Muslim Demographics

I watched a very interesting video tonight. Please take a moment to check it out. It is even worth it if you have dial-up to wait the few hours it will take to download it. It is about the rising Muslim people and the detriment of other countries.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-3X5hIFXYU

God's Provision

"Wherever you are now is God's provision, not His punishment. Celebrate this moment, and try very hard to do it with conscious gratitude."
--Luci Swindoll

"For am I now trying to win the favor of people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ."
--Galatians 1:10

I have been asking God to lead me to the scripture He has for me every morning and I have yet to be disappointed. Today He led me to Galatians 1 and verse 10 really stuck out to me.

Why have I been so upset with other people's reactions to my pregnancy? Am I out to please them or God? I'm out to please God!!!! Who cares what they think? If they can't be happy that Chad and I are being blessed with another life, then so what?! We feel we are following God's will for our lives. We are trying to live as the Bible commands, we take care of our family, and we have joy in our Lord! I am a slave to Christ, not them! I am done ignoring my pregnancy when around them. If they feel uncomfortable because they want to worry and not put their trust in God, then that is their problem to deal with, not mine! The only thing I can do is continue to pray for them. I am living for Christ!

Thankful for Trials!

²My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; ³Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.⁴But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.⁵If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.⁶But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.⁷For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.⁸A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
--James 1:2-8

The Lord led me to this scripture this morning after a very depressing day yesterday. Things are not going well for either Chad or I in our endeavors to get certain things accomplished. God reminded me this morning that we need to be thanking Him for these trials. Because of these difficulties, it will be that much sweeter when God provides for us and still accomplishes what we were trying to do. All glory will be given to Him instead of some of it to ourselves. He reminded me that although we can try to do things on our own, it is only through Him that we can be successful! May God be glorified!

Personal Bible Reading and Study Time

For the past year and a half, I have been reading a chapter (sometimes more) a day in the Bible. I have jumped from Old Testament to New Testament and back. What I did was pick a book of the Bible and read that every day until I was done with it. I would then chose another book and do the same thing. I chose my books depending on where God was leading me the morning of the day I was ready to start a new book. I have now read through the entire Bible!

My problem is I don't know what to do in the morning now that I have completed that task. Do I start all over? Do I just read where I feel God is leading me that particular morning? Do I work on a published Bible study? I would love to hear your suggestions.

Psalm 139:14-18

¹³For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

¹⁴I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

¹⁵My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

¹⁶Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

¹⁷How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

¹⁸If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

Children

"Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate."

--Psalm 127: 3-5

"Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD."
--Psalm 128:1-4

The Bible is very clear that children are a blessing. Please rejoice with us as our family has been blessed again (due the end of the year).

Psalm 119: 113-120

¹¹³ I hate the double-minded,
But I love Your law.
¹¹⁴ You are my hiding place and my shield;
I hope in Your word.
¹¹⁵ Depart from me, you evildoers,
For I will keep the commandments of my God!
¹¹⁶ Uphold me according to Your word, that I may live;
And do not let me be ashamed of my hope.
¹¹⁷ Hold me up, and I shall be safe,
And I shall observe Your statutes continually.
¹¹⁸ You reject all those who stray from Your statutes,
For their deceit is falsehood.
¹¹⁹ You put away all the wicked of the earth like dross;
Therefore I love Your testimonies.
¹²⁰ My flesh trembles for fear of You,
And I am afraid of Your judgments.