mind off my grief and give me a fresh start. Boy, was that right! I have spent the last few days cleaning and rearranging anything I could get my hands on and only spent $4 so far. :) There is still a lot I want to do, but it's definitely a start!

The first project I completed was putting Gideon on our entryway wall. I love that his name is in the house. It really validates his life to me and reminds me that I have 3 children. 

Next, was our bedroom. I plan on doing a large painting of some sort on the big blank wall, but for now it reminds me that I have a blank slate ahead of me. I am excited for what God has in store for my future!

I also set up a little memorial for Gideon on my dresser.

The dresser that was in our bedroom is now in Abigail's room, and I cleaned up and organized both of the kid's rooms.

Found someone taking a cat nap...

I'm out for hire if anyone needs their house cleaned or rearranged. ;) I am on a roll!

Gideon was fixed in heaven.

We told Elijah the news yesterday. Here is how the conversation went:

Me: "You know how mama had a baby in her belly? Well, there was something wrong with him and he died and went to heaven."

Elijah: "They fix baby in heaven?"

Out of the mouths of babes. His response brought comfort and joy to my soul.

Today I went searching for a journal to record my thoughts, emotions, and everything I long to say to my precious boy. I also wanted to get a stuffed animal that would be his and one that I could cuddle and remember him by. I found a journal at Lifeway on clearance. Embossed on the front it says, "A Place to Remember... and Never Forget." When I opened up the front cover I knew it was the one for me. The second paragraph of the introduction begins with "Grieving the loss of my son became an intense pilgrimage through a wilderness of sorrow so deep that spending time with the Lord in my journals became critical to my healing process." Does God provide or what?! 

I went to 5 different stores until I found the perfect stuffed animal for Gideon.

As soon as I saw it, it was extremely significant to me for two reasons. I saw myself as the larger dog loving and protecting Gideon, but I also saw the larger dog as God loving and protecting my Gideon in heaven more than I ever could. 

I have a feeling I will be snuggling it for a good while.

My Miscarriage Becomes Real

So due to all the trauma I faced in the ER on Friday, my mind and heart had not been able to process the loss of my baby until last night. There were so many emotions surfacing but I just wanted to deny any of it and continue on with my life. It just seemed that it would be easier that way. I never saw a sonogram of my baby, never heard his/her heartbeat... so why not act like he/she never existed?

Because his life matters.

My sister-in-law, Chrystal, came over last night and her words were invaluable to me. Her second baby, Kyla, was birthed into heaven. She said that when anybody asked me how many children I have, I am to say three. She encouraged me to give my baby a name and talk about my baby. I didn't want to give him a name. I knew that at the point that I did, my miscarriage would become real and the sense of loss that I had been suppressing would overwhelm me. And it did, but it was a good thing.

Gideon Jeremiah Dalton was birthed into the hands of the Lord on November 7, 2014.

I was reading what the Bible says about Gideon this morning and it brought me a lot of encouragement.

Hebrews 11:32 - And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell you about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.

My sweet son, my third child, has gained what was and is promised to us as Christians. He has an eternal inheritance that far outweighs anything on this earth that I could have given him. His weakness, whatever it was that kept him growing healthy inside of my womb, has been turned to strength.

Judges 6:12 - When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior."

I take comfort today in knowing that my mighty warrior is with the Lord.

A Blood Donor Saved My Life

I had started spotting some Thursday afternoon and feeling a little crampy. As of Monday, I calculated that I was 12 weeks pregnant with our son or daughter. I was worried, but knew that some bleeding in pregnancy was normal. I woke up around midnight with some pretty intense cramping, similar to contraction pain, so I got up and sat on the floor. Around 1:30AM, I felt a popping sensation and blood started flowing. I continued to bleed and kept an eye on it to make sure that I wasn't bleeding too much. I kept looking for my baby, but all I saw were clots. Around 8:30AM after getting off the toilet, I began to feel really light-headed and immediately sat on the ground. I knew it was time to go to the hospital. Keith loaded up the kids as I got dressed and we made our way to River Oaks. I checked myself in and they took me back to the room. I was back there for a while by myself with the nurse until Chrystal came to watch the kids in the lobby so that Keith could join me. (Chrystal, you are amazing for watching 4 kids under 4 years old in an ER lobby! I am truly grateful!) They monitored my blood pressure, heart rate, drew blood, and put an IV of saline into my left arm. They said my blood count looked normal at that point, but I was still bleeding and cramping heavily. We waited for the ultrasound tech who came in an hour or so later who did a sonogram. He looked kind of perplexed and said that he would need to do a vaginal ultrasound since I had never had one with this baby. He did the ultrasound and left the room. An hour later the doctor came in to inform us that no baby was found. All that was seen was a blood-filled uterus. He made it seem like I would go back home and pass the blood and come back in a few days to see if everything was expelled. If not, I would get a D&C. I asked if I could get up and go to the bathroom, and he said yes and left the room. Keith helped me out of bed to walk down the hall. As soon as I got to the door frame I felt faint and slowly fell to the floor. The nurses came running in and got me back in bed. They raised up my feet and I began to feel better, but was sweating like crazy. I had another incident similar about an hour later while sitting in bed. My blood pressure was 55/33. It was at this point that the nurse ordered blood right away and began my first transfusion. It was then they decided that I would go straight to surgery and have the D&C. After they had given me two units of blood I was feeling better but was still bleeding out significantly. Dr. Moses, the OBGYN who did my procedure, came in to check on me and tell me about it. She said since I was bleeding significantly that she would move me before any other patients to get the D&C done as quick as possible. I was rolled shortly after to surgery. I had never been in surgery before or given anesthesia so I was a bit nervous. I also was ready for it because I wanted the bleeding to stop. I remember being in the operating room and my next memory was waking up in the PACU. The nurse said I was asleep for about 30 minutes and that the surgery was over. They rolled me into my hospital room and told me they would monitor me for a while and take my blood around 7PM. If everything looked good, they would release me. Dr. Moses came into the room a few hours later and said that they had to give me a third unit of blood during the procedure because I bled so much. She said "Girl, when you bleed YOU BLEED!" Michael and Anna came by to bring us some food and keep us company. I was starving since I had not eaten anything all day and their presence was just what I needed. The test results came back normal and I was discharged from the hospital at around 8PM last night. I am now home and physically feeling great. My throat is sore from having a tube down it during surgery but no cramping and only minor bleeding. Emotionally, I think I am still in denial or shock. I know that I lost my baby, but because I never saw him/her and never heard his/her heartbeat it makes it difficult. It is like he/she never existed, but I know that God created that perfect baby for such a time as this. I have learned so much through this experience.
Before I started cramping and bleeding on Thursday, I decided to memorize 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. Notice I said BEFORE any of this began. I said it in my mind multiple times when I was scared yesterday.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

God is so timely and so good.

P.S. - I am the new poster child for blood donation.  :) You can bet I will be donating, and you should too!

Oh.. And then there's this too.

My Week In Pictures

Just some pictures from the past couple of days...

Kroger has a Mega Deal Event Sale going on right now so it was stock up time! I got everything pictured for $26!

I ran 4 miles without stopping on Saturday! Whoop! Whoop! 19 weeks until my half marathon.

We're just too cute. :)

Keith got this trampoline in a storage unit or a house clean-out and we finally put it together (with the help of my lovely mother and father!) The kiddos LOVE it!

Fun on the trampoline! 

Howdy again.

I don't know how bloggers do it. I just went over two weeks without posting. Fail.

Anyways, not much new has been going on in my neck of the woods. I am on my sixth week of my half marathon training. Keith and I started a little competition so that he would start running and it is working! Mwhahaha! My plan worked!

Speaking of Keith, we have been praying recently about him doing ministry full-time. This would include things like going up to the abortion mill, preaching on the street, and discipling people each week. Tuesdays right now are dedicated to doing these things and the joy that radiates from him when he comes home Tuesday night is astounding! I see so much fulfillment in his life when he is out doing God's work, and I want him to be able to do it everyday. Finances are always something you have to think about on earth though, but thankfully we have met many people through the Operation Save America event who, in light of the call of God, quit their jobs and are totally dependent on Him as their provider. It's encouraging to meet people like that and know that it can be done. We are still in the praying stage, but I read this verse this morning in my daily Bible reading and it encouraged me some more:

1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

It's a great reminder of our purpose on earth! I don't want to labor in vain!

THE Answer to: "You're 16. You're A Pedophile. What Do You Do Now?"

So apparently I have an email subscription to this website called Medium Digest. I vaguely remember creating an account. It was either when I was searching the web looking for a blog site, or they were giving away a freebie if I signed up. (Who doesn't love freebies?!) Anyways, I checked my email this week and saw this text in the Subject: "You're 16. You're a Pedophile. You Don't Want to Hurt Anyone. What Do You Do Now?" It is an article about a young guy named Adam who is attracted to young boys and girls but does not want to act on his attraction and hurt anyone. He discovered there is nowhere for young people to go who struggle with this so he created a support group. That's the just of the article. I have pulled out some excerpts that I am going to give an answer to... well, The Answer to:

"The last time I saw Adam in person we found ourselves sitting, once again, in his car. We had been talking for a few hours and were about to finish up when I asked him what it feels like to be not only a pedophile, but something of a pioneer. He paused for a moment before answering. 'It's one part of what defines me. You know, a small part of the puzzle,' he said. 'Part of me is a pedophile but that's not all I am. I'm also, I think, a very decent person in a lot of other ways. I'm definitely a very caring person... I have hobbies, I have interests, I have studies, and things like that all put together define who I am."

When I first read that excerpt of the article, it angered me. I thought, "Pedophile is not your identity, just like homosexuality is not your identity or any other sin..." but then the Truth hit me:

SIN IS YOUR IDENTITY APART FROM CHRIST.

John 8:34 - Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.

I would like to amend the above statement from the article to read: "There is currently no mechanism in place for treating someone apart from Christ who has pedophilic urges and hasn't acted on them."

"Dr. Klaus Beier doesn't believe in sexual reconditioning. He leads the team behind Prevention Project Dunkelfeld, a therapeutic program based in Germany that targets potential offenders. He believes that minor attraction is a fixed part of someone's makeup, that it's "fate and not choice." His program is considered the global gold standard of preventive treatment, and its practitioners help adults manage their attraction to children rather than try to change it. "In my view, it's not the inclination that's a problem," he said. "And I wouldn't condemn the inclination, I'd condemn the behavior." The program consists of weekly therapy sessions for up to 12 months. They favor cognitive behavioral therapy, but also offer libido-reducing medication, otherwise known as chemical castration, if a patient needs to reduce his sexual drive in order to benefit from treatment."

My husband, Keith, along with many prominent pastors have spoken out in years passed that pedophilia would seem come under the umbrella of "mental disorders," namely m aking it a part of a person's genetic makeup.  The world said it would never happen, but clearly the tumbelweed has already started rolling. In a way, it is true that sin is in our makeup. We are all born into a sin nature (Psalm 51:5). We must call pedophilia, lying, homosexuality, gossip, adultery, etc in our lives SIN and realize our need for a Savior. Until then, our sin will define us, and we will have no way out. The answer here, then, is to master sin and no longer be a slave to it.

Genesis 4:7 - ... sin is crouching at your door, it desires to have you, but you must master it.

.. So how does one master sin, you may ask?

HOW TO MASTER SIN:

1. Acknowledge Your Sin

We know what sin is by what the Word of God calls sin. Anything that God calls sin, we should call sin in our own lives... and I mean literally CALL IT SIN. Do not keep silent!

Psalm 32:1-5 - How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit! When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah.

I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity did not hide; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"; And you forgave the guilt of my sin.

2. Realize You Need A Savior

It should be pretty clear at this point we cannot rid ourselves of sin.

Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 10:9 - If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

1 John 3:8 - The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.

3. Fear the Lord & Hate Your Sin

Psalm 36;1-4 - I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes. In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin. The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful; they fail to act wisely or do good. Eve on their beds they plot evil; they commit themselves to a sinful course and do not reject what is wrong.

4. Memorize God's Word & Live According to It

Psalm 119:9-11 - How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your Word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from Your commands. I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You.

Adam, the only way you can master pedophilia is through Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:56-57 - The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The "Gospel" of Accommodation

This isn't the intense blog post I was talking about in my last post. That one in still to come so stay on the edge of your seats! I had to write about this subject because as I was running this morning, God hit me with this truth and I had to share:

While running this morning I thought about the accommodating, American "gospel." So many churches have fallen prey to entertainment and people-pleasing taking over the house of the Lord. These pastors and leaders do everything in their earthly power to fill seats instead of make disciples. Many pastors have been deceived into thinking this is just the way Christianity works in this culture and the only way to see growth is to jump on board. It is for this very reason, I believe, there are so many young, liberal, have-it-your-way "Christians" today. Church, how have we allowed ourselves to fall so far from Biblical Truth?

The Bible compares the Christian life to a race. Running a race is not easy. It takes hard work, consistent and faithful training, and authority over your mind. There will come times when you are running and your mind gets the best of you. You just do not think you can take that next step. The church's job at that point is to encourage you to keep running. Let's take a look at the different approaches of an accommodating church and a Biblically-founded church:

In an effort to encourage, the accommodating pastor would say:
"It's okay! You're special. I know you are in pain so take a break if you need to. We all walk at one time or another in this race. You deserve it."

... Now, that may not seem like a bad thing to say. It is filled with some truth. It is definitely what a runner would want to hear, but it is definitely not what a runner needs to here. Especially the runner mentioned in 1 Corinthians 9. That runner is in the race to win.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Let's take a look at what the Biblically-founded pastor would say:
"Look how far you've come! Do not stop now. Keep pushing! It hurts now but eternal glory awaits!"

Do you see the difference? God painted it so clear for me this morning. The accommodating "gospel" encourages people to give up. What the Church, my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and I, NEEDS is the SOLID TRUTH OF GOD'S WORD, nothing more and nothing less, to win this race. It may more than likely will not be what we want to hear, but we will be eternally grateful.

Lord, I pray your Church would rise up from the depth that we have fallen. There are wolves in sheep's clothing among us (Matthew 7:15) that have led us to the broad path, and we have gone willingly! Lead us, as our Good Shepherd, back to the narrow gate (Matthew 7:13). Wake up your church leaders and train them to feed the sheep and starve the goats in their congregations.

It's time for America to see the true composition of Christianity.

Savvy Shoppin'

I had planned to write a post today about a online magazine article that somehow ended up in my inbox folder. It's going to be a pretty intense post so stick around!

But today it's just gonna be light n' fluffy!
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SAVVY SHOPPER SECTION

As many of you know, I love couponing. If I had more money and time, our stockpile would be GINORMOUS! This week I scored pretty big at Kroger.

Kroger's Mega Savings Events are AWESOME. If you have never shopped at Kroger during these times, I implore you to! All of the items pictured above I bought for $29, saving 68%! 

Another amazing thing about Kroger is their Manager's Specials. You find these little gems all throughout the store, but I especially love when I find them in the meat section! I went to Kroger early Saturday morning when they first opened and scored BIG time! There ain't no vegetarians in this house! ;)

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HALF MARATHON TRAINING UPDATE:

Yes, I am still training. You have seen no pictures of me holding up my fingers yet because I kind of jumped the gun on the 3 mile run I took a few weeks ago and do not have to run 4 miles until a couple of weeks from now on the actual training schedule. As a reminder, I am planning to run the New Orleans Rock n' Roll Half Marathon in January! Super pumped. (If only I can get my husband's feet on the pavement!)

I totally need this shirt I found on Etsy though. It describes me perfectly:

That's all for now. The children hath roused from their sleep. 

To Proclaim Christianity Will Soon Come With Costly Consequences in America.

Hearing about all the ISIS persecution, it has hit me now more than ever that soon in America to profess to be a Christian will come with some severe consequences. I wonder how many of the self-proclaimed, church-going "Christians" today will boldly proclaim that as their identity tomorrow if doing so meant they would be beheaded or crucified? There is coming a day in this nation when the title, Christian, will no longer be able to be tossed about flippantly and it will certainly come with a cost. Will you be ready on that day, grounded on your faith? Or will you crumble in the sand of self-gratification, universalism, and justifying your sin; ultimately trampling the Son of God underfoot, treating the blood of his covenant unholy, and insulting the Spirit of grace (Hebrews 10:29)?

Oh, how my heart cries out this morning for my friends who have forgotten their first Love. I have seen them hunger and thirst for Righteousness, I have seen their heart's broken over their need for a Savior but the pleasures of this world, the sin that Satan makes seem so enjoyable has taken their heart. They have clouded the Truth of what it means to be a follower of Christ with garbage that the world tells them is "Christian." Compromise after compromise, their hearts have become hardened.

Oh, God. Rectify them! Save them! Wake them up! Show them that they have closed their eyes to your Light.

I was talking with Brittany Nettles last night about a lot of this. We got on the subject of hell and how it is hard to wrap our minds around the reality of it. We talked about how we do not weep for the lost as we should and part of that is due to the fact that we don't truly understand how torturous hell will be.

I listened to this sermon on hell by David Wilkerson this morning: Where Will You Go?

Here are some excerpts and gatherings from this sermon:

If hell doesn't exist (as many claim today that it does not), why is it a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God? - Hebrews 10:31

For those that are in hell, they are not in the devil's hands, but in God's hands. Hell is Satan's punishment also.

We sometimes will see God as a bad guy in this. We picture these souls being thrown into hell crying out in repentance and asking God to forgive them. However, the Word of God shows this is not the case:

We see in Revelation 16 that God has angels that he appoints to pour out his wrath on the earth. There are seven angels, each with seven different bowls of wrath.
The first is a plague of ugly, festering sores that breaks out on all the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
The second is the sea turning into blood and everything living in it dies.
The third is the rivers and springs of water all turning to blood.
The fourth is God allowing the sun to scorch people with fire. They were seared by intense heat.
The fifth is the kingdom and throne of the beast being plunged into darkness where the people gnawed on their tongues in agony.
The sixth is the river of Euphrates drying up to prepare the way of the kings of the East.
The seventh is flashes of lightning, thunder, a severe earthquake, and huge hailstones weighing a hundred pounds.

That's intense. You would think these people with the mark of the beast would cry out for God to save them.....

After the fourth plague, Scripture states "but they refused to repent and glorify him."
After the fifth plague, Scripture states "and (they) cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done."
After the seventh and final plague, Scripture states "And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible."

Not only are these people not repenting or glorifying God, but they are CURSING Him!

Wake up, friends! Do not be deceived by the beast by being captivated by the world. There will come a day when God's wrath (exactly as mentioned above) will come upon you if you deliberately keep on sinning (Hebrews 10:26-27).

Train Up A Child...

Last week when I went to Texas with the babies we went on a trip to the Texas State Railroad to ride the train. Elijah and Isaiah were super excited!

My mom and dad made shirts for us all that said "Train up a child.. Proverbs 22:6 with a picture of a train. (Yes, we are that family that wears matching t-shirts when we go to fun events.. don't judge!) ;)

Here are some pictures from the outing:

For some reason this train ride really wore us all out!

Ever since Keith and I got involved in ministry at the abortion clinic, we have had the opportunity to meet so many amazing people and families. I cannot even begin to describe what an impact some of them have made on my life in the short time that we have known them. Some of them may read my blog and some of them may not, but I'm going to give a few of them a shout-out anyway:

- Ashley Sigrest & Family.

Ok, this girl RULES. Ever since I watched her testimony online and met her for the first time when she spoke at the Capitol on the National Day of Prayer, her and her family have had my heart. While she was speaking at the Capitol I walked around the room trying to keep my babies quiet and happened to stumble on a room that had four precious children playing in it. I let Abigail and Elijah play and watching her children and mine was such a delight. Seeing the way her  kiddos respect authority and love each other is such an inspiration to me. It makes me so excited to see what God has in store for my own family. She loves the Lord with all her heart and that is so evident even if I had never talked with her one on one. Our conversations are always founded on the Rock and she is an amazing woman of God and mother of little arrows!

- Coleman and Robin Boyd.

Keith and I met Coleman and Robin up at the abortion mill. They would come out every Wednesday morning with their eight kids (just had their ninth!) A few weeks ago they invited us over to their home for dinner. This was the first time I had ever been able to see in person how a family with more than three kids functions and let me tell you, it was an eye-opening experience! Their kids are the most respectful, well-behaved children I have ever encountered. It was also the first time I had ever seen a family sit down in the living room as their nightly routine and read the Word and worship together. It was so sweet to see the children interact in that setting. I am pretty sure their oldest (no older than 12) knows more of the Bible than I do!

- Ryan and Lydia Sullivan

We did not meet this couple from the abortion mill but rather through a mutual friend that was coming to Monday Night Bible Study. Ryan is one of the pastors of Grace Community Church in Jackson. Keith went with his friend one Sunday when I was out of town and Ryan has taken him by the arm and is discipling the mess out of him! It is so amazing! They invited us over to their house this past week and again, another eye-opening experience on how a family rooted in God's Word works! They have three beautiful children with one on the way, and they too have a time of family worship and reading of the Word after dinner. Those children are HUNGRY for God's Word! Abigail was getting fussy so Ryan cut the Bible story short and their three year old said, "But we just started!"

It is such a breath of fresh air to see each of these families operate, but also very humbling too! Getting to know these families has pushed me further in my personal walk with God and encouraged me to truly be a Proverbs 22:6 Mom. :)

It's Flesh. You're Changing.

Just watched this youtube video: David Wilkerson "You're Changing"

I've got so many thoughts rummaging around in my head that I don't know where to start. This blog post may not be cohesive unless by the end I can find some glue to stick all these thoughts together.

First, I have to thank God. He has transformed my heart and mind the past couple of weeks in ways that I never could have on my own accord. See, my absolute favorite pastime my whole life has been watching television. I would sit and watch episode after episode of a series on Netflix until I had watched them all and then move onto a different series. Right after I married Keith I'd religiously watch shows like The Office, Parks & Recreation, and Parenthood. About a year ago, God started convicted me about those shows. Although most of the Christian world finds no problem with those shows, God began to reveal to me that juxtaposing the content of those shows with the Word of God did NOT line up. I put away those particular shows and instead started watching shows like Shark Tank, American Pickers, and the Biggest Loser. However, ever since Keith, the kids, and I came back from the Operation Save America trip in New Orleans, my desires have completely shifted. Now, instead of trying to justify what worldly-ness I allow to enter my life, I only desire to watch or listen to things that will benefit my spirit. Instead of gauging a show for whether or not it will influence my spiritual life negatively and then deciding whether or not to watch it, I only ask myself one question: "Will watching/listening to this build me up spiritually?" I know it's only by the power and conviction of the Holy Spirit when watching an episode of Full House gives me no pleasure and actually disgusts me in a way.

To what and Whom do I owe this new Amber? Well, I've made it plainly clear it's ALL God. I also believe it can be attributed to ministering on the frontlines of the abortion battlefield. Want to have zero desire to have even a hint of sin in your life? Start publicly preaching the Word of God and exposing sin in the world. 

What have I been doing with all this time in my day that has been freed from worldly TV shows, you may ask? READING GOD'S WORD, LISTENING TO SERMONS ON YOUTUBE, AND PRAISE MUSIC ON PANDORA. :)

And let me tell you something as a result....
God has made His Word COME ALIVE to me like never before.

Some revelations from my readings this week:

Pastor Bret spoke to the youth last night on John 10 - it's Jesus' parable about Him being the sheep gate and the Shepherd. I encourage you to read the whole chapter. There is a lot of meat in that passage that can definitely fill your spiritual belly!
John 10:1-3 "I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out."

How, as sheep, can we tell who are the robbers and thieves among us?

1. Robbers and thieves have not entered through the gate (Jesus Christ).
2. Robbers and thieves do not listen to the voice of the Shepherd, therefore are never led out to follow the Shepherd.

That hit me like a ton of bricks on Wednesday night as Bret was talking on this passage. The thieves and robbers among God's sheep are the ones who stay stagnant in the pen and never go out to do the Lord's work! Hear Jesus' voice today and follow, sheep!

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Something else from this passage that stuck out to me is that in verse 20 (talking of Jesus) it says: "Many of them said, "He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?"

Wow. People called JESUS demon-possessed.

Okay, many of you know my husband. You probably saw him being lambasted on his Facebook page recently by one of his friends. His friend proceeded to say that my husband spits poison everywhere he goes, has fallen from his Christianity, and is possessed by demons.
You can only imagine, as Keith's wife, how livid this made me. Attack me personally and I'll work through it, but you attack MY husband and it's on like Donkey Kong.
Not to mention that I, his wife, know that all that this friend said about him for the whole world to see is a LIE because I am the one who ministers with him daily, sees him weeping for lost souls he meets in WalMart, and willingly devoting his entire being to His Creator. That being said, it's good to know that my husband is in good company (Jesus' company to be exact) when being called "demon-possessed."

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My daily Bible reading today was in Proverbs. As you know, much of the book of Proverbs is written by Solomon. God asked Solomon what he wanted from Him. Solomon asks for wisdom. Ever wondered how Solomon knew to ask for wisdom?

Proverbs 4:3-9
"When I was a boy in my father's house,
still tender, and an only child of my mother,
he taught me and said,
'Lay hold of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands and you will live.
Get wisdom, get
understanding;
do not forget my words or swerve from them.
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.
Wisdom is supreme, therefore
get wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
Esteem her, and she will exalt you;
embrace her, and she will honor you.
She will set a garland of grace on your head
and present you with a crown of splendor."

WOW. Solomon's father (David) had taught him as a boy the importance and value of wisdom. This Truth reiterates what the Bible speaks of over and over again: the importance of instilling Truth in our children!

Praise God for the goodness of His Word.

Field Manual for Abortion Ministry by Rev Rusty Thomas: Favorite Excerpts Volume 1

If you haven't read Rusty Thomas' "Field Manual for Abortion Ministry," I highly encourage you to do so. You can find it online at: http://www.americandailyherald.com/images/pdf_files/Field-Manual-for-Abortion-Ministry.pdf Even if you are not currently in this battle, reading it might just be what encourages you to get your feet a little dirty. :)

Here are some of my favorite excerpts:

Don't Be Surprised when Persecution Comes:

The truth is, if you deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow hard after the Lord,

(Matthew 16:24) you should know that the world will not receive your devotion anon with joy.

Your friendship with God automatically makes you an enemy to this world (James 4:4).

 The key, however, is not to consider it strange when you are persecuted for living godly (1 Peter

4:12, 2; Timothy 3:12). Sadly, the “American Gospel Enterprise” has made that mentality rare today.

The world hated the Lord and it will hate you (John 15:18), particularly if you are effective in

serving Christ’s Kingdom. This does not mean that you should develop a martyr’s complex and

look for persecution. If you misrepresent the Lord and manifest a wrong spirit, you have what is

coming to you. You are merely suffering for your sins. If however, you are hated because you are

loving God and your neighbor as yourself, then God’s glory and Spirit rests upon you (1 Peter

4:14).

Bringing Down the Altars of Moloch:

Throughout the Bible and redemptive history, whenever Satan raised his ugly head, he went

after the seed of man. He murdered babies on a massive scale. It was true in the time of Moses

(Exodus 1:15-22). It was also true in the time of Christ (Matthew 2:16-18; Revelation 12:1-6). In

both cases, however, God was neither silent nor inactive. He was preparing mighty deliverers

who would break the chains of bondage and set captives free. Both children (Moses and Jesus)

survived Satan’s onslaught, grew up, and collapsed the evil empires that targeted them for

destruction.

Based upon this Biblical pattern, there is an awesome call on the survivors of the American

holocaust. The monstrous lie of abortion has wiped out one-third of an entire generation. If the

war babies, the survivors of Roe v. Wade, remain true to the Biblical model, they will be God’s instruments of deliverance. They will bring down abortion’s evil empire and set future

generations free from its injustice. May it be so, Almighty God!

No Justifications for Inaction:

You may have heard, “It is not loving,” or “It is judgmental,” or “It is not Christ-like,” or “It is not

the Gospel,” or a host of other justifications for inaction. Yet the Bible calls you to act on your

beliefs (James 2:20). If the church dares to say, “Abortion is murder” than the church should act

like someone is truly dying. Otherwise, the church’s witness rings hollow.

Being Blameless in the Battle:

This last Scripture from James brings to mind how the Lord Jesus dealt with Satan. Know this,

when the enemy came for Jesus, he found nothing to exploit. Satan could not find a resting

place to work his malice. There was no opening to deceive (John 14:30).

Yes, Christ is sinless and we are not. Yet, we can still live blameless. If we are to remain faithful

in this battle, it behooves us to keep short accounts with the Lord. A life of holiness is not

optional (Hebrews 12:14). Every known sin, which provides openings for the enemy to exploit,

must be repented of and the door shut. Proverbs 28:13 promises, “He who covers his sins will

not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” Believe me, receiving

the tender mercies of the Lord each morning are critical (Lamentations 3:21-23). They provide

the “balm of Gilead” that heal the wounds this battle afflicts upon our souls (Jeremiah 8:22).

“You cannot keep birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest

in your hair.” This quote, attributed to Martin Luther, is a reference to sinful thoughts that

come to mind. We may not be able to stop sinful thoughts from coming, but we can make sure

they do not develop into a sinful pattern that provides ammunition to the enemies of the cross

to blaspheme the Lord. God’s Word warns, “You who make your boast in the law, do you

dishonor God through breaking the law? For ‘the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles

because of you,’ as it is written” (Romans 2:23, 24).

Watch out for Pride:

When you go on the offense to defeat this evil, make sure you guard your strengths and shore

up your weaknesses. Watch out for pride. If the enemy cannot get you going bad, he will try to

entrap you by doing good. Self righteousness and a Pharisaical spirit can easily find an opening

that will pollute the well of your salvation.

Lastly, beware of believing that you are entitled to personal liberties because of your great

sacrifices. Many prolife leaders opened the door to that mentality. They are gone today. James

3:1 cautions, “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall

receive a stricter judgment.” Jesus mentioned, “To whom much is given, from him much will be

required” (Luke 12:48).

The Battle and the Family:

The building block of society is the God-ordained family. As goes the father, so goes the family.

As goes the family, so goes the church. And as goes the church, so goes the nation. We live in a

day where the family has suffered great harm. Abortion, homosexuality, divorce, financial

struggle, adultery, government replacing God and father in the home, and a host of other ills

have served to diminish home and hearth in America. Waging a successful warfare against the forces of darkness means making family life a priority.

Men are called to courageously lead their families with the Word of God. Husbands and fathers

must love their wives and raise their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians

6:4). This is why it is important to never use ministry as an excuse to abandon responsibilities at

home. Men’s hearts must be turned towards their children to be effective in saving other

children from certain death. As you lead your family into the battle, it is wise not to create two worlds—the world of ministry and the world of family. It is best they comport into one world. Many a minister lost his children by creating disparate worlds, a breach for the enemy to exploit. Just as in all ministry,

abortion ministry, should be a family endeavor. The husband leads, the wife submits, and the

children obey. Divine order is crucial to protecting your family in the battle (1 Corinthians

11:1-3). A three-fold cord is not easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12).

Psalms 127:3-5 reminds God’s people:

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in

the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full

of them; they shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

Besides the obvious benefit for others, family ministry is a tremendous blessing for families. It is

a winning way to disciple children. Leading them on the offense against evil is the best defense

against evil. Too many Christian families tell their children what not to do without leading them

what to do. This leaves them on the defensive where they can become easy pickings for the

spirit of the age. When children actually see their parents, pastors, and elders taking a public

stand against evil, evil loses much of its lure. They are not just hearing the message preached,

they are witnessing adults model the message. In addition, the public witness strengthens their

faith and helps them take ownership of Biblical truths and principles. This makes all the

difference in the world as we prepare them for future service to God.

Our Silence Grants Consent:

Abortion violates the essence of Biblical manhood, which is partly defined as protecting,

providing, and caring for women and children. By “law,” fathers must stand idly by, while the

unspeakable happens to their children. This injustice screams to the heavens and tragically

reinforces the inherent sinful nature of men—irresponsibility and passivity in the face of evil.

Fatherlessness created the environment for the mass slaughter of children. It has unleashed a

dreadful curse upon the land (Malachi 4:5, 6). Preborn children scheduled to die have no fathers

to protect them.

God is a Father and the helper of the fatherless (Psalms 10:14). Throughout the Bible, God

demands justice and intervention for the fatherless (Psalms 10:18, 82:3; Isaiah 1:17). Yet most

Christians ignore these commands. Our silence inadvertently grants consent. Through inaction,

Christians unconsciously aid and abet the powers of darkness savaging children made in the

image of God. Historically, anytime the church ignored evil of this magnitude, it strengthened

the oppressors and prolonged the victimization of the weak.

Necessary Covering of the local church:

If you are engaged in the battle, you must recognize some vital truths when it comes to the

church of Jesus Christ. First, to have authority (to fight and win this battle) you must be under

authority (Matthew 8:9). Each rescuer needs to be in submission to a local church. We all need

the accountability, covering, and blessing of the church. We need the church to send us out to

wage a good warfare against the powers of darkness. Church covering is vital for our spiritual

wellbeing in the midst of increased conflict.

Forgiveness and Staying Sane:

The attacks from within and from without are manifold. The problem with most engaged in the

battle is that they forget to hold the shield of faith up when it comes to the church, family, and

friends. When the Evil One’s fiery dart is shot by someone close, most of the time it hits the

heart and it hits hard. Wounded warriors can often end up causing great damage to those they

love, though they remain convinced of the justness of their cause.

Romans 12:18 teaches, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all

men.” We are supposed to do good to all men, but especially to the household of faith

(Galatians 6:10). To stay sane in this battle, good soldiers of Jesus Christ must understand that

our duty is to keep sowing, loving, intervening, helping, reaching out, preaching, and fighting

the good fight of faith, regardless of whether or not others join in the work. We stay faithful

anyway. John Quincy Adams had the right attitude. He stated, “Duty is mine, the results belong

to God.” We can do no less.

This is the tightrope Christians must walk, the divine tension experienced in the battle.

Christians must live consistent lives, in word and deed, without causing church splits, making

disciples unto ourselves, or usurping the role of Biblical elders (1 John 3:18, Acts 20:30).

Conversely, the church should spiritually cover and bless the ministry. The church should send

missionaries out to engage in the battle. If others come under conviction to join you, praise the

Lord and pass the spiritual “ammo.” If not, sing the old hymn, “Though none go with me, still I

will follow.”

Not the Government, but the Church:

We are beyond a political solution to what ails our nation. We cannot expect politicians to stop

the evil that is savaging this generation. We cannot expect them to fight a battle against sin and

Satan and prevail. Only the church is equipped and empowered to take Satan on and take him

out. As the church rises up and wins the battle in the heavens and on the streets, our laws will

change. Our government will one day reflect the victory. Civil government can be restored back

to its divine calling, which is protect life and stop the shedding on innocent blood. The church’s

responsibility is to regain her prophetic voice to be the moral conscience of our nation once

again. Reverend Flip Benham stated it well, “Abortion will come to an end in America when the

Church of Jesus Christ makes up her mind it will come to an end. And not one second sooner.”

Video Recap from OSA National Event 2014

Limk to a short video recap from the Operation Save America trip to New Orleans. Abigail makes two short appearances and so do I!


http://youtu.be/3bIiOde8lgM

Countering the Pro-Choice Culture with the Word of God

"My Body, My Choice."

Not your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

Not your choice.

John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit--fruit that will last--and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.

"Not the Church, Not the State, Women Must Decide Their Fate."

GOD will decide their fate.

Philippians 3:18-19 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.

"Sodomy Prevents Abortion So Bend Over."

Sodomy prevents your inheritance of heaven so stand up.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

"Sex is Beautiful. Reproduction is Optional."

Sex is beautiful. Reproduction is commanded.

Genesis 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

"I Am a Woman, Not a Womb."

God's primary calling for you as a woman is to be a mother.

1 Timothy 2:15 But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.

"Every Child a Wanted Child."

Every child should be a wanted child, both born and unborn.

Titus 2: 4-5 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

“Having a Baby Shouldn’t Be Punishment for a Contraceptive Mishap.”

Having a baby is a blessing, not a punishment.

Psalm 127:3-5 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

"Against Abortion? Don't have one."

Against abortion? Expose its evil.

Ephesians 5:11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

"Keep Abortion Legal."

As "One Nation Under God" and as Christians, we serve another King. We must keep His laws.

Acts 17:6,7 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another King - Jesus."

"Proud to be a Pro-Choice Christian."

If you believe the Bible is true, this statement is not possible.

James 4:4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

WAKE UP CHURCH!!! Dig deep in the Word of God and apply it to your lives. Stop giving Satan a foothold in your mind and believing the lie that going to church and being a tolerant, loving person saves you! This battle will only be won when we write His Word on our hearts, teach them to our children, take it to the streets, and proclaim it from the rooftops!

What are you waiting for? Choose this day whom you will serve (Joshua 24:15):
the culture or God.