To All Our Mommas....

I want to dedicate this post to my sweet mother. She is amazing in so many ways. She has taught me many things, not only by her words, but by her example. I'd like to share three life lessons I've learned from my mom that I pray will help you as they help me.

1. Keep God First. My mom has walked with God since she was 16 years old and since then, God has been #1 in her life. Even my dad jokingly says that he was jealous of God in my mom's life during their dating and early marriage years, because he knew there was a part of my mother's heart that he couldn't have. Even though it was difficult for my mom because my dad was not a believer for 15 years of their marriage, she never stopped going to church and taking all four of us children with her. Matthew 6:33 (NLT) says, "Seek the Kingdom of God[a] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." She knew if she put God first, that God would take care of us and He always did.

2. The Prayer of Faith Works. My mom is a woman of prayer and a woman of faith and when you combine those two things, watch out! My mom prayed for my dad's salvation for 21 years! She never gave up hope that God would reach my dad even in his rebellious, alcoholic and stubborn state. She wholeheartedly believed Acts 16:31 (NLT) which says, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household." My dad did come to the Lord Jesus and now even ministers God's word! She knows how to stand on God's promises.

3. Love others more than yourself. My mom is the most selfless person I know. She is not only faithfully loves and serves her family, but many others. If you ask anyone who knows my mom to say one thing about my mom, it would probably be that she gives without asking for anything in return. She gives her time and talent like no one else I know. If there is a need that she can help fill, she does. Jesus told His disciples, "The greatest among you must be a servant." Matthew 23:11 (NLT) She truly is a servant in every essence of the word.

Let's declare the praises of our moms this Mother's Day as we thank God for them!

Proberbs 31:28-29 (NLT) says, "Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!”

The Bully of Stress

Lately it seems that stress has become a person that follows me around everywhere I go, lurking behind every corner and staring at me with a snickering smile like a bully that's ready to pound on me. Why do I say that? Well, have you ever had days of overload at work and more things to do than you have time in the day for? A list of "gotta get done" stuff that keeps piling up? Ever been there? Some of you might be thinking, "When am I NOT there?!" It's just like that insurance commercial with the big red spot, "I'm there!"

I have found a way to beat the bully of stress if I only choose to do so. Simply said, it's prayer. Yes, seriously! My prayer times with God lately provide not only a time of fellowship between the Father and I, but a time of release and restoration. I encourage you to go to Him open hearted and open armed and "cast your cares upon Him for He cares for you." (I Peter 5:7)

In James 4:7-10 (Message) we are reminded:

So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he'll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it's the only way you'll get on your feet.

I love that verse. In those moments in His presence, tears can be shed, stress can be relieved, faith can be lifted and joy can be restored. The bully of stress has to scamper! Prayer truly is a wonderful source of life and peace when stress is wanting to bully us around. Don't succomb to the stress (a/k/a the "joysuckers") in your life.

So stand up to the bully of stress today by getting on your knees before our Heavenly Father. Choose to put on a smile every day and speak God's word over yourself and your circumstances. EVERYTHING is subject to change and with diligent faith in action, they do. Sometimes, it is us who change and that is good, too!

Living the Life "2 for 1" Spring Special!

Hello my friends!

I wanted to share an exciting promotional opportunity for the Living the Life Women's Conference 2009 on September 18-19, 2009 at the Selena Auditorium. For the month of April ONLY, buy 1 registration and get 1 free!! What a great deal at just $25!

Please visit us online at www.LivingTheLifeCC.com to register. Pray about who you can bring with you and share the news with your friends. Don't delay, register today!

Benefits of Good Friends

As I shared in my previous blog, I recently celebrated my birthday. It was great. Even though I had to work during the day, our evening was wonderful.

After dropping off the kiddos with grandma and grandpa, James and I met some friends for dinner . We enjoyed some tasty wings in a variety of flavors including the super hot ones! After that, I was treated to a piece of rich chocolate cake with a scoop of yummy vanilla ice cream. Don't worry, I shared the calories, I mean my cake.:) Afterwards, we headed off to a coffee shop and hung out while I enjoyed a delicous latte. Yes, I probably gained about 10 pounds that night, but that was alright. To finish out my night, we attended our church's worship night which ended at midnight. It was the icing on the cake to spend time in my heavenly Father's arms as my birthday came to an end.

What I cherished most (besides ending my night in worship!) was the sweet fellowship and warmth of being around some of our closest friends. Being around our dear friends was like breath of fresh air. Knowing that you can be yourself with a group of people that will not judge you, but love you truthfully and openly, and sincerely listen to you is priceless. Due to our busy schedules, we don't usually get to hang out very much, but I know they are there for James and I as we are there for them.

I also have some close girlfriends that I know I can call upon at any time, day or night, with any problem or even a praise, for whom I am grateful for. God created us to be connected to others. I hope that you have a circle of friends that you connect with on a regular basis. Perhaps, you don't have a group of friends quite like that. I encourage you to find them!

Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." Friendships are especially strong when they are Christ centered.

Here are few tips to help you find godly friendships:

(1) Go to church regularly. A family of faith is essential to spiritual and relational growth.

(2) Participate in bible study groups. Small groups are a great way to build personal relationships and promote spiritual growth, too.

(3) Participate in volunteer work either at church or community organizations. You'll often find individuals who are passionate about something that you may be passionate about which may spark a special friendship.

Lastly, maybe God is calling YOU to be a good friend. So many times, we tend to be takers, but God wants us to be givers, too. Examine your relationships and ask God to help you be a good friend to those around you. You'll be amazed at how precious you may become to someone who needs a breath of fresh air in their life!

If you have some dear friends, share a praise for them on this blog!

Thankful,
Rochelle

Celebrating Who I Am

There are few times a year that we are compelled to pause and take inventory of ourselves and our lives. We often celebrate these times as new beginnings. One of those times is of course the new year. Another may be the season of Spring which we have just entered. Another one for me is my birthday which is only a few days away. I can't believe that I'll be turning 38! Yes, I said it. When I was a teenager, I used to think that being 40 years old was well, old. But now that I'm creeping closer to the big 4-0, I don't quite agree anymore. I'm told that 50 is now the new 40 and I like that. I'm not getting old, just old-er.

I think that we as women have been given a bad wrap on this age thing. We are suppose to look like we're 25 when we're 45; however, men who are 45 can have gray hair and a some wrinkles and still be handsome since those age factors only add "character". However you see age for men or women, it should not be something that defines us, but instead improves us. Scripture tells us:

"Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life."
Proverbs 16:31

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:13-14

God doesn't want us to necessarily grow old, but rather grow up and grow wiser. With that wisdom comes understanding and celebrating how fearfully and wonderfully made we are in Him. He designed every fiber of our being inside and out, even those things we don't particularly like about ourselves, like my big knees. Even so, it's a powerful thing to know that there is no one on earth quite like you or quite like me. We are each an original.

So as my gray hair is starting to peek through again, God reminds me that I am growing wiser in Him. This birthday, I will be thankful for everything God has done in my life so far and for all that He will do in the coming year. I will celebrate who I am in Him....yes, even the gray hair and wrinkles!

Hand in Hand

Are you waiting on God for something right now? Perhaps, it is an answer to a specific prayer or clarity on His direction. Maybe you already know what you need to do, and are now waiting on His timing. That can be hard at times.

Being in ministry has made me realize that God has a definite plan for me and with His plan comes His perfect timing. At times I am anxious and want to go ahead of Him. Other times, I am fearful or uncertain and delay my obedience to Him. The best way I have learned to follow Him is to walk with Him "hand in hand." I do that by being in daily relationship with Him. As long as I am holding onto His hand, I can feel His gentle tug to slow down or His tightening pull to move forward.

Lately, I confess that I have been feeling a bit anxious and I hear Him telling me, "Be patient." At the same time, I can picture a big grin on His face letting me know something GREAT is coming just around the corner. Well, I don't know if you are like me, but patience is NOT my best virtue! However, I'm learning. Learning to wait on my God and trust His timing. I know He has everything worked out for my good even when I don't see it and He knows exactly when it will come to pass.

The daily relationship of seeking Him in prayer and His word allows me to be able to hear and recognize His voice. Do you recognize when He speaks to you?

"The gatekeeper opens the gate for him (the true Shepherd), and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out....they follow him because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger..." John 10:2-5a (NLT)

He knows you by name and knows exactly how to lead you. Walk hand in hand with Him daily and trust His timing. He will give you what you need including patience to wait or courage to move forward. Believe that He has something great for you around the corner as you choose to walk with Him. He is grinning at you from ear to ear!

Cut Off the "Dead Stuff"

This past weekend my family and I took some time to clean up our yard. Boy, did it need it! My husband pruned some ginger and hibiscus plants that had grossly overgrown due to neglect on our part. Ginger and hibiscus plants are usually beautiful, but mine weren't. They had dead parts hanging everywhere! It was not a pretty site. I'm sure our neighbors were GLAD that we finally cleaned it up.

My sweet boys helped me clean up the dead stuff that had been cut off. Aren't they adorable? I just love 'em!



Well, as you can see, not everything that my husband cut off was brown dead stuff, but unfortunately, it had to go, too. This pruning process reminded me how God needs to prune us sometimes due to our neglect of letting things get out of hand.

"I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me." John 15:1-4 (NLT)

I admit that I sometimes let things get out of hand in my life as I allow too many things on my plate and God reminds me that it's okay for me to say "no." What about you? Is there something you need to cut off or cut out? God's goal is that we bear much fruit. This pruning process can sometimes be a little painful as we sometimes get attached to things we have to let go of, but it is vital to us being fruitful. The "dead stuff" (a/k/a dead works) are the things that keep us busy, but don't keep us fruitful and often lead to us neglecting those things that are important.

We must keep our priorities in line and pursue those things which God wants us to pursue because it is in those things that we find peace and fulfillment. A balanced life is essential to a fruitful life.

I didn't think to take a picture of the before, but here's a pic of how my yard looks now. So much better! It was worth the process. May we allow God, our gentle gardener, to cut off the dead stuff so we can bear MORE fruit for Him. Even if there's an "ouch!" at first, soon there will be an "aww...better!"