I love this movie quote

"I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure." -Eric Liddell

This quote from the movie "Chariots of Fire" always lifts my heart.

From Art Helping People See God

When I was looking for the little story I posted with Seth's little drawing I "Goodsearched" my way to a great blog posting on art. It was very good reading so I decided to make a link to it as well as post one quote that stood out.

The stakes are high, but art that illuminates the path to God is essential in a polluted age where souls are gasping for the fresh spiritual air. So I end with Annie Dillard advising writers. “Assume you write for an audience consisting solely of terminal patients. That is, after all, the case. What could you say to a dying person that would not enrage by its triviality?”

Follow link to Dick Staub's Art Helping People See God article by clicking here.

God illustrated

This picture drawn by Seth reminds me of the following little story...

A kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they drew. She would occasionally walk around to see each child’s artwork. As she came to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was. The girl replied, “I’m drawing God.” The teacher paused and said, “But no one knows what God looks like.” Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, “They will in a minute.”

Word of the Day

"It is not scientific doubt, not atheism, not pantheism, not agnosticism, that in our day and in this land is likely to quench the light of the gospel. It is a proud, sensuous, selfish, luxurious, church-going, hollow-hearted prosperity." -Frederic D. Huntington

"For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ" Philippians 3:18-20

A couple cute stories

Selah

The other day I was telling Selah that she was really beautiful. I told her, "Selah, I think God is making you more beautiful and beautiful each day." She smiled her little shy smile and I continued, "I think that the most important thing though is for God to make you more beautiful on the inside, with gentleness, and kindness. That's what I mean about God making you beautiful on the inside" Selah interrupts me and says, "Yes but not on the backside"

Seth

I am trying to trick Seth around the kitchen table by asking him, "Seth how many monkeys did Moses take in the ark." He looks at me with a quizzical look on his face. "What do you mean Mami? Do you mean to say Noah?" "Ahh, Seth I was trying to trick you, but you are a smarty pants :)"

When a t-shirt is all wrong

I remember walking in the cafeteria in Jr. High and reading a t-shirt that aid "Life is a playground and the person with the biggest toys wins"

I hope the young boy wearing that shirt has figured out that the message on his old t-shirt is absolutely wrong.

1st. Life is not a play ground

A message I heard on the radio not long ago has stuck with me. The preacher said that many times we live and expect our life to be like a playground while in all reality this world is more like a war-zone.

The Bible remids us to put on the armor of God (Ephesians 6:13-18). It also says "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (I Peter 5:8).

I think in all reality if we were able to see the spiritual dimension of our world we would see the battlefield. Ephesians 6:12 reads "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."

Yesterday as I was sitting across a young girl at the pregnancy center she was sharing very personal things from her life. This young 18 year old girl has already been through so much. My heart ached for her. I saw her hurts, her wounds. We see pictures and hear stories of our soldiers who are wounded in battled some returning home maimed and broken. As I sat there listening, through my spiritual eyes I could have seen a young mamied and broken girl but through it all, I saw a young girl whom God has been drawing to Himself to heal her from her wounds.

"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5).

Praise God that in Jesus we can find healing and so much more.

Now, although I know that I have been healed from the wounds I have received from the enemy, from living in a sinful world, and just from following my sinful desires I still bear the scars. Some scars are small and some scars run deep like the scars of Frodo Baggins on Lord of the Rings.

Aside from our life not being a playground, a person with the most toys wins what?

Mark 8:36 clearly states that there is more to life than the stuff of this world when it says, "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?"

Therefore, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:2).

Because I don't do enough

There is a video from Steven Curtis Chapman on adoption. (Click here to view) I love this video, song, Steven Curtis Chapman and his example to us fellow believers.

I post this because I was reminded of how little I do to help the cause of the orphans. I love what Steven and his family do to help orphans throughout the world. Here is a link to his adoption ministry. www.showhope.org

Speaking for the broken and the ones without a voice

A survey by The Alan Guttmacher Institute conducted among women who had abortions found that one in five self-identified themselves as Evangelical Christian.

I am a voice for those who are hurting from the chains of sins from their past. Christ can heal you.

I am a voice for those little people who want a chance at life. God has a purpose for breathing life to you.

To learn more about Abortion Recovey and Post Abortion click here.

From a Satisfied Customer

This story was featured in our newsletter, but the more readers the better :)

While listening to pastor James McDonald preaching on the marks of a Christian I was reminded of why we do what we do. Pastor James compared a satisfied customer of a business who loves to refer others to this great business, to a Christian who loves to talk about Jesus and what He has done for them. He asked, “Are you a satisfied customer?”
Am I a satisfied customer? Most definitely. I am reminded of this passage in God’s Word, So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
I, like Peter, have come to know through faith that Jesus is the Way to eternal life.
This is the reason we do what we do - Proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. While we know that many who receive this letter are fellow believers, we pray that this letter will also be read by those who are not certain that they are experiencing the life they were meant to live. You see while the salvation we preach is about being saved from eternal damnation in hell and to be able to enter heaven in its place, this salvation is about so much more.
Jesus Christ said “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). Jesus also said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
Becoming a Christian is to accept the words of Jesus by faith. Trusting that He is the Holy One of God, and the only way to God the Father. When you accept, believe, and trust the truths of Jesus Christ then you receive the gift of eternal life. This gift begins on earth as you enter into a personal relationship with Christ, our Creator and Savior. He saves us from the chains of sin that entangle us. In place of sin and death he gives us Himself. His Spirit gives us power over sin and death. We are then able to enjoy a life of hope and purpose. The rewards of being a Christ follower are endless.
We pray that you like us are satisfied customer referring others to Christ. If you are not we pray you soon will be.

In His love, Rebeca Carpenter

A message to my heart in a song

I first heard this song at the Downtown Pregnancy Center's Light of Life Dinner. This song made me cry as it pierced my heart deeply with its message.

I can taste the fruit of Eve.

I'm aware of sickness death and disease.

The results of her choices were vast.

Eve was the first but she wasn't the last.

If I were honest with myself,

had I been standing at that tree,

my mouth and my hands would be covered with fruit.

Things I shouldn't know and things I shouldn't see

Remind me of this with every decision.

Generations will reap what I sow.

I can pass on a curse or a blessing

to those I will never know.

She taught us to fear the serpent.

I'm learning to fear myself

and all of the things I am capable of

in my search for acceptance, wisdom and wealth.

To say the devil made me do it is a cop-out and a lie.

The devil can't make me do anything when I'm calling on Jesus Christ

To my great-great-great-granddaughter, live in peace.

To my great-great-great-grandson, live in peace.

To my great-great-great granddaughter, live in peace.

To my great-great-great-grandson, live in peace, live in peace.

Eve was the first but she wasn't the last.

Generations Lyrics
song performed by Sara Groves in the album Conversations

You can hear this song by clicking on the song title on the music player on the bottom of my little blog site. :)

Quote of the Day

"I've learned that we must hold everything loosely, because when I grip it
tightly, it hurts when the Father pries my fingers loose and takes it from
me." -Corrie ten Boom

To Make Much of You

Song of the Day

How could I stand here
And watch the sun rise
Follow the mountains
Where they touch the sky
Ponder the vastness
And the depths of the sea
And think for a moment
The point of it all was to make much of me
Cause I'm just a whisper
And You are the thunder and

I want to make much of You, Jesus
I want to make much of Your love
I want to live today to give You the praise
That You alone are so worthy of
I want to make much of Your mercy
I want to make much of Your cross
I give You my life
Take it and let it be used
To make much of You

And how can I kneel here
And think of the cross
The thorns and the whip and the nails and the spear
The infinite cost
To purchase my pardon
And bear all my shame
To think I have anything worth boasting in except for Your name
Cause I am a sinner
And You are the Savior

I want to make much of You, Jesus
I want to make much of Your love
I want to live today to give You the praise
That You alone are so worthy of
I want to make much of Your mercy
I want to make much of Your cross
I give You my life
Take it and let it be used

To make much of You

This is Your love, oh God
Not to make much of me
But to send Your own son
So that we could make much of You

For all eternity

I want to make much of You Jesus
I want to make much of Your love
I want to live today to give You the praise
That You alone are so worthy of
I want to make much of Your mercy
I want to make much of Your cross
I give You my life
Take it and let it be used
To make much of You

I want to make much of You
Much of You Jesus

Here we go

I have said it before... When I grow up I want to be like Seth. Seth is my little award winning National Geographic Photographer. Already published on a international website. Maybe someday I will be as great as he is.

For now...
I have a photography website.

Click on link to check it out. becphotography.weebly.com