Hide It In Your Heart

Yes, I know this isn't a "craft" blog - but, I just couldn't help myself with this idea and I just had to share the love with my friends! 

Over the weekend, our friends invited our family to their home to enjoy an evening with them. While there, I noticed a picture frame on their desk.  It was a simple glass frame with a dry erase marker attached. It had been a gift made for my friend, Camillia, by her sister, Sophie (Hi Sophie!).   Now - I had seen other projects where crafty people had used a picture frame to make a snazzy dry erase board, but this one sparked an idea in my mind.  Instead of decorative paper in the background behind the glass, she had plain old, ordinary lined notebook paper.  It reminded me of an index card.

Instead of a To Do List or a Grocery List written on the glass, Camillia had a verse noted.

The light bulb in my head went off!

I am a big believer in writing scripture that I want to apply to my life on index cards.  That way the verse is readily available and I can review it often, eventually these verses become written on my heart.

Duh!!! I could write my verse on the glass and display it prominently so that I see it often, and for bonus - it could be pretty!  Once I have it written on my heart, I can erase the glass and start working on a new one.

And you guessed it - I made me one!  Here's what I did:


You will need:
-Inexpensive Frame - this one cost $1 and is a 5x7 (you will want to chose one with a fairly thin frame if you want to be able to attach the marker)

-Inexpensive Dry Erase Board with    marker attached- this too was $1 

-Ribbon

-Scissors

-Marker

-Thin Wire or String

-One Sheet of Wide Ruled Notebook Paper

-Small Piece of Decorative Paper (for tag)

Take the back off of the frame and place it on the notebook paper, making sure that it's straight and trace around it.  If your frame came with a generic insert, you can trace that. Be sure to include the cute red line that all notebook paper is famous for!  Then cut out the image.

Place the notebook paper in your frame, just like you would a picture, with the red line on the left hand side. 

Now you're ready to dress your frame up a little.  Cut a piece of ribbon long enough to be wrapped around the end of the picture frame and tied in a knot.  Cut a small tag out of colored paper. I wrote the phrase "To Ponder" on my tag.  Poke a small hole in the end for your string or wire to feed through.

Pull the ribbon taut around the end of the frame and tie a knot.  Be sure to feed your ribbon through the wire or string you used for your tag so that it is attached.  Clip the ends of your ribbon to the length you prefer.

Now for the REALLY technical part:

Just yank the marker and its holder off of the dry erase board.

(I told you it was technical.)

And wiggle it onto the side of your frame

and

TADAAAA!

And all I spent on this cute little project was 2 bucks!  I took mine to work to put on my desk, and as I was leaving home with it my husband wanted to know where I was going with it.  He thought I was making them to sit around the house, not for my desk at work - I think he was a little jealous that I didn't make him one, but he'll never admit it! 

You can make this even if you aren't crafty! (I offered hubby the intructions too, but I haven't seen him doing any work yet.  Hmm ..Maybe I should breakdown and make him one with a nice pink bow......)

Here's my treat for you -  Since it is so important to me that we all hide His word in our hearts, I am going to give one of these away to a lucky commenter.  For each person who leaves a comment on today's post by Friday night at 11:59PM, with their favorite memory verse and it's location in the Bible, I will put your name in a drawing for a winner. But - John 3:16 doesn't count cause we all already know that one! ;)


Biggest Blessings,

Royal Princess Daughter Of The King

CANNOT

The night had lingered late, stars were hung brightly in the blanket of dark.  Golden curls dangle from the little head propped restfully on the sofa's arm.  Lashed eyelids succumb to the weighted downward force, and slumber falls.

Deep restful slumber.

Undisturbed, not a care in the world, peaceful slumber.

I draw back the blanket uncovering the God-given fingers and toes, as I kiss her velvet cheek.  The rest is so deep, there is not a stir at the uncovering, nor the kiss.

Mommy arms scoop beneath her knees and around her shoulders raising her to my chest.  Still, not a stir.

Arms dangle to the sides, void of effort to grasp for safety.  Complete rest, absolute slumber.

The golden curls drape as a curtain swaying from a little neck extended over Mommy's arm.

My feet step softly across the floor making way to her room, as my eyes travel across her features, treasuring this moment of quiet observance of His needlework.  I stoop, lowering Heaven's gift to her bed.

Mommy arms withdraw from her little frame.  Another kiss is placed as I brush the locks from her flushed cheeks.

I love you. I whisper.

Still never a stir.

Complete rest.

Absolute slumber.

She was totally at rest, she never realized she was in a position of thorough trust as her arms dangled and her head was thrown back.  Yes, there have been other times I have picked up my children where they weren't at quite a deep, restful state and the have locked their hands securely around my neck so not to fall.

There have been several times over the years where my husband has unexpectedly whisked me up, my feet leaving the floor, and I have clung for dear life with my arms around his neck.  All the while I yelled - Put me down!  You're gonna drop me! Put me down! eyes pinched tight and head buried deep in his shoulder.

I must ask, which image most accurately describes me in the arms of God lately?  Until this past week, I thought it was good to cling to God for dear life, which is what I have always done.  However, this imagery taught me that, yes, I cling to Him for dear life and clinging in itself isn't a bad thing,  but to be honest my clinging has often been for fear of being dropped.  For fear of falling.

I realized I didn't trust Him enough.

I didn't trust Him enough to let His arms be my place of total rest and slumber.   I have never allowed my arms to dangle to the sides without effort to cling for safety.  My head never thrown back in complete assurance I would not be dropped. 

Why?

I don't know. 

He wants me to be at complete rest in His arms, not lacking in assurance of His ability to carry me. 

Brimming with promise that He CANNOT drop me.

Not will not.

CANNOT.

It's opposite of who He is.

No matter the uncertainty, no matter the situation, no matter my lack of control in it,  He CANNOT drop me.

And I am safe.

Resting in His arms.



Royal Princess Daughter Of The King

Can It Just Be You and Me Today?

Exchange whispers with God before shouts to the world.

I love when a fresh way of saying something makes a regular old part of my life seem new.  Lysa TerKeurst gave those words of advice on her recent Made to Crave webcast and they stuck with me.  Someday I want to post those words in our room so that they're the first thing I see each morning. 

Whispers - a word so delicate and precious coupled with shouts, a word whose very nature commands attention.  Delicate whispers spoken with a Mighty God carry the power to change a strong shout, impacting the world differently.   That statement has been a channel allowing for some wonderful God moments for me this week.

Since first hearing this nugget, I have been intentional about putting it into practice.  You see, I'm more of a nightowl, as I've mentioned before, and mornings just aren't my thing.  Yes, I often share thoughts with Him as I go through my morning routine, but the bulk of my personal prayer and study takes place at night.

No wonder I often feel stretched and stressed the moment I step from the comforts of my home out into the real world, I'm stepping out unprepared.  Unarmed.  A preschool concept with a masters degree impact on my everyday life.  All I need to do is whisper.....

One day this week I reluctantly arose from slumber and went through our morning routine. The next thing I know, I was more than halfway to work and suddenly realized I had exchanged no whispers.

I turned off my radio, repeated the statement in my mind and began whispering to Him.  I mentioned a few whispers, and then specifically asked God to heal a particular situation in my life.  Immediately I felt His response -

No, Amy, I want to heal YOU.

The answer was so bold within my spirit that immediately tears began to flow, as I said, "Please do, please heal me.  Please do."  I drove on and just a few moments later I was approaching my stop.  Having just felt His voice very real and knowing His presence so near, the last thing I wanted to do was leave the comfort and safety I was in. 

I whispered more -

Oh, God, I'm getting ready to get out of this car - and I don't want to - 'cause it's not going to be just You and me any more....  It's going to be You -  me - and the rest of the world... But could you make it like it's just you and me some today?  Could you do that for me?

Oh, my beloved sisters, He did.

And He did.

And He did.

The morning flew as I scratched thoughts onto scraps of paper as He taught me.

This is where the healing begins.  

Just You and me.

Today.

And everyday.

Friends, the great thing about our God is, He doesn't just want to be personal with some of us, He wants to be that personal with ALL of us.  Whisper with Him today.  Those small whispers I uttered, God used to completely change the shouts I made with the rest of the world for the entire day.  I believe the same will happen for you.

It can be just you and Him today, He'll do that for you.

For those of you who were wondering about the answer to I Spy, the answer was - God sees you!  Hope you had fun with that little game, you might see it pop up again soon.  By the way, thank you to all of you who posted to let us know you had found it, it was really fun for me too!

Biggest Blessings Today and Always,

Royal Princess Daughter Of The King

On Patrol

My daddy says I have a heavy foot, I have no idea what he's talking about.  Well, maybe I do, but enough about that.  

Nothing gets my attention like topping a hill or rounding a curve and spotting a patrol car, doing what it does best - patrolling!  Can a girl get an amen, here?! Yes - you know what I'm talking about, that moment when you let your foot off the gas tap the break while checking your speed.  Your stomach drops to the floor board as you gaze into the rear view mirror for the verdict.

You exhale the breath you've been holding as you think to yourself  Shew! He didn't catch me....and drive on in cautious safety for the next mile or so, or at least until you think you're all clear.

Then it's back to our old ways.

Or, don'tcha hate it when this happens - you're driving along and something catches your eye in the rear view mirror.  You glance to see who's behind you, and much to your surprise, it's a patrol car.  You have no idea how long he's been back there, and immediately begin to replay the last few miles in your mind. 

Was I speeding?

Did I use my turn signal?

Did I do anything wrong?

You proceed nervously, trying to do everything by-the-book so you don't get pulled over.  It feels as if the officer is just waiting for you to mess up.

Those patrol cars are there to catch us!  There to catch us messing up.  Now before you start telling me that those patrol cars are there to protect us, please know, I totally get that, and I am very thankful for each of them who serve us so bravely.  Just follow me for a minute - I think you'll understand what I mean.

Job Chapter 1:6-7 (NLT)

One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them.  "Where have you come from?" the Lord asked Satan.

Satan answered the Lord, "I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that's going on."

Did you catch that?

He had been patrolling the earth watching everything that was going on. 

Job Chapter 2:1-2 (NLT)

One day the members of the heavenly court came again to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them.  "Where have you come from?" the Lord asked Satan.

Satan answered the Lord, "I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that's going on."

Patrolling everything - again.

Sounds like he does this often, doesn't it?

Yep - and he's waiting to find you in a vulnerable place, with your guard down so he can catch you.  He is on your tail, and his radar is pointed right at you.  Sure, we've been taught and taught that he prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking to devour, but to think of him as patrolling, gave me a different mental picture.  Prowling around like a lion paints him as crazed and scary to me, but patrolling the earth draws a picture of him as sneaky and stealth, in places I least expect, waiting to slap the cuffs on my wrists without thinking twice about it.

Sure, I immediately slow down and check myself when I see a police car, even give myself a pep talk about doing better, make a mental note that I've seen him in this spot more than once so I will be more careful next time.  I adjust.  I follow traffic laws.  Imagine if we reacted in our spiritual lives to the enemy being on patrol like we do when we spot a police car, we would find ourselves in far fewer traps.

Imagine if we turned the tables and had our radar on him.

Royal Princess Daughter Of The King

One Word Wednesday

It's One Word Wednesday.  I'm giving you one word today with a question, your job is to let God do the rest.  Here's today's word:

God, how do You want to interrupt me today?

Royal Princess Daughter Of The King

Being The Domino

Hello, my friends!  If you are visiting from Be the Domino, welcome.  We're so glad you stopped by.

For the rest of you, I am guest posting for my friend, Whitt Madden today. Click here to read about the team at Be the Domino, click on Meet The Team, and scroll through the different team members. You will see my name on that page, which is where you'll find today's post.  God, thru Whitt, is building a wonderful ministry through Be the Domino and I am excited for what is in store for the Kingdom as a result of people being the domino and impacting the lives of each another one by one.

I would love for you to hop over to Whitt's site and check out the great work going on there.  I am lucky to have the opportunity to partner with him and the rest of his team to guest post in upcoming months.   Stay tuned!

Whitt, his wife Camillia, and family have been wonderful friends and a great encouragement to us as a family and to Todd and I in ministry. It is so encouraging to watch someone really dig in to God and refuse to let go. The past year has been hard for us and they, without realizing it, have been instrumental in encouraging Todd and me.  We are blessed for having known them.  Whitt and Camillia are a true testimony to the miraculous hand of God moving in two people's lives and they run toward the Father in reckless abandon - together.

Mind if I pray for you and for Be the Domino?

Father, You are a God of the miraculous and no less.  Your hand is mighty to save and it is tender to reach down and touch our frail frames.  Your hand is full of healing, grace, and abounding in love.  And that hand reaches for me.  How I long for the day to actually see your hand as it extends for mine as we dance into eternity together.  I thank You, God, that You still stir our spirits. I thank You that You are still calling those, like Whitt and his team, in service to your Kingdom.  I thank You for the lives that have been and will be touched and changed as a result of Be the Domino.  You tell us in your word that your gifts and calling are irrevocable, which explains the passion with which ministries like Be the Domino work and serve.  Father renew a passion for You within us all today and remind us of the day we first felt You nudge our hearts. Spirit, stir that up to the surface for us all once again.  Be glorified today, God.  For You are worthy.



Royal Princess Daughter Of The King

I Spy

When McKayla was in preschool, we were in the car one Saturday afternoon.  She was all buckled in her booster seat in the back when her sweet little voice said to me, "I spy wif my widdle eye sumpting that is boo."  And she chuckled.

I was tickled at her preschool way of pronouncing her words, yes, but I was more tickled that she had learned to play "I Spy".  It was something she had learned at preschool that I had no idea about, so it was fun to play it together.

Have you ever played I spy?  If you haven't, here's the gist of how we played.  The spy picks out something in their surroundings without revealing the identity and only shares the color.  The guesser looks around trying to figure out what it is that the spy sees.

Make sense?

Good, cause we're going to play I spy today.  We're playing scripture I spy.  I spot something in the Bible and you figure out what it is.

Sound fun?

I thought it did. 

Here we go -

I spy with my little eye something about our God. 

I'll give you a hint. Instead of a color, I'll give you a verse.

I spy with my little eye something about our God and it's in Genesis 16:13.

Now - you look around in Genesis 16:13 and see if you can figure out what it is.

When you do, post a comment letting us know you found it.  Don't say what it is so that everybody gets a chance to play, just say something like "I got it!" or "I figured it out."

I'll post the answer in a few days and you can see if you were right!

Have fun - Love you all.



Royal Princess Daughter Of The King

Girls Night Out?

Some of you have joined me in the bible study book "Becoming More Than A Good Bible Study Girl" and others of you joined me in the study "Made to Crave" both written by Lysa TerKeurst of Proverbs 31 Ministries. 

I am a big fan of Lysa and Proverbs 31.  God has equipped her to teach in a practical and down to earth fashion and God has used her to greatly impact my life.  As a matter of fact, you would have never have experienced Beyond Sunday Morning had I not been exposed to Proverbs 31 Ministries and Lysa TerKeurst. 

I wanted to let you all know that Lysa TerKeurst is coming to Immanuel Baptist Church in Paducah this month.  Click here for details.  I already have my ticket and hope you'll go too.  What the heck, invite a friend and make it a girl's night out!

See you there!



Royal Princess Daughter Of The King

It's About Time

Ok - I finally signed up for Twitter.  I know, I know, get with the program!





Royal Princess Daughter Of The King

Never Saw It Coming

It was New Year's Eve, darkness had just reached black as I walked out of the department store.  Stepping across the threshold into the evening air, I commented on the parking lot's lack of light.  As I gazed to the tops of the poles, many of them were dark, few lights remained aglow.  Tall, thick shadows abounded.

And the next thing I know I am flat on the pavement.

Yep.

I fell.

Like a dork.

Trust me, it was not glamorous.  Or graceful for that matter. 

Funny thing is,  I never saw it coming.

Not even a hint.

One moment I was walking along with my family chatting, and the next I was dusting myself off, assessing the damage.


1 Corinthians 10:12 -

If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.

You see, I thought I was fine.  I was just enjoying my family, taking in my surroundings when it happened. I did not feel any danger, no sense of caution.  I had no idea what was coming.  The parking lot was dark, and the shadows were so deep, I had no idea that I was running out of sidewalk and about to fall.  I stepped right out into oblivion, what I thought was still beneath me wasn't.

Sometimes that is exactly how the enemy attacks.

When we think we are fine.

When all is well and our guard is down.

It has happened to me many times.  One moment I'm think I'm walking along with God, and the next thing I know, I am broken.

Broken because of sin.

Sin I didn't even see coming.

In a trap I didn't even know was there.

My message to you - Be Careful.  Keep a guard over your heart.  Over your marriage.  Over your home. Over your children.  Over your family.  Over your relationships.  And over your church. 

Because we have an ememy who wants to destroy you.

If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.

My sister, if you already have fallen, don't feel condemned by this message  If you find yourself all sprawled out on the pavement, don't be ashamed.  Call out to your Father who loves you so much.  He will pick you up and dust you off.  He will heal your wounds.  He will restore you.

If you let Him.

He loves you.

From one fallen, all sprawled out girl to another, please know, I love you too.



Royal Princess Daughter Of The King

What One Word?

I have never been one to make New Year's Resolutions. I don't know why, I've just never really been a fan of them.  But - last January when KLOVE began promoting chosing one word to be your theme for the year, I loved that idea.  Huge goal like organizing my recipes,cleaning out my closets, losing 50lbs, exercising 5 days a week - no.  But one word, I could do. 

I mulled over for several days what my "one word" should be.  I didn't want this idea to be something that I thought of for January only, I sought a word that I really could carry with me and use for inspiration all year.  I wanted God to change me through that one word.

Finally I got it.

Why? 

Intentional because there was a recurring theme rising to the surface in my life and it was a bad case of the "I shoulda-coulda-woulda's and oughta's".   Life was passing by and I was barely making it through each day, doing what "had to be done" that day and that was it.  My intentions were always good, but they rarely happened.  When I allow life to dictate, it leaves no room for blessing other people and blessing other people brings such refreshment.  By being more intentional about the things I was putting off, I could even allow myself to be more refreshed.  It was time to be more intentional and dictate life instead of it dictating me.

Many times throughout 2011, a thought would occur to do something simple like send a card or make a phone call and instead of dismissing the thought to "when I get time" as usual, my word would come to mind.

It was like the Spirit would nudge me and say, "You said you wanted to me more intentional..." Let me just tell ya, don't take the Holy Sprit as an accountability partner unless your serious!;)  He means business.

I can honestly say, though I still have a long way to go, looking back, I did live more intentionally in 2011 with God's help.

As I've thought about a new word for 2012, nothing new has came to mind because I don't think God is finished with me in the "intentionality" department.  He confirmed that last night as Todd and I were talking.  We were discussing issues in ministry and what and where we can do things differently.  Long story short, he looked at me and said, "So, we need to be more intentional."

I had never really shared with him my word for last year, it was just something I had shared with God, so when my husband made this statement, it was confirmation that, yes, intentional is still my word for 2012. 


Did you have a word for 2011?  How did it go? What's your new word for this year?




Royal Princess Daughter Of The King