Believe God to be Huge

I am just finding it amazing how God seems to be providing for my studies for the Western Civilizations CLEP test. At Precept class last night, Kay Arthur’s teaching centered on a time line on a portion of the time period I have been studying. So, now I have our pastor's teaching at church, my Bible study on Daniel, and my Bible study on Revelation ALL pouring into my history studies. Is that cool or what?

On a whim decided to listen to some of Beth Moore’s teaching on Romans today. Here is a rough rendering from my notes on one small portion on her teaching on faith. She was teaching out of Romans 9:

Warning: This is literally from my notes, so yes, the wording isn't always so smooth... but I think you'll get the idea!

You cannot exercise faith when God won’t give you credit for it…. I am convinced that God will bless our faith, even when He cannot bless our request…. I think there are times when (we are praying and acting in faith for something he cannot give us) and He looks at us says, “You are so darlin’ and that was so good. But, I really cannot do that for you, because that would not be best for where I’m going and how this plan has to pan itself out. But I want you to know that you really made me grand and I’m going to bless you for that because you got out there, you took the risk. And you tried to ride that wave.”

…. God wants you to know that you have something in you, which you do not think you have in yourself… We have it within us to be mighty, mighty warriors and if we get everything we ever ask we are never going to be mighty warriors. When we get out there, and in spite of things not going as we hoped, we still say, “MY GOD IS FAITHFUL…. And, Lord, I confess to you, I don’t have a clue as to what you’re doing…but I know Who You are…. and when I don’t know what to believe you will do , I know Who I can believe You are. And I’m going to believe you to be huge.” (I know the wording on the last two sentences are rough, but I hope you'll reread it, if necessary, to get what she was saying... it is powerful.)

Believe God to be huge and He will credit it to you every time.

An Update

Some of our friends and family check here for updates on the business and our family, so today I thought I'd do that.

Mark taught his first class for the Board of Realtors and it went very well. He received lots of positive feedback and even had a couple of inspections come to him the next few days through Realtors who attended the class. Teaching is one of Mark's strengths, so it makes perfect sense for him to use that skill to "market" the business. Please pass Marks name along if you have friends buying or selling a home. I've put a link to the business website in the links to the left (I think you have to scroll down a bit to find it.) While I'm at it, I might also mention that you should test your home for Radon! We did ours and found out it was very high, in spite of the fact that we had it tested when we bought the house some 10 years ago and it was okay then. Radon levels can change over time and the EPA recommends testing every-other-year. You can have mitigation done to bring the radon down to safe levels if you find out it is high. Mark did a radon test in another home this past week that was really, really high. You can do it yourself inexpensively with a kit from your local hardware store. The type of test Mark does is more expensive because it is a continuous electronic monitor with some anti-tampering safeguards. The type from the hardware store is okay if you're doing your own house outside of a real estate transaction.

Now on to praisin' God, I've had some book sales (the Missouri history curriculum I wrote several years ago) and did some babysitting.... I love it when God brings a little cash to my hand for groceries! Until the housing market picks up, we just keep praying that God will bring the provisions for our family. And, He always does.

The kids are studying for some CLEP tests right now, and I decided to study along with them and try to finish up my degree. We're currently studying World Civ I and am trying to do it without spending more money on materials. God provides again... did you know that a lot of the stuff on the World Civilizations test is Bible history? And guess what? Our pastor is currently teaching a series of messages about the very things we are studying for the World Civ test. Plus, my study of Daniel also covers much of the same material (Example: Did you know that Nebachadnezzar suffered from Lycanthropy? Yep, that was on the CLEP practice test.) Additional materials, I've been able to find at the library. God provides! I've blown away daily by my Daniel study. I hope to share some of it with you later.

God bless you all and we still covet your prayers for God's provision and for His direction in our lives .


"So do not throw away your confidence, because it has great reward.
For you need endurance in order to do God's will and so receive what is promised."

Hebrews 10:35-3

Holy, Holy, Holy

I received my purse Saturday and it is sooooo cute! But, what I love best is the scripture-- a simple verse, but so profound. Perhaps God chose it for me, so that every time I pick it I'll think of His love, power and provision in my life.

I've been studying Revelation in my Precept Bible class this quarter and it has been awesome to do this course again. I went through it before in 1994 and it has been interesting to pull out my old books and revisit my notes, especially in light of today's world, post 9/11. In addition, I have been doing Daniel: Lives of Integrity, Words of Prophecy by Beth Moore. To study those two books side-by-side.... WOW! All of scripture has an intricate pattern and works together to reveal our Lord and Savior in mind boggling ways.

I have been doing a lot of praying about my present trials and I think God is using it to make me desperate to know Him better.... Take away all the crutches in life, and what do you have left? I was very moved while studying Revelation and seeing the those who sit around His throne day and night continuously worship and say, "Holy, Holy, Holy".

These creatures see all that God does.... they see all of His judgments, they are intimately acquainted with His character, they know Him in ways we will never know Him this side of heaven. And they are still so awestruck they continually worship and tell God how holy He is!

"Day and night they never stop saying:
"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,
who was, and is, and is to come."
.... (they) fall down before him who sits on the throne,
and worship him who lives for ever and ever.
They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

"You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being."

Does this not sound like a God we can trust to carry us through the darkest of times?
Does this not sound like a God worthy of all praise and honor?

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