We are blessed

I just want to thank God for being the awesome God that he is. He has given me a great family, a great group of friends that pray for me and give me moral support, he sends little blessings along the way. Little blessings are great, aren't they! It's almost like God is standing right next to you, giving you that little pat on the back, and showing his love to us. Some one gave us one of those special little blessings on Sunday. I know to her it may not have seemed like much, but to us it meant more than she will ever know.
I want to also thank God for the group of kids we had in Children's Church on Sunday morning. Wow, the kids really stepped up and witnessed to their friends last week and we had a total of 50 kids in children's church and 8 more in the nursery. That was amazing, and one kid received Christ into their life. Whatever we do to reach souls for Christ, is worth it. Even if it is one out of 50, we will never know how many lives that one life will touch in their lifetime.
I want to say that our church is truly blessed to have such an awesome group of people. Everyone pulled together and put forth a great youth rally. From cooking meals, security, counseling, supplies that were brought, greeters, I can go and on, but it took each and every person to make it happen. I think I heard that 13 kids were saved last week. That is awesome. That is what being a church family is all about, working together to help each other and reaching out to our community to win souls for Christ. Every role was important, and everything everyone did was such a blessing.
Our church is so blessed to have a youth pastor that has such a great heart for those kids. I truly watched BJ pour his heart into that rally, wanting to see God change their lives, and seeing his heart break with the lives of the kids that were totally messed up. It truly touched my heart, to see someone truly pouring their heart out to each of those kids.
I am thankful for being able to hang out with friends this week, fellowship with other believers is what gets me through my week. We have so many great friends, and brothers and sisters in Christ. I am thankful for having a friend that I can talk to and knowing they are there to listen to me and pray for me, and that I can do the same for them. God has blessed us with good friends and family.
I am thankful for a husband that cares for me so deeply. I love him more than anything. He is my best friend, the person who holds me when I have had a bad day, my accountability partner, making sure I have my daily dose of prayer and reading, he is my partner in life, a wonderful Dad, a faithful loving husband, and he holds fast to God's word. We truly balance each other out. I don't know what I would do if I did not have him in my life. I am thankful for every single minute of everyday we have together.
What are you thankful for? What little blessings has God guided your way this week? What scripture has guided you through your day. For me it has been Joshua chapters 1 through 4. I hope you have a blessed week.
God Bless

So my last blog was obviously more for me than I thought

I had a crappy day at work. I didn't think it was crappy, until about 5 minutes before I went home. I don't know how to please my bosses. I try really hard, I work really hard, and it seems like they always find something to gripe about. I called and talked to my friend Anna and told her the latest, and I was crying and my feelings were hurt. I know the devil is just coming against me. She said she would pray for me, she did not understand why they even had a problem with what we discussed. She just couldn't believe it. My store manager has some obvious dislike towards me, and I can't do anything to make it right. Anna and Paula both see that, and they promised to pray for me and ask for God's direction. So I am little beat down today, I just feel like crying. I know it won't do any good, but it's how I feel. My husband and I have talked about me getting a different job, because this one is just completely wearing me down. But we can't do that unless something of equal pay were to come along.
To get back to my blog from last night, I went to pick up my kids at my parent's house. I told Abby to get her shoes on, she was busy eating Papa's stew, I went to pick up shoes and inside the shoes laid these stones. Not just one, but 8 stones in the bottom of her shoes. I couldn't help but smile, as my blog came to mind. When I saw the stones, I immediately was reminded that the hands of my Lord are Mighty. So I know that I sit here completely beat down, and crying, that God was speaking to me. How funny it is that he chose to speak to me through some stones in my daughters shoes. But I am thankful that when I am weak, he makes his presence known to me. I don't know if I am suppose to buck up and take it, and maybe something will change at work, or if I am to look for another job. Whatever it is, please pray that I will know what to do.
Have a blessed day.
Love In Christ
Angie Duke

12 STONES

This is for my friend, and you know who you are. I know that her and I both need a little lift in spirits, and faith right now. I was doing my daily study, I have been reading Joshua. God was speaking to Joshua in chapter 1, Moses has died and basically he has given the reigns to Joshua. In this chapter God tells Joshua that every place that the sole of his feet will tread he has given to him. He continues to tell Joshua He will be with him, he will not leave him or forsake him. Even though he tells him that he is with him, he is giving him comfort and goes on to say to him, "Be Strong and Be Courageous." I was thinking on this passage and thinking of your journey, or even my journey. It's scary to go through my husband changing jobs, it was scary going through the fact that he gave up his second job for the ministry, but God gave it to us. God gave Matt a position in the ministry, God gave Matt this new job he is about to take on, and God sent my friends to an unfamiliar place full of unfamiliar people so they could spread God's word. Is it OK to be a little scared, I would have to say that maybe Joshua was scared or at least God must have thought he would have reason to be weak and be scared, or else he would not have had to proclaim the words "Be strong, and be courageous." Isn't it funny, we trust in God, we believe he has sent us where we are, yet we get right in the middle of everything God has sent us to and we start to doubt and get scared. God can be standing in front of us with a big flashing sign that says, " Hey dummy, I told you I would take care of it " and we would probably still doubt and lack faith sometimes.

So that brings me to the chapters I studied tonight, which is Joshua 3 and 4. Where God dried up the waters of the river Jordan until they passed over it. They took the 12 stones from the river Jordan and Joshua set them up in Gilgal. Why did he do this? This is the part I want you to pay close attention to.......He did this so that all the people of the earth may know that

the hand of the Lord is mighty

, that you fear the Lord your God forever.

So, first you should remember that God has given you everything that you have and that he will never leave you nor forsake you. I know that you are on unfamiliar ground, it may be unfamiliar to you but God created all of it and he is going to lead you through it. He is a mighty God, whatever bridges need to be crossed, he will make a way. If he can dry a river so people can walk through it, he will give you common ground with those you need to reach and with those who will reach out to you. So I ask you to remember when things start to get rough, and it seems greater than what you can handle, think of the 12 stones that lay as a reminder that the hands of our God is Mighty. Be Courageous and Be Strong. What an honor it must have been for Joshua to take over where Moses left off. What an honor it is to be used by God.

Hang tight to those words when things seem a little rough, 12 STONES. Don't allow the devil to bring fear, and discouragement into your life. Be Courageous and Be Strong and know that the hands of God are guiding you.

Fuel Baptism 08/03/08

What an honor to see my kids be baptized, and to watch my husband baptize our children. God is awesome

Fuel Baptism 08/03/08

This is a most blessed day for our family, as well as the family of Rae and Billy.

The journey of life.......

Jerry,
I know you are reading this, Matt and I were most blessed today to see our kids baptized. Not only did we get to see it, but Matt was able to do the baptism. I received a text this afternoon that your wife was ill. Then another text that it is all in God's hands now. Truth is, it has always been in God's hands. He will take care of you, and your needs. His hands are with Doris right now. I know your heart is heavy, but I know your faith in God is strong. I see my kids, they are young and just beginning their walk with Christ. Then I see you and Doris, what a life you guys have had in Christ. You both welcomed us into your home, we talked about God, we talked about life, and we felt as though we had known you forever. What a blessing it was to have 2 people show us such love, and a feeling of being welcomed into your life. Whether our lives are just beginning, or whether or not today is our last day, whatever time we have lived for Christ is worth it all. I don't really like the saying that all we can do now is pray. Sometimes it feels like prayer is the last resort, but it's not. It should be our first thought, an ever deepening faith in what Christ can do. All within his will of course. I don't know what God's will for Doris, but we are going to keep praying and believing for God's touch in her life and in yours. Either way, she is one lucky woman. She has a wonderful husband who loves her dearly, and she has a heavenly father who loves her dearly. One way or another, you both will get to live with her forever. Our prayers are with you. Whoever is reading this, please pray for Doris and Jerry.

My kids Baptism

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5l4879Fbyk