Each day as I read the Bible, I take notes of verses that stand out to me, or jot down something about the text I want to remember, and sometimes I copy the Scriptures and reflect on their meaning and how it applies to today. I will try to post those verses that stand out to me and why. These post may be short or long, but I want to try and share it here with you. So.....
"Human pride will be humbled, and human arrogance will be brought down. Only the Lord will be exalted on that day of judgement." ~ Isaiah 2:17 When Jesus returns, we WILL KNOW IT. We will be humbled and judged. Our pride and arrogance will be brought down. The world is rebellious of God's ways and His commands, the wickedness around us is proof of that. Jesus is coming soon! I want to be ready! Father God, forgive me of my pride and arrogance. Make it clear to me when I am going against Your Word. I love you, Lord. In Jesus' name, amen. Keep reading the Bible! Joyfully His, Andrea
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Happy Monday!
Fall is in full swing, and October is almost over. Can you believe it? Time is flying by! We are already into our fourth week of our Bible study. I'm sorry I am late posting this today, but here is our weekly reading plan: Monday - Isaiah 16 Tuesday - Isaiah 17 Wednesday - Isaiah 18 Thursday - Isaiah 19 Friday - Isaiah 20 I hope you are enjoying the Scriptures as you are reading each day! I am praying for each of you! Keep reading! Joyfully His, Andrea "When you come to worship me, who asked you to parade through my courts with all your ceremony? Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts; the incense of your offerings disgust me! As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath and your special days for fasting - they are all sinful and false. I want no more of your pious meetings. I hate your new moon celebrations and your annual festivals. They are a burden to me. I cannot stand them! When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look. Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen, for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims. Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways. Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows." Isaiah 1:12-17
What is true worship? Do I worship to please God, or am I worshiping to make a show? Do I worship God with my heart, or do I just "do" what believers are "supposed" to do? Am I "parading", "celebrating", or truly giving myself to God? When do I worship God? How should I worship Him? All of these questions poured from my heart as I read this passage. I don't want to just "walk the walk" of worship, I want to truly Worship God because He is worthy of it! Worshiping is not just with or mouths, it is in our actions. We worship God in how we live, how we treat others. Notice what was listed in verses 16 and 17 as true worship: *wash ourselves and give up our sinful, evil ways *learn to do good *seek justice *help the oppressed *defend the orphans and widows Father God, Lead me into true worship with You. Forgive me for anytime I faked it or followed the crowd for show. Empty my mind and heart of all things that do not please You, or keeps me from worshiping You completely. In Jesus' name I pray, amen. Keep reading! Joyfully His, Andrea Happy Monday!
Here is this week's reading plan: Monday - Isaiah 11 Tuesday - Isaiah 12 Wednesday - Isaiah 13 Thursday - Isaiah 14 Friday - Isaiah 15 Have a great week! Praying for all of you! Keep reading God's Word! Joyfully His, Andrea Good morning, Sweet Sisters!
I'm getting this posted a bit late this morning, so I will keep it short and simple. This week's reading plan: Monday - Isaiah 6 Tuesday - Isaiah 7 Wednesday - Isaiah 8 Thursday - Isaiah 9 Friday - Isaiah 10 I plan to get a recap of last week's reading posted later this week, so please check back! Keep reading God's Word! Joyfully His, Andrea Today is my due date.
The date our 7th child was due to be born. I envisioned this day to be much different than it is. Seven months ago, we were making plans for our growing family: we bought a bigger car, purchased a toddler bed for my daughter so her crib could be passed down to her brother and his crib would be used for the new baby, discussed baby names, and made renovation plans for our home to help manage our space better. I was taking weekly bump pics, as my belly was stretching and expanding and our little one was growing. With excitement and joy, we were ready for this little blessing. " 'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways,' says the Lord. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.' " ~Isaiah 55:8-9 NKJV But it wasn't to be. God had different plans. I don't understand them, but I trust God. Hope in Him is all I can really hold onto. Especially now, when I should be snuggling my newborn, nursing my baby, enjoying that newborn smell, and praying over the new life I've been given. Instead, there's an empty crib and my broken heart, yet still I am grateful for that tiny life I was blessed with, even if only for a moment. This is "Pregnancy and Infant Loss" awareness month. I'm mourning my second loss to miscarriage along with so many other mamas who have lost their children. If you are reading this, and you have a little one awaiting you in heaven, I am praying for you today. I am praying for God to hold you tighter, bless you more, strengthen your soul, and blanket you with His peace as you patiently wait for the reunion you will have with your child someday. It's hard to be in this position. Most of the time it's a bit lonely. Every day I think of my baby, but does anyone else? Most people don't understand my grief, but it's very real. I have a unique perspective, I guess. I am the mother of six healthy happy children, ages ranging from 1 to 18. I am blessed and I know that. I am so thankful for my children. Every. One. Of. Them. In fact, what I have learned from secondary infertility and two miscarriages, is how grateful I truly am for my beautiful, healthy, happy children. It's because of them that I know what I am truly missing with their siblings, who are now in heaven. So.....today I am taking a moment to honor my little one and the memory of this child that I will always carry with me. Baby Gracen, I think of you every single day. Though you left this earth months ago, I have counted down each week of what should have been your pregnancy. As each day, week, month has passed, I've thought of what I've been missing. I missed the ultrasound that would reveal if we were having another girl or another boy. I missed the first weeks of easy movement that I know would have turned into somersaults quickly. I missed the jolts to my ribs, the horrible heartburn, the cravings and even the aches and pains and the pregnant waddle. I missed the contractions, the intense labor, and the joy of birthing you into this world: happy, healthy and crying. Instead I birthed you too early, with pain unimaginable, stillness and deafening silence. I miss not being able to hold you now. Not nursing you, kissing you, snuggling you, singing over you, telling you how much I love you and how happy I am to be your Mommy. I am, Sweet Baby, I am so thankful I am your Mommy. I miss all the things, I know from your siblings, that I won't get to experience with you: watching you grow, learn to sit-up, call me Mama. I won't help you take your first step, or teach you how to feed yourself, or how to sing. I won't get to read all the favorite books I've shared with your siblings: "Goodnight Gorilla", "Ferdinand", or "Love you Forever". I won't teach you to read, ride a bike, or how to be silly. I wont get to add you to our school table, and watch you as you learn to socialize and meet new friends. I won't get to watch you play with your siblings, hug your Daddy or see your personality come alive. I won't know what traits of mine that you picked up, or those your Daddy passed on. I won't get to enjoy your friendship as you get older and move into your teen years. I won't get to teach you to cook or drive a car. I want get to stay up late with you for family movies or just to talk about all that's on your heart. I won't get to take a picture of you with your brand new driver's license, or pray over you the whole time I'm watching you drive away for the first time. I won't get to pass on all the motherly advice I've been privileged to share with your siblings. I won't get to tell you how proud I am of you when you walk across the stage as a graduate and begin your journey into adulthood. I won't get a front row seat of your life here on earth, Gracen, but I promise I will think of you every day, love you for the rest of my life, and I will snuggle you like crazy when I meet you in Heaven. Mommy loves you, Baby, forever and always! "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be." From "Love you Forever" by Robert Munsch Today is hard, yes, and I know many hard days will be ahead. But I will always be thankful, God chose to reward me, with the gift of this sweet precious child, even if only for a moment in time. "Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him." ~ Psalm 127:3 If you took the time to read this today, thank you. If you are a grieving mother, I'm praying for you. Strengthened only by the love of God, Andrea Good morning, Sweet Sisters!
I am so excited to meet with you, here, today! I can't wait to start our fall Bible study! Reading through the old testament books of the prophets, is not always an easy task. It can be difficult to understand what we are reading sometimes, but with prayer, God will teach us through His Word. As we begin the book of Isaiah today, here is a little background: Isaiah was a prophet to Judah during the time the kingdom was divided. Many of his prophesies were fulfilled both in old and new testament times, but, of course, his prophesies of Christ's second coming have not yet come to fruition. Isaiah is quoted in the new testament more than any other old testament prophet. With this small introduction, let's jump right into Scripture! Here is this week's reading plan: Monday - Isaiah 1 Tuesday - Isaiah 2 Wednesday - Isaiah 3 Thursday - Isaiah 4 Friday- Isaiah 5 I'm praying for each of you this week! If you have any special prayer requests, please leave them in the comments. It would be an honor to pray for you. Keep reading God's Word! Joyfully His, Andrea Happy fall, Sweet Sisters!
A new autumn season has arrived, and with it: our fall Bible study! Starting next Monday, September 30th, we will begin reading the book of Isaiah. If you are new to Redeeming Elegance, we are so glad you are here. Our Bible studies are simple and easy to follow and are in place to encourage you on your daily walk with Jesus. Each day we read one chapter, Monday through Friday, taking the weekend off for playing "catch up" if needed. I took a few weeks off to get our school year started and into a good routine, and now I am ready and excited to jump back into Scripture with you! So, get your Bibles, pens, and journals ready, and let's meet here next Monday to see what God has in store for us in His Word. :) "See" you here on Monday! Joyfully His, Andrea My journey to homeschooling is different than most. It started in fourth grade. I had been going to the same Christian school since kindergarten. At the end of my fourth grade year, the school began having administrative problems and a lot of families decided to leave the school. For some of us, that meant the local public school (like me), others transferred to other Christian schools and my best friend would begin homeschooling. I had never heard of homeschooling before, but it sounded fabulous to me. I begged my own mother to homeschool me, but sadly, she declined. But...a desire was placed in my heart right then at 10 years old: one day I would homeschool my kids. From that moment on, the seed was planted and I would gladly tell you I will homeschool one day!
And indeed, I am! This will be my 14th year of homeschooling, and I truly love it! It's not always easy, there are many hard days, but the benefits and rewards my family are reaping, are worth it! There is so much I've learned over the years, and I am still learning. That's one of the blessings of homeschooling: we are ALL learning. Each and every day. If you are a homeschool mom, this post is for you. I want to encourage you as you begin this new school year and share with you something I've learned over my many years of schooling: Focus on the heart. I know you are probably neck deep in curriculum choices, lesson plans, and extra curricular activities. You have text books, work books, and craft supplies a plenty. Your closets are overflowing with paper, pencils, scissors, and glue and you are ready to teach some math, guide some grammar, share some history and experiment with science. And all of that is great! It's important, and structure and an organized plan for school is much needed. But.... sometimes with all of that focus on the academics, the lesson planning, and the accumulation of "school stuff", we forget our main focus. We lose sight on what our children really need to be learning while in our care, in our school. The most important lesson we will ever impart on our children is a love for Jesus. That 's the key! That's the one thing we cannot slack on...our children's eternity depends on it! Yes, our kids have to know math, and how to read and write, but if they don't know Jesus, love Him and desire to serve Him for a lifetime....none of that other stuff really matters. Not on the scale of eternity. So this is our chance, Momma, the years we have our kids at home teaching them, training them, learning with them- these are the years we have to show them Jesus. Tell them about Him, tell them what He has done for you, read the Bible to them, tell them how He has blessed your family, how He has provided for you, how He loves them so much that He gave His own life just for them...just to give them an eternal future. As a homeschooler, the education of our children lies solely in our hands. We are completely responsible for what they learn, how they learn and what they choose to do with that knowledge. But....as their parent, our responsibility is even greater. The conditions of their hearts lie solely in our hands. We are responsible for teaching them who God is, how much He loves them, and what great sacrifice He gave for us when He sent His son, Jesus, to die for our sins. It is the utmost important knowledge we will EVER give them. We must not take it lightly! "And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourself wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your foreheads as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." ~ Deuteronomy 6:5-9 I know this is a big calling, Momma, but you can do this! God will give you all you need this year to guide your little ones (and maybe not so little ones) in their education but most importantly He will direct you as you teach your children about God and show them how much He loves them through your dedication to Him. Enjoy teaching your kids! This is a season that will soon be over! Time flies by and your kids will be grown! It's a blessing and a privilege to get the chance to spend your days with the only human beings on earth who look to you for their needs to be met, love to be given, and grace to be shown. What a beautiful picture of Christ, you have the opportunity to be, for your kids! As I am heading into my 14th year of homeschooling and I am looking forward to at least 17 more years of teaching, I reflect on the biggest lesson I have learned: to seek wisdom. Not only for myself, but I've learned the importance of seeking wisdom for my children and teaching them to do the same. God will grant it if you just ask Him for it. "If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking." ~ James 1:5 I'm praying for each of you as you begin your new school year. I'm praying God showers you with His patience, peace, discernment, grace, wisdom, love and mercy as you teach, train, nurture and love your children! "My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands. Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God. For the Lord grants wisdom! From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity. He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to Him. Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy. Wise choices will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe." ~ Proverbs 2:1-11 Pass this on to your fellow homeschool mom, she may need a bit of encouragement to start the new year! Joyfully His, Andrea It's beautiful....our story. It's full of ups and downs, highs and lows, blessings and sorrow, good and bad, it's full of real life. Our story could fill the pages of a book and it would hold you; hook, line, and sinker. It's a story of love, passion, excitement, mercy and grace...God's grace. It's a story I'm so proud to be a part of, so blessed to be living out right now.
And so it began...... We met in high school, I was a freshman and he was a senior. We actually met two weeks before school began, during band camp. I was a majorette and he was a drummer. He noticed me right away, but I was shy and was just trying not to make a fool of myself in high school. He introduced himself and struck up conversations with me often, even though he couldn't remember my name. Maybe he was nervous, but it took him several times to remember it! Ha! Within just a few weeks we were inseparable! At our first football game that season, I introduced him to my mom. He told her she was going to love him and she said "We'll see about that!" But he was right. She did indeed like him, and the Lord gave her peace early on in our relationship that he was my future husband. That year flew by and we were almost always together. By the time he graduated he was sure we would one day be married. I wish I could say "the rest is history" from there, but once school started back for me and he began college, things were different. Because of choices I made, we were then apart for several years. During this time, I worked for his mom so I always knew what he was up to. After I graduated high school I became a single mom. I had the cutest little boy, and although the circumstances were not ideal, that baby boy made me a Mommy and I've loved being a mother ever since! And that's when God wove mine and my husband's stories back together! My sweet Hubby says, he has known from the moment he first saw me, that I was the girl he would marry and spend the rest of his life with. It took me a bit longer, but I remember that day so clearly...... It was early October, I was working a full day at the flower shop when my mom brought my 3 month old son in to see me during my lunch break. It was always hard for me to work and be away from my baby. I've always desired to be home with my children, but as a single mom I had to work and provide for my son. So that day, just as I had finished lunch and I was hugging my little one goodbye before my mom took him back home, my (now) husband walked into the flower shop. He came to see his mom, but when he noticed me, my son, and mom in the back room, he came to say hello. And this is when I knew....without a shout of a doubt...that he was the one I would spend my life with. He said hello and made small talk and then out of nowhere, he asked me if he could hold my son....I had broke this man's heart, we hadn't spoken much at all over the past few years, and it was physically and emotionally hard for him to be in the same building with me. But here he was talking to me and asking to hold my baby. I gladly handed my son over, and they both smiled and laughed at each other and had the sweetest few minutes together. He held my son as if it was the most natural thing in the world to him. He focused completely on my little one, took in every bit of him, made silly faces at him and talked to him so gently. Then he looked up at me and asked if me and my baby boy would join him for pizza one night. And that's it! The rest is history! :) We had pizza together that very night and talked for HOURS about everything. I asked him for his forgiveness and although it wasn't needed, he asked for mine. We talked about the past, the present, and the future. We both knew we had always loved each other and we both knew we always would, and our plans were made for a lifetime, that very evening. Nine months later we were married! Seventeen years ago today, in the most beautiful outdoor ceremony in front of a small cabin, surrounded by all of our loved ones and lots of flowers, I married my high school sweetheart, my best friend! I became his and he became mine and we were instantly a family: me, him, and my one year old son. Only because of God's grace. "So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no man separate." ~ Matthew 19:6 NKJV Our story didn't end there, it only just begun. For seventeen years we've been by each other's side. I love my Husband more today than I ever thought possible! I adore him! Our lives are not perfect, but we've never once strayed from sticking together, loving each other, humbling ourselves, and pushing forward. We've become stronger and closer and God has blessed every step we've taken together, and I'm so grateful. "...Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God." ~ Ruth 1:16 In seventeen years, we've been blessed with 6 wonderful children, moved 4 times with the last one being out of state. We built a house. We've raised beef cattle off and on for years. We walked away from a great job to try to start our own business, but then found we needed to move out of state and start all over. We waited not-so-patiently for 3 years for a job to provide financially for our family. We went through two long, hard custody battles to keep my oldest son, and then when he was 14, my husband and I stood together when our son decided to go live with his biological dad. We have dealt with severe anxiety, deep depression, and spent many sleepless nights wondering how everything would work out. We endured deep grief when my father-in-law was killed in a tragic accident and then watched as my husband's family fell apart, for a time, because of that grief. We struggled with unexplained secondary infertility for six years and lost two babies to miscarriage. Our recent miscarriage, literally almost took my life, but through all of it.....EVERY....BIT.....OF......IT....we've walked through it together. We are both stronger people because of it all, but we are even stronger together! I can't imagine walking through this life without my husband and I can't wait to see what is still ahead for us. "Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance............Three things will last forever- faith, hope and love- and the greatest of theses is love." ~I Corinthians 13: 4-7,13 Adam, Every. Single. Day. I thank God for you. I thank Him for letting our paths cross 22 years ago. I thank Him for bringing us back together. I thank Him for the beautiful wedding ceremony we shared and the holy vows we made to each other. I thank Him for drawing us closer together each and every day. I thank Him for giving us our large family. I thank Him for each of our children and that we get the great privilege of raising them together. I thank Him that I get to wake up next to you each morning and fall asleep in your arms each night. I thank Him for our marriage. I love you more now than I ever thought possible, yet each day I love you even more! I'm so happy I get to do this life with you! You still give me butterflies, sweep me off my feet, make me laugh, bring me joy, lift my spirits, and make me feel like the most beautiful, luckiest, girl in the world! You are my Prince Charming! Happy Anniversary, Babe! I am so grateful that I am yours and you are mine! I love you, Andie "My beloved is mine, and I am his...." ~Song of Solomon 2:16 KJV " Many waters cannot quench love, nor can rivers drown it....." ~ Song of Solomon 8:7 |
For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. " AuthorHi! I'm Andrea, wife to my handsome hubby, homeschooling mama to my 7 amazing blessings, and daughter of the King of kings. I am so glad you have stopped by my little piece of the web. My prayer is that the Lord will use this blog to encourage you in your personal, daily walk with Christ. Archives
October 2021
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