So you GOT the book!!! Now what?

We have heard from several people that have ordered or bought the book "Lord, Only You Can Change Me" by Kay Arthur!! We are so excited that you are joining us by studying and reading this book along with us. Ashley and I both have our books as well and are ready to begin with you!!

A WONDERFUL CHRISTIAN WOMAN HAS OFFERED TO DONATE BOOKS TO THOSE WHO NEED HELP FINDING/BUYING THEM!!! PLEASE EMAIL ME FOR MORE INFO!! unshakeablebyfaith@gmail.com

Just as a reminder or if you missed it: (See blog post: Unshakable: {Video 1}) We are starting a study in the book mentioned above. Ashley and I will do monthly videos where we overview and answer or discuss the discussion questions at the end of each chapter. We will do one chapter per month for the next nine months to cover the nine chapters in this book. We ask that you follow along with us, check out our videos as we publish them, and even get involved by sending us comments or questions to our email!! (unshakeablebyfaith@gmail.com)

This book is about growing in character from the Beatitudes!! I believe this is a great way to begin, rekindle, or grow in your relationship with God. With all studies and all aspects of your relationship with God, He can only come in and help you make miraculous breakthroughs in your life if you have your heart open to it!

Please open your heart and pray for results!! I got them while reading this book, and I think you will too!!!

Start in Chapter 1: Getting Beyond Our Masks... this is a five day study that you will have a month to do! We understand busy... Ashley and I are busy and we both think this study is so important that we want you and us to be able to take the time to do it. Go at your own pace and if you get ahead of us, just come back each month for the video... or take it slower and do one chapter per month. I think you will know what is best for you when you get things started!!

Our next video is scheduled for February 19th... which means it should be uploaded by Feb. 20th!!

I am so excited about this and praying that each of you receive a blessing like I did from reading this book with an open heart!!

Love,
Andrea

Can you answer these questions?

My sisters all over the world--I have a couple of questions that God wants me to ask you. These questions I had to ask my own self.

1. Have you come to a place in your spiritual life where you know for certain that if you were to die today you would go to heaven, or is that something you would say you're still working on?
2. Suppose that you were to die today and stand before God and He were to say to you, "Why should I let you into my heaven?" What would you say?
Think about those two questions, if you will, while I tell you a little more.
Maybe you came up with "I have been a good person." "I have kept the Ten Commandments" "I try to live by the Golden Rule--that you treat others as you want to be treated". Or maybe you came up with something else.
If you will give me a few more minutes of your time,  I have something extraordinary that I want to tell you about! It is called grace.
Heaven is a free gift. In the Bible there is a scripture that says this:"the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life .." Romans 6:23
This gift is not earned or deserved. For a long time I have to tell you that I thought that I had to become good enough--then I realized it is a gift--unmerited and undeserved.
I also realized that "mankind" is a sinner. The Bible teaches that "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23
In every way we all failed to keep His commandments--both by sins of commission and sins of omission-- that is, the things we have done and the things we left undone. We also have sinned in word, thought and deed.
Man cannot save himself. There is not one of us good enough to get into heaven because God's standard is perfection! Jesus says"be therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect," Matthew 5:48. This is why none can earn our way into heaven.
God is merciful though! He does not want to punish us. The Bible says "He is love"! 1 John 4:8. We know He is loving, gracious kind but at the same time He is just, holy and righteous.
God is just --He must punish sin.
He must deal with sin. But he doesn't want to punish us because He loves us! That is where Jesus Christ works out that dilemma!
Jesus Christ is the God-Man.
Jesus is part of a "trinity". According to the Bible, Jesus is God, the second person of the Trinity, the Creator of the universe. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.. The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us" John 1:1,14. God came down in human flesh! And when He did-He died on the cross and rose from the dead to pay the penalty of sin and to purchase a place for us in heaven.
Imagine a scale and all my sin lumped on one side -- I mean everything I've done in secret and open including thoughts and motives  all weighed down heavy! What a burden. And Oh! how I will be judged!
But on the other side of the scale is Jesus. My sin prevented me from rising up to God until my sin was transferred to Jesus. Christ bore our sins in His body. When He died, He was buried in the grave for three days, but He rose again and went to heaven to make us a place ready-- for eternity-- as a gift! And this gift is received by faith. How do we receive this thing called faith?
Faith is not intellect. People believe who Napoleon was and who George Washington was without meeting them. They were real people in history and so was Jesus. So people can believe that He was a person, but they are not trusting Him to do anything for them now! That is not faith. That's just intellect acknowledgement. The Bible says that the devil believes in God. And even demons, but they were not saved.
Faith is more than just trusting for health, finances, protection, or guidance --things of this life that will pass away.
Faith is trusting Jesus Christ alone for eternal life! He didn't come to help us that one time for an operation or to safely get us to our next stop on earth. He came to get us to heaven.
The Bible says "Believe in The Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved " Acts 16:31. People trust in one of two things -- self or in Christ. And I was trusting in my own efforts before  and those efforts would never be good enough!! I had to start trusting Christ! I received the gift of eternal life. I did not deserve it, but by His grace, I have it.
It's like a chair.. Do I believe that a chair would support me if I sat in it? Yes, I do. But until I sit in it, it cannot support me. How do I prove that the chair will support me? By sitting in it.
To receive eternal life, you must transfer your trust from yourself to Christ!
What then is my motive for living a godly life if this is free?? Gratitude for what Christ has given. Thank you, Lord for what you have done!
Does this make sense to you?
This is the greatest story EVER told and the greatest offer ever made by the greatest person who ever lived!
Now the question God is asking you is this: "Would you like to receive this  gift of eternal life?"
If you said "yes" that means

• You are transferring your trust-- your hope of eternal life from what you had been doing-- going to church, being a good neighbor, living by the Golden Rule-- to what Jesus Christ done for you on the cross. He takes our sin and we receive His righteousness. 
• You acknowledge that He is your Savior.  
• You receive Christ as Lord of your life. Are you willing to yield your life to His control because of your gratitude for eternal life?? 
• Repent. You have to repent of your sins and follow Him. 

If you answered YES. God is there with you!
Father, I pray that you would grant the gift of eternal life. May the Holy Spirit draw and bring understanding what You have done. Grant her faith to believe your promises,and  repentance to turn from her sins. Reveal Christ crucified today!
Ask Him now to take your life. Confess that you are a sinner and need a Savior and accept the gift of eternal life.
Father you have heard their prayer and I ask that you give them assurance, In Jesus name, Amen!
Trust Christ for eternal life!

If at first you don't succeed.... (by: Andrea)

There are so many things in my life that are being changed right now. These things are happening to me becuase I have opened my heart and truly let God in.... and he is certainly doing some cleaning!
 

Some changes I am not ready to elaborate on just yet.... some I have already talked about.... and the ones that are still an everyday struggle are the ones I am scared to totally give up and ask for help on.  I am still HOLDing on to some things... and yes, I am fully aware that I am holding them tightly. In my post "Opportunities" I talk about my youngest daughter and her "security items" ....her blanket and pacifier... turns out I have a few blankets and pacifiers that I need to outgrow myself!!

I've been SO surprised that the things I thought would be SO HARD to give up are so much easier than I ever dreamed because I had faith and asked that God would help me... and HE did!!!

1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 

So, this verse says to me: this is normal...it happens to a lot of people and I can fight it... I can handle this ... God has made me strong enough to fight this and will even help me by providing a way out!!! Oh, but this involves some effort on my part...  to go stand up under that "way out".

GREEN TEA!!!

No, I didn't just lose my train of thought. Green tea is sooo healthy!! I once did an article for our local newspaper listing the top 10 most healthy things we could put in our body. I'm no scientist so I couldn't actually test these foods SO, I took tons of top ten lists off the internet, spent hours comparing them and counting them to come up with a "super top ten" of the most talked about foods. Guess what was clearly and with no competition the number 1 most talked about and most beneficial food?.... green tea.

I decided a couple of months ago to start eating healthy, and put green tea on the top of my list to include in the new diet. Although I didn't stick to the diet, I did have green tea on hand when I decided to quit another even-worse-for-my-health habit.
I now drink green tea 4 or 5 times a day. It helps control cravings for that other habit AND I know it's good for me. I really believe that this was my "way out" for this particular habit. I didn't replace one habit for another, really... I just have a nice warm and healthy place to go when that temptation gets so strong.

So I guess I kind-of spilled the beans on my current bad habit, the one I am holding on to... it's life long, it's my security... IT IS FOOD or more like too much food and not the right kinds of food... because we need food, of course.  The other habits that I thought would be harder to break I gave up easily... this one I am still trying to pry it out of my hands and put it into God's!

Titus 2:11-14
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12 It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope- the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

I am going to keep trying. I am making progress... and now by writing this, I hope I can hold myself accountable for this particular needed change. I am going to work on self-control and finding the root of the need for the security that I find in this particular habit. And not to shift one bad habit to another, but to find a healthy place to go when the temptation gets strong... I think I am maxed out on my green tea per day!!! So something else... God will provide this for me... I have faith.


To all that can relate with me and are possibly fighting this battle as well:
"Tis a lesson you should heed:
Try, Try, Try again
If at first you don't succeed,
Try, Try, Try again"
-W.E. Hickson

Re-read the verses above.... give God your habit, place all your insecurities in him and he will provide a "way out" for you.
(this final statement is directed towards me, but if you can use it too, please DO!!!)

Love,
Andrea

Modern day frenemies

David said to God, " I am in deep distress, let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for His mercy is great; but do not let us fall into the hands of men." 2 Samuel 24:14

Have you heard of the word "frenemy"? You may or may not have. It is a word that was actually added in 2009 to the Merriam- Webster dictionary. Apparently, the chaps saw a great need for its inclusion, giving an official name to the practice of backstabbing.
The meaning of frenemy can be found in the blending of two words -- friend and enemy. So the meaning makes straight forward sense--it is the one who pretends to be your friend but actually is an enemy. But you will know them by their fruits.
Although officially recognized in 2009, the female -frenemy relationship has been around much much longer.
The Bible gave the real first account of the  spirit of frenemy when the devil pretended to befriend Eve. That account described how that sly slippery serpent gained Eve's trust, and enticed her into a life of sin.  That crafty critter compelled and used persuasive words to win Eve. Eve was snared by her new best friend and a desire to be like God, but here's the kicker--she already had been made in His likeness. That devil was smooth. So smooth he landed on his belly. But
Eve forsook God's directive, and joined in the serpent's spirit of disobedience. That exchange unfortunately set a precedence and the state of frenemies was spitefully established.
"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head and you will strike his heel. " Genesis 3:15. 
That scripture pretty much describes modern-day frenemies.
And it is a state that many today stoop low to take.
The serpent learned that once Eve's eyes were opened that she saw the lie. And though frenemies try to distract with deceptive charm,
God gives us insight into false friends.
They give compliments and jabs at the same time, trying to get us a notch lower. They deliver their agenda at any expense, especially yours. They operate selfishly with no regard for you, unless it fulfills some purpose for them.
 The reason they want us lower is because they want to be elevated.
But Jesus recognizing how this spirit of hostility can cause bitterness, addressed both sides of the issue. He said,
"But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you," Matthew 5:44.
Then he appealed to those with rife with ambition,
 "The greatest among you will be your servant." Matthew 23:11.
True friendship trumps a fake one any day. But if a relationship cannot be repaired then it may be time to walk away, lesson learned.
We all have a place in God's world that has been skillfully prepared, no sense in trying to make another.
Father I pray for those that are operating in the spirit of hostility and those that have bitterness. I pray that you forgive us of our hatred and put us in the right attitude. Remove those people out of our lives who walk in total disobedience with a swagger. And I pray that You surround us with true friends that love and encourage us. Help us Lord to overcome our trust issues. We honor and glorify you! In Jesus' name, Amen
Praying for you and me! Ashley

Submission... Is that REALLY the solution??

In one of my first posts "Return to Faith" I talk about submission in marriage. I left it very short and kind of open for interpretation as it related to me personally.... I did this because I realize it is a touchy subject with so many differing opinions! It was a touchy subject for me at one time too!! But once I put the word out there... that submission saved my marriage... I had every intention of returning to the subject. SO here we go!! First, let's look again (starting at the beginning this time and taking it a little further) at the passage in the bible about submission.. and then take it from there. :)

Ephesians 5:21-33
21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
22 Wives submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head to the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does for the church- 30 for we are members of his body.  31 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." 32 This is a profound mystery- but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

What is the definition of submission as used in this passage?
I looked it up and saw many different meanings, then came upon this one ... I think this one comes as close as you can to defining what it means in the passage above.

Submission- yielding and obedient attitude, cooperation and support of another person

YEP, there is that word obedient!! That is the word - I think- that we trip over and gasp at!
Look at the rest of the words -yielding, cooperation, support- they are more like team words, right? Those words basically mean you should respect one another. Most of us know that if there is no respect in a marriage, then the marriage is not working!

As adults, the word obedient has left the building, right?
Wrong!! If you are a Christian and living like one, then you know that obedience is something we do everyday. We have to be obedient to God and His word.

Here is where I was messing things up! I refused to be obedient!! I refused to be obedient to God and certainly to my husband. Maybe I didn't consciously make a decision to be disobedient, but that is exactly what I was doing. When I made the decision to give my marriage problems to God.. and this is the first scripture he pointed me to... I knew I had a major change coming! I chose to OBEY GOD first... and by doing that I HAD to respect my husband. Not everything my husband says is 100% correct (he will probably try to correct me on that!) but I had to give him enough respect to try things his way. He is the head of our home, marriage, and family. It turns out, I don't even want that role although I've been trying my best to play that role for years now. As a wife, mother, and woman there are SO MANY important jobs for me... I was ignoring those to try to take over where my husband was FULLY capable of carrying his own. I was so intent that I would be in charge, I neglected the areas where I actually WAS in charge. I am telling you... when I finally gave up my rebellion, I felt a weight lift and shift over to my husband ... he gladly took it and I gave him the respect he deserved for taking it... and he gave me love for finally giving him a chance. And that is where we are now... I'm not going to say we will never have another problem... or even that we won't have a power struggle now and then. But, I know that he listens to me now and he knows that I am letting him make the final call on decisons. We are being respectful to each other and he does take into consideration what I think, feel and say. You can see why before this change, there was total chaos in my marriage. I was trying to be Mom and DAD... I was trying to be husband and wife... I was trying to play God in my life and for my family... shamefully, shamefully... I admit.

Let me tell you where the road to disobedience leads:
ME, ME, ME... disobedience is selfish
When there is no submission, there are no Laws that apply to you!, your morals will start to shrink and disappear, you become a bad example to your children and the people around you.

Let's try this...
Next time there is a conflict: Say to yourself US, US, US... not ME, ME, ME
TRY... even just one time... to put the other person first. Try to trust God and not yourself to see you through the next battle. I believe a miracle will happen... If nothing but your own heart and bad habits change, that is an EXCELLENT accomplishment.
Just try it, I dare you!!!

Swallow your pride, let God wash it away... it will be easier than you think it will be if your heart is in the right place


Here is a great verse to repeat to yourself when in doubt about how to handle a situation:

Matthew 7:12 
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

THIS SUMS UP THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS!!!!... pretty sure that means that this is SUPER IMPORTANT ;)

Love,
Andrea

Choose to praise!

Faith in the name of Jesus Christ comes easy when compared to faith in what Jesus can do in our lives.
We can believe in the work on the cross, believe that He is the Christ, but find it hard to believe in the power of the cross in our everyday lives--and I am no exception.
We worry. We worry about everything from possibilities to probabilities.
The wonders of the mind can multiple rapidly.
"I wonder if I will die young." "I wonder if I am going to get sick." "I wonder if my job will..."
Wonder can have a two-fold meaning. We can wonder in the awe of something wonderful and spectacular or we can speculate and torment ourselves in thought.
It's the belief behind the wonder that we have to focus on.
If we fear, we produce worry. If we stand in awe at the power of God to work in our lives--we produce faith.
How easy do you think it is to change torment to praise? As easy as it is to bring fear under subjection to what the Word of God says.
We have to capture our thoughts before they capture us!
If you are facing bankruptcy, losing your house, losing your car, bills behind, kids disobedient, job in an upheaval, relationship strife, court proceedings, disease, surgery, impairment, imprisonment, divorce, marriage crisis, or any other real life issue that is weighing heavy on you then you are in a place to praise. You have to praise! You cannot remain silent-- If you do, worry wins. You become faithless, hopeless and tormented!
Open your mouth to thank God for His power! The same power of the cross that persuaded you first to believe, is alive still today!
I am facing tough life situations right now. I am saying this to me as much as I am saying this to you.
But I am praising God because He has always been faithful!
And if I must learn a lesson of faithfulness I want Him to teach me and not learn another lesson under torment!
I am praying for you this morning, please pray for me!

• Mark 9:21-24-"And he said, “From childhood. 22 And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
• Matthew 6:25-"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on..."

Father, I love you. I praise you and I thank you! Your power is amazing. Your works are incredible! Thank you for the promises of your Word to keep, protect, bless and prosper me! In Jesus name- Amen!

Praise and pray! Ashley 

Pride goes for a ride

The mind is a beautiful thing to waste on mere human reason. 

Smart people confuse me. I mean the ones that are too smart for God and sneer down their noses at the poor lowly close-minded Christians. These "intellectuals" remain in a constant mind provoking process. They are ever-evolving in thought. They reason there is a reason for this reason, and they reason there is a reason for that reason--all the while reasoning through. There is no end to their reason!
 They do not take things at face-value ---because they are too deep to face it.
Explanations are their god. They search their own mind for the answer, leaving God out of the equation-- without question, what they are thinking is doubtful.
They note in every season, making meticulous methodical observations on change--but still can never change the weather. The weather is the weather, whether you note it, or not!
They are ever-making mind policies to uncover the next great thought revealing the matter of the mind--does not matter.
They think themselves wise fearlessly searching knowledge in this fallible state of doubtful wonder that proclaims--"If". When if only they would fear their infallibility, instead.
For only when a man recognizes that his state of uncertainty is purposed for more than wonder, can true revelation come.
Human reasoning changes over time. But there comes a time when reasoning must be left behind, shook off, and the Truth, that stands separate, eagerly embraced. He waits to be searched out.
The fear of God is the beginning of everything. He is the Creator of all things. That is the starting point from where all knowledge must flow. The mind is a beautiful thing to waste on man's mere reason.
#think-God-first

• "The fear of The Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." Proverbs 1:7
• "If we are "out of our mind," as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 2 Corinthians 5:13
• Read: Acts 17: v16-34 & 18:1-6. 

If you have been too smart for God and recognize pride has played a role in keeping you faithless, but have a desire to change-- then ask God to forgive your pride!
"Father, I pray for those who recognize pride as the motivating factor in their quest for the truth. You are the source of all knowledge and wisdom. Please forgive our pride. We acknowledge You as the divine teacher of all! In Jesus name, Amen!"
Pride takes us for a ride, send it for a ride instead!
Praying for you and me! Ashley