Fruitbearers

For the month of November, I posted on Facebook daily what I was thankful for. I'd like to be able to look back someday so I'm reposting all of my 30 thankful status here. 1. I'm thankful for our woodstove, free firewood (from our kind & generous neighbor), and our boys who enjoy making fire for us (when Dad is not home) :). 2. I'm thankful that my Dad, his wife, my half-sister ( Pinpin ), and half-brother ( Thanakharn ) are safe and sound from the flood in Thailand. 3. I'm thankful for the library's used book sale. Some of the cool books we bought tonight include Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ by John Piper, Heaven by Dwight L. Moody, Devotions and Prayers of John Wesley, A Wife After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George, and Becoming A Woman of Excellence by Cynthia Heald. 4. I'm thankful for the opportunity that the Lord has given us to host a weekly Bible study for international students (including American students) in our home! Great bu...

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book! You never know when I might play a wild card on you! Today's Wild Card author is: Jeremy Jones and the book: Triple Dog Dare Devotional David C. Cook (October 1, 2011) ***Special thanks to Audra Jennings, Senior Media Specialist, The B&B Media Group for sending me a review copy.*** ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jeremy V. Jones is an award-winning journalist who has served as senior associate editor of Breakaway magazine. He has authored several books, including Toward the Goal: The Kaka Story and The Keeper: The...

About The House of Hope One couple’s powerful ministry to some of China’s most vulnerable children Robin and Joyce Hill lived in a gated community in Beijing . Their family’s life was marked by luxury and the security of Robin's job as an engineer. Then one day, as members of their church, they had a chance to tour a state-run orphanage. Haunted by the needs of the children they saw there, for the next four years they tried to help the institute in meaningful ways. In 1998 the Hills planned to leave China, but instead felt a sudden call from God on their lives. They left their gated community--reserved for only non-Chinese residents--moved their family into a small apartment miles outside of Beijing and immediately began to take in foster children. They took in any child, but especially those that needed extra care—terminally ill children that couldn't receive care elsewhere, and those that needed complicated and expensive surgeries that the Hills soon began to coordinate a...

SYNOPSIS:   Thomas Kinkade presents  Christmas Lodge : a place where a heart-warming past and loving future meet for one remarkable group of people. During a weekend trip to the mountains, Mary (Erin Karpluk) finds herself at the now- dilapidated lodge where she spent the holidays with her family growing up. She becomes determined to restore the building to its former glory. Inspired by her grandfather and guided by her grandmother in heaven, Mary throws herself into the project, and during the process finds herself drawn to Jack (Michael Shanks), a handsome man who loves the lodge as much as she does. Historically unlucky in love, this chance encounter allows Mary to renew her faith in life and discover her one true love. For an uplifting story about the importance of faith, family and the true holiday spirit, go to the  Christmas Lodge . MY THOUGHTS AND REVIEW: Can you believe that Christmas is just around the corner :)? Christmas Lodge is a clean Christi...

Theo,  an animated student of Godʼs Word, lives in a cozy corner of a quaint English village, in the heart of the Cotswolds, and entertains two mice, Belfry and Luther.   The first DVD in the series,  Theo: God's Love (containing 3 episodes: Saving Faith, Loving Obedience, Forgiveness, plus a bonus episode: Good News and s pecial features: Animation Basics and A Chat with Mike Joens, the Creator of Theo), released on DVD through EMI CMG on 9/13/11.   Website : http://www.theopresents.com Facebook :     http://www.facebook.com/theopresents Amazon :  http://www.amazon.com/Theo-Gods-Love/dp/B005ETZEPI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314304071&sr=8-1 FREE app (available now for iPhone and iPad):  http://www.theopresents.com/ Church Curriculum available now (from LifeWay Christian Stores):  http://www.lifeway.com/Product/theo-church-edition-foundations-of-faith-P005397446 The Buy 1 - Give 1 campaign! For every Theo DVD purchased,...

ABOUT THE AUTHORS: Jay Loecken grew up on an eighty-acre hobby farm in Minnesota as the youngest of three boys. His upbringing was solid with loving parents who were always encouraging him to try new things. He grew up in a Christian home, but his faith really began to develop during his sophomore year at Northwestern College while living in Dublin, Ireland for the summer and working with Greater Europe Mission. That’s when the Bible began to come to life for him and he began developing his own convictions. Beth Loecken’s upbringing could not have been any more different. She grew up in Kansas City in a Catholic home as the youngest of six children. Her mother battled depression and eventually committed suicide when Beth was only five. Beth’s father retreated into alcoholism, leaving her in a chaotic and unstable environment where she was often abused. After graduating from high school, she moved to New York where she discovered her first true love—Jesus. He offered her a love and...

I'm participating in a weekly meme, " Sensational Haiku Wednesday ". The basics: Haiku is simple! It is 3 non-rhyming lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively. This week's theme is Home. Home...truly sweet home When each lives for the other And all live for God (My haiku above is based on an anonymous quote.)

" What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? " (Matthew 16:26) Our sons' salvation should be our most important concern and most urgent prayer need. If they succeed in everything, receive praise and approval from all men, gain the riches of the world, yet they are not saved... that would be the greatest tragedy I could ever think of. My husband and I prayed for our children's salvation before they were born...even before they were conceived. In fact, I believe I prayed that God would not allow us to have a child if that child will not be saved by Him/will not choose Christ; I just could not (still cannot) bear knowing that any of my children's souls will end up in hell for eternity. Study Questions 1. Can you recall a time when you sensed your son's heart was soft to the message of the Gospel? Describe what happened here. They realized they needed a Savior. They repented and desired to obey God's Word. 2. Do yo...

This is my catch-up post :). I have been praying but have not had time to blog about it until now. We're in the middle of praying the Scriptures for our sons through the fruit of the Spirit: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, and SELF-CONTROL. As you can tell from my blog's title, we're raising our children to be fruitbearers :). Study Questions 1. There comes a time in every child's life, when the sin-nature starts to show its ugly head. For Brooke and her husband, this came accompanied by a difficult, life-altering challenge that made it difficult for them to train their son. Can you relate? Yes. One of our sons has special needs and special challenges. 2. When things don't go as you planned, and life seems to throw you a curve-ball, what is your heart's response? Do you get angry with God? Stop talking to Him? My heart's response was sorrow, grief, and disappointment. I don't get angry with God. I talk to Hi...