It’s Not Fair by Christina Porter

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Jessica

For those struggling with infertility, Mother’s Day can serve as just one more painful reminder of unfulfilled longings. Infertile couples are often grieving behind their forced smiles and most of us are completely unaware of their daily struggle. Today I am sharing a guest post and poem written by my dear friend Christina who shares her own battle with infertility.

For those of you who understand her pain because you too long to be a parent, I pray this post will be an encouragement to you. For those of us who have never faced this particular struggle, may this post help us to better understand those dealing with the pain of infertility so that we might lavish our love and support on them.

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“It’s not FAIR!”

I’ve been a school teacher for eight years and have heard this phrase plenty of times. We expect to hear something like this from a child, but the truth is I feel like screaming, “It’s Not Fair,” more times than I’d like to admit. I have always loved kids, always desired to have a big family, and never dreamed that it just wouldn’t happen for me.

But it has, and I struggle with that realization daily.

I will celebrate my 9^th wedding anniversary on June 5^th. We have been trying to have a baby for eight long years. We’ve done treatments. I’ve had miscarriages. I’ve watched friends and family grow their families while I feel forgotten. I’ve been bitter at God. I’ve been angry at myself. If only I had more faith! I’ve been depressed, angry, sad…insert your own emotion here, I’ve been that too! See, it’s not fair right?

Wrong! Who am I to think that I’m above feeling pain and sorrow? God never promised us a life of ease that is free from pain. But He did promise to be with us all along the way. Do I have hurts and sorrows? Yes, but it doesn’t mean I wallow (at least not for too long) in self-pity.

When I focus on my problems or what I think is lacking in my life, I become miserable and discontent. However, when I focus on God and others I can see His goodness in my life…even if it’s not exactly how I envisioned things.

It’s not easy.

I still have plenty of rough days and weeks, but my God knows I’m only human. I will most likely fall and yet He’s always lovingly there to help me get back up. Don’t let your, “It’s not fair,” moments keep you from God. Share your pain with Him, because He cares and He’s the only healer of broken hearts. Just be willing to hear His answer…even if it is “no”.

“Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” Psalms 55:22

EMPTY ARMS

Empty arms longing to be filled
Eyes tired of crying at the most random things
Heart longing to have that moment of joy
Dreams that now haunt me
Hope that has been dwindling year by year
Faith that truly is smaller than a grain of a mustard seed

A life beaten down, longing to see the goodness of God.

Arms filled with hugs of loved ones
Eyes that see the blessings
Heart that is filled with love for others
Dreams can be changed
Hope is renewed every morning
God can move mountains

It’s all about perspective…I CHOSE to see the goodness of God!

Fifteen Years and Counting

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Jessica

The Adventure Begins 05/09/98

During my college psychology class, one of my homework assignments was to take a personality assessment questionnaire so that I could better understand myself (this is where we all start singing Kumbaya). After I answered the questions and was reading about all my wonderful strengths , I noticed a box to the right that said:

“Click here to take the couples assessment quiz. Are you right for each other?”

I immediately clicked on the box and answered my set of questions. I then ran into the living room and plopped my laptop into my husband’s lap and told him to answer the questions too. He was less than enthused, but I told him this assessment would show us how compatible we were. It would be tons of fun!

But it didn’t say we were compatible and I ended up in tears. In fact at the end of the assessment, it recommended I walk away from the relationship and look elsewhere as the chances of us making a life-time commitment work were less than 15%. Those are not good odds people! Ironically at the time I took the assessment we had been married for 8 years, but of course all I could think about was the compatibility quiz said we were doomed.

Today I celebrate my 15th anniversary with the man this assessment test told me to walk away from. Had I taken this ridiculous questionnaire when we were dating and was actually foolish enough to end our relationship this is what I would have missed out on.

*A man who wasn’t even old enough to sign his own marriage certificate (Glen was only 17 when we married), but has been man enough to make this marriage work through some very rough years.

*A man who instead of being one of the 80% of guys who leave their wife after being diagnosed with a major chronic illness is one of the 20% and has never left my side.

*A man who has helped me clean up broken olive oil jars off our kitchen floor more times than I care to admit because his wife is clumsy and accident prone.

*A man who has supported me in everything I have ever tried to do and has been one of my biggest cheerleaders. (Glen is the one who found an old novella I wrote when we were moving and encouraged me to begin writing again.)

*A man who watches sappy love movies with me on a Friday night without complaining…most of the time

*A man who picks me up white chocolate caramel covered apples when I’ve had a hard day just because he loves to make me smile.

*A man who finds me attractive no matter how many times my pant size has changed and still tells me I’m beautiful on a regular basis.

Glen and I are very different people. We have had to probably work harder at communication and compromise than other couples who just naturally speak the same love language. What that assessment didn’t take into consideration though is that love is a choice. If anything, knowing we have chosen to make our marriage work despite the fact that we aren’t “compatible,” shows me how much love there really is between us.

I don’t doubt for one second that God brought Glen into my life and God knows me better than some silly online assessment. God knew we would hit some bumps in the road, but thankfully He also knew with His help we would work them out. Thank you Lord for blessing me with my husband.

Now…here are ten facts you probably never wanted to know about me and my man.

1) I met Glen my senior year of high school at a roller skating rink. I was instantly drawn to him because he was so shy and kept running away from me.

Anniversary Photos 0006 edited 1 300x202 Fifteen Years and Counting

We were inseparable.

2) He was the first one to say, “I love you,” one night when we were talking on the phone. I didn’t want to say it back because I thought he would think I was saying it only because he said it first so instead I awkwardly hung up the phone.

3) Glen loves fish and they inspired one of the sweetest things he has ever said to me, “Just like a fish would die without water…I would die without you.”

Anniversary Photos 0008 edited 1 300x200 Fifteen Years and Counting

This was taken shortly after we got engaged.

4) Despite living in an upstairs apartment, Glen drug up the ginormous live Christmas tree I picked out for our first Christmas together as a married couple. All of our neighbors watched and clapped when we made it to the top of the stairs.

Anniversary Photos 0004 edited 1 300x199 Fifteen Years and Counting

We had very little furniture which was a good thing. This tree was huge!

5) Glen took me to my senior prom and we spent the night watching everyone eat all this yummy food because we were broke and thought it cost money. As we were leaving, we found out the buffet was included in our ticket price. I had to be home at a certain time so we didn’t get to try one single thing.

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Senior Prom 1997

6) We went to Disneyland for our honeymoon because I found an amazing vacation package that included our airline tickets for $800.00.

Anniversary Photos 0003 edited 1 300x179 Fifteen Years and Counting

Our Honeymoon at Disneyland.

7) A couple months after we were married Glen took me on a camping trip. When we got there we found out we couldn’t start a fire or even use a grill because of it being so dry. We came up with the not so brilliant idea of using a small propane burner in our tent and ending up melting a big hole in my dad’s tent. Thankfully my dad wasn’t mad.

Camping Trip edited 1 195x300 Fifteen Years and Counting

Glen taught me how to fish for trout on this trip.

8) I gave birth to our son without any pain medicine. Towards the end of my labor, I was no longer able to talk and Glen got worried. Our midwife told him to say something encouraging and this is what my husband came up with. “Baby, you are doing so good. I’m going to buy you a steak. I’m going to buy you a steak.” It still makes me laugh to this day.

Anniversary Photos 0009 edited 1 300x213 Fifteen Years and Counting

We look so young!

9) On our 5th wedding anniversary, we were in Gatlinburg, TN and I decided it would be a great idea for us to go on a romantic horse ride through the mountains. About five minutes into the trip, my horse began walking along the ridge with a steep drop and I was convinced my horse was suicidal. I was so frightened that I got off my horse and refused to finish the ride even though we had passed the point where we could get a refund.

Anniversary Photos 0005 edited 1 300x138 Fifteen Years and Counting

Glen’s horse was huge! I refuse to post a picture of me and my suicidal horse.

10) On our 10th wedding anniversary we went on a cruise to Mexico. On our excursion to swim with the dolphins, Glen gave me all his turns with the dolphins because I was so excited and I probably would still be there if they would have let me stay.

Mexico Cruise Fifteen Years and Counting

A local vendor in Mexico had these pet monkeys running around. They were so cute.

Happy Anniversary Glen! You bring such meaning to my life and you are my best friend. Looking forward to making more memories together. And just for fun, I will end this post with the phrase we ended every love note…Forever and Then Some!

Opryland Photo 300x225 Fifteen Years and Counting

This was taken in the beautiful Opryland Hotel in Nashville, TN.

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Mother’s Day Blessing Giveaway: A Mom with a Legacy

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Jessica

Today is the beginning of the Mother’s Day Blessing Giveaway!! One mother will be blessed with a basket containing over $435 worth of goodies. There are also two free giveaways for anyone who enters. All the details on how to enter will be at the end of this post.

I worried my children would be embarrassed of me when they discovered that I got pregnant with my daughter before I was married. I hoped they wouldn’t be judged by their peers for a decision they had no part in making. When I was studying the book of Ruth, I came across another mom who must have had similar thoughts and concerns.

Let me introduce you to a prostitute who used to live behind the walls of Jericho. Her name was Rahab.

We first meet Rahab in Joshua chapter 2. The Israelites are camped just outside Jericho with only the Jordan River between them. Joshua, the current leader of Israel, sends out two spies to survey the land. These spies end up lodging at the house of a harlot named Rahab (vs.1).

The king of Jericho finds out he has spies within his city walls and the king tells Rahab to give up the men who have been staying in her house. She admits to the king that the spies had come to stay with her, but she lies to the king and tells him that the men sneaked out of the city gates by night. She encourages the king to begin an immediate search.

Meanwhile, she brings the spies to the roof of her home and hides them underneath the stalks of flax. When the coast is clear, she heads to the roof and tells the spies the reason she betrayed her own people.

She says, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.” (vs.9,11)

Somewhere in between the paying clients and trying to survive, Rahab had heard about the God of the Israelites and here she was declaring her own pledge of faith in a God she did not yet know.

But the God of the Israelites already knew her and He had great plans for her.

The spies tell Rahab that the city will be destroyed, but if she will tie a scarlet cord in her window anyone that is in her home at the time of the battle will be spared. Rahab follows the spies instructions and she and her family are the sole survivors.

And they all live happily ever after right? But this is not where Rahab’s story ends.

We run into Rahab again in Joshua 6:25 which says, “And Joshua spared Rahab the harlot, her father’s household and all that she had. So she dwells in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.”

Rahab, a foreigner by birth and a harlot by trade, comes to live among the Israelites and is even married by a Jewish man named Salmon. She would give birth to a son named Boaz. Boaz would grow up to be a man filled with integrity and a man who loved the Lord. Boaz would redeem and marry a foreign woman named Ruth. They would give birth to a son named Obed who would be the father of King David.

Rahab’s son Boaz is the great-grandfather of King David. In the first chapter of Matthew, four women are unexpectedly included in the genealogy of Jesus. It was not Jewish custom to mention women in genealogies and yet Matthew ignores tradition and lists four incredible women when writing the genealogy of Jesus. Rahab is one of those women. What an honor!

We lastly read about Rahab in a passage of Scripture referred to as the Hall of Faith. Not the Hall of Failures, but the Hall of Faith. In Hebrews 11:31 we find, “By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.”

Rahab probably could never have imagined how her life was about to change when two Israelite spies chose her home as a place to hide. When faced with turning the spies in or lying to her king, she chose to have faith in God. Not only that He was the One true God, but that He would keep His promise to protect her.

God not only protects her, but restores her. She gets married and when God blesses her with a son, she raises a man who is filled with compassion. A son who would follow the Lord when asked to redeem a foreign women gleaning in his fields.

Rahab may not have started out with what we would call a desirable background, but she would end her life with one incredible legacy. This is my desire. I may not be able to go back in time and right all my wrongs, but praise God that is exactly what Jesus did when He hung on a cross and paid for my sins. I may not be able to give my children a mother with a pristine past, but I can leave them with a godly legacy. In the end, that is all that matters.

Now here are all the details for the giveaway!!

Estimated value is $435

Blessing Giveaway includes:

Thirty One pink Organizing Utility Tote donated by Thirty One – Jenifer Metzger
Woman to Woman Magazine Winter 2012 issue and Spring 2013 issue donated by Woman to Woman Ministries
$25 gift certificate to Shutterfly.com {not pictured}
Resolution for Women by Priscilla Shirer
Body Image Lies Women Believe by Shelley Hitz donated by Shelley Hitz
Mended: Pieces of a Life Made Whole by Angie Smith
“7″ by Jen Hatmaker
The Love Dare for Parents {advanced copy}
5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Son by Vicki Courtney
5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter by Vicki Courtney
Redeeming Childbirth {author signed} donated by Angie Toplin
Mom in the Mirror donated by Emily Wierenga
Power of a Praying Woman by Stormie Omartian
Desperate by Sally Clarkson and Sarah Mae
Desires of My Heart by donated by Heather Bixler
Island Orchid jar candle
Pink 20oz tumbler cup
3 piece Sweet Pea body wash and lotion set from Bath & Body Works
3.5 oz Godiva milk chocolate bar
3 Tinted vanilla bean lips balms {cherry, sugar plum, peaches and cream} donated by Apple Valley Natural Soap
2 hand crocheted flower rings from Handmade with Immense Love
Bottle of Lavendar oil from Young Living Essential Oil donated by Jen Stead
Homemaking 101 DVD donated by Jennifer Ross
$50 gift certificate to Designs by Tahra donated by Tahra West
Blessed Mother necklace by Rusted Chain {not pictured}

$15 Starbucks gift card {not pictured}

Free gifts for everyone!

God the Father – Four Week Mini Bible Study (The Holy Trinity Parenting Study) donated by Heather Bixler. Free on Kindle download from May 6th – May 10th. Click HERE to download from Amazon.

How Do I Get It All Done? …and Still Have Time To Enjoy It? donated by Beth Cranford. Free PDF download. To get the download please email Jenifer at jenifer@w2wministries.org.

Mother’s Day Blessing Giveaway Rules:

No purchase necessary. Must be 18 to enter. Void where prohibited by law. Open to US citizens only. This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed, or associated by Facebook. By entering this giveaway, you agree to release Facebook, Woman to Woman Ministries and all participating blogs of all liability. Contest ends at 12:01am EST on Sunday, May 12, 2013. Winner is randomly chosen by Rafflecopter and will be emailed on May 12, 2013.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

To the Girl who Wrote Into the Radio Station

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Jessica

Yesterday as I was listening to a Christian radio station, an email the station had received from a teen girl was read. This girl shared that she had been in a relationship with an older boy and that he had pressured her to have sex. Numerous times she told him no, but overtime she lost her resolve and ended up giving into him.

She is now struggling with a lot of guilt and shame and wonders if God can truly forgive her. Even worse, she fears she has ruined her chances of marrying a good guy. The DJ asked for listeners who have had to deal with this in their own lives to call in and share how God has helped them to move forward. I wasn’t able to get through to the radio station, but I want to share what I would have said.

To the girl who wrote the letter to the radio station,

I understand how you are feeling. I know what it feels like to break under the crippling weight of guilt. I know how hard it is to wrench yourself free from the vice like grip of shame. I too have cried tears from a broken heart and wondered if my wounds could ever be healed.

Firstly, I want to assure you that while you may feel a thousand miles away from your Heavenly Father, your position in Him HAS NOT changed! His love for you is constant and you cannot lose it.

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

Nothing…no thing…not anything can change Your Father’s steadfast love. You are a daughter of the King even when you mess up royally.

Despite David’s moral decline that led to not only adultery but murder, God commends David as a man after His own heart. Rahab may have made her living as a harlot on the streets of Jericho, but in faith she hid the Israelite spies. God not only spares the lives of her family, but puts her in the lineage of Christ. The woman at the well in Samaria had slept with numerous men and was not married to the man she was currently living with, but Jesus went out of His way to minister to her.

Tucked all throughout God’s Word, we learn about flawed people who God uses in big ways. Those moments of bad decisions do not define them. Their relationship with God is what really matters.

Secondly, if you don’t accept the forgiveness and grace that God longs for you to claim, the guilt and shame will bury you. Just as you chose to give into the lies of your boyfriend, you must now choose to embrace the truth of God’s Word.

“And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” Colossians 2:13-14

Let the beautiful imagery in this passage move you. You are forgiven from all your sins. Not just the sins that seem easy to forgive, like telling a small white lie or gossiping about someone, but even the sins that you hope no one ever finds out because you are so ashamed.

Imagine Satan is holding a list of all of your sins out in front of him before God. This is the list Satan is using to keep you drowning in guilt and despair. You then see God pull out an arrow from the leather pouch strapped to His back. He pulls back the bow string and you watch as the arrow slices through that list and nails it to a beam on the cross. That is what Jesus has done for you. Your past no longer has to stand in the way of accepting the forgiveness of God.

Lastly, you not only deserve a good man, you should expect a good man and be willing to wait for a good man. You are not damaged goods. You are not less than anybody else. We are all sinners saved by the grace of God.

Any man that cannot forgive you for something in your past is someone you should avoid. Marriage will require both of you to master the art of forgiveness. You will have to choose to extend grace to one another just as God extends His grace on us.

Before I go, I want to tell you that healing is possible. The consequences of sin are never fun, but God will use them to strengthen you, to establish you, and to draw you closer to Himself.

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The Average Princess by Stephanie Alton

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Jessica

I am so excited to share today’s guest post written by my friend Stephanie Alton. I met Stephanie at the Jerry Jenkins Christian Writer’s Guild conference and we became instant friends. Here is what God has laid on her heart to share with us.

For many years, I thought only the twelve apostles could be called disciples of Christ. Every time I heard the word disciple, the image of those famous twelve men that followed Jesus during His earthly ministry would pop into my mind. The disciples were men who were able to do the extraordinary through Jesus.

I was wrong!

A disciple is any believer that accepts the Word of God and shares it with others. So being called a disciple is not just limited to the apostles, but in actuality it encompasses all Christians.

Discovering that definition, I had to let it sink into my mind and process it for a while. Am I a believer? Check! Do I share my faith with others? Check! I guess that makes me a disciple.

But with this kind of holy image in mind for such a long time, accepting the truth that I am a disciple was hard. It seemed as though you had to accept a whole list of responsibilities if you accepted this title…but that is not the case.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.” (John 8:31)

I am a disciple if I remain faithful to His teachings. This should have been the encouragement needed to accept this endearing title.

Not the case for this hard headed Princess.

I didn’t feel qualified to share my faith beyond my own tightly knit group of friends. Being fairly new to digging in and understanding the Bible, I have a lot left to learn. I am not someone that has trained in seminary, nor am I a pastor or church leader. From the long list of things that I am not, I felt unqualified to share or, dare I say it, teach the gospel.

Still hesitant of claiming this title, God kindly shared with me Acts 4:13 over, and over again. He knows what it takes to get through to a stubborn Princess.

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus.”

Ordinary! I am just an ordinary girl. Oh He is good! All of His apostles were just ordinary men. Could it be so? Could some average person (like me) that feels compelled to share the good word actually be a disciple? YES!

Sometimes it takes the faithful Lord to show you the same Scripture so many times (and in different versions), that you are finally able to understand its message and accept it. I am a disciple, although not always a confident disciple. My own weakness of faith is when doubt often comes creeping back in.

The Message translation has a nice spin on that reappearing scripture (Acts 4:13) finally offering me peace of mind. “Their fascination deepened when they realized these two were laymen with no training in scripture or formal education.” Whew! It is good to know that God will also call on regular Princesses to do His work.

It may not be so hard for everyone else to accept that they are disciples, but it was difficult for me to take in. I didn’t believe I was qualified or good enough. Perhaps there has been a situation that you have experienced those feelings? Rest assured it is not God giving you the negative emotion of doubt. But when you believe in Him, He will walk you through any struggle.

I leave you with words of wisdom that not only outline a disciple, but lead to the path to salvation.

“For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.” (Romans 10:10)

Princess Stephanie Alton is married to a man who is a master in the profession of working on cars and is a mama to two young boys that are fascinated driving anything with wheels. She shares her journey in finding faith as she relates Scripture to everyday life. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter or on her blog The Princess Disciple.

Book Review: The Icecutter’s Daughter by Tracie Peterson

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Jessica

I really can’t think of a more fun task than being asked to review a book. I get an excuse to The Icecutter Book Review: The Icecutters Daughter by Tracie Peterson spend several afternoons reading!

In Tracie Peterson’s new historical novel, “The Icecutter’s Daughter,” we find ourselves transported back in time to the late 1800’s in the wintry Minnesota territory. There we meet Merrill Krause, a German immigrant, taking care of her father and brothers, as her dying mother wished.

Merrill is rather unconventional preferring to help her father with the ice harvest than sitting around looking pretty and drinking tea. Despite Granny Lassiter’s attempts to encourage Merrill to settle down with a family of her own, Merrill is too busy to contemplate or even desire marriage.

That is until Rurik Jorgenson shows up to help with his uncle’s carpentry business.

As much as Merrill wishes she could ignore her feelings, her heart begins to warm under Rurik’s friendship. But just as Merrill begins imagining a life together, Rurik’s former fiancé shows up with some crazy accusations. As Rurik’s reputation is called into question, Merrill will have to decide to believe Rurik and then trust God to see them through.

Ms. Peterson tackles the question of how to have faith when despite doing the right thing; your circumstances continue to get worse. It is something we can all relate to and have struggled with at some point in our lives.

I highly recommend reading this first novel in the Land of Shining Water series. The characters were endearing and believable. The novel was rich with historical detail and I enjoyed learning about the process of ice cutting. Ms. Peterson is good at showing the daily responsibilities and challenges a family would face during this time without overdoing it.

This enjoyable romance stresses the importance of clinging to truth, trusting God in times of uncertainty, and forgiving those who have wronged us.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are entirely my own.*

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Fun Finds: Peacock Fabulous

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Jessica

I have been looking for a new dinnerware set for awhile now. I wanted something colorful and unique. I have looked just about everywhere, but nothing has screamed, “I want to make your dinner look fabulous!”

Until…I found this place setting in the Rachel Bilson colle

I love everything about this set. The colors used, the peacock, everything! The only problem is each four piece set is $39.99 and I need eight sets. I cannot justify spending $320.00 for everyday dinnerware no matter how fabulous it is.

So I decided to try and put together something similar that would be much more budget friendly. I found these fantastic salad plates at Macy’s and they are currently 50% off.

I love the way the peacock feathers cascade down the length of the plate. The color scheme is perfect too. The colors are bold, but used sparingly.

Did I mention they are on sale right now too?!? I can get four of them for $29.99. That is only $7.50 a plate. Not bad.

You can click here if for some inexplicable reason you find yourself needing these salad plates too

I then needed to find some solid colored dinner plates to go with these amazing salad plates. I didn’t want the dinner plates to have a busy pattern because the salad plates make are enough of a statement piece on their own.

The problem is…most of the dinner plates that I liked could only be bought in a set or they were way too expensive individually. Just when I thought I would lose all hope (shopping for dinner plates can be stressful), JCPenney swept in and saved the day.

The decorative design around the rim of the plate adds the perfect amount of flare. This color blue is found throughout the feathers of the peacock, but since it isn’t the main color it doesn’t look too matchy matchy.

You can purchase four of these dinner plates for only $25.00. That is only $6.25 a piece. You can click here to get your own set.

By getting rid of the bowls and mugs I don’t need, I can purchase eight place settings for $109.98 or $13.75 a place setting. Now that is what I call a fun find!

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When Faith is Missing

Posted on April 10, 2013 by Jessica

“We’ll all finally make it to our finish lines but the cliffhanger along the way will be this: will we keep our faith? That isn’t the same thing as keeping our salvation. I don’t believe my salvation is something I can give back. I received it by grace through faith from Christ Himself and my works don’t secure it no matter how my woes obscure it. His grip never loosens. Nothing can snatch us out of our Father’s hand. What’s at risk is our active belief in who God says He is, what He says He is like, and what He says He can do.” Beth Moore

Yesterday, I read Beth Moore’s post entitled Sadness and Madness and the above statement stayed in my thoughts for the rest of the day and into this morning. Someone I dearly love is struggling with this concept of losing their faith. Maybe one of you reading this is struggling as well.

Most of us if asked, “Do you have faith,” would answer with a hearty, “You bet I do.”

But then something happens…something devastating…something horrible…

Maybe your marriage that once felt indestructible is now crumbling around you. Maybe you lost a child and just getting out of bed is a struggle. Maybe you are dealing with a disability that has taken away your independence and you aren’t sure you will ever be happy again.

All of a sudden that faith you thought you had is nowhere to be found.

This happened to Peter. You know that guy who was one of the twelve disciples. The guy who got to see the miracles Jesus performed firsthand. You know, that guy?

Before Jesus was arrested, Peter declared that he had some mammoth sized faith. Peter says, “Even if all (the other disciples) are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.” (Matt 26:33) Peter thought he would follow Jesus…to prison…to death, but turns out Peter’s faith couldn’t even stand-up to some servants around a fire.

It wasn’t that Peter wanted to deny the Lord. He just didn’t know his faith was weak until it was tested and fear crept in. The trial he was facing exposed his lack of faith.

Please read this familiar passage in The Message translation:

Consider it a sheer gift, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows it true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. James 1:2-4

Peter was still a child of God. Peter was still safely in His Father’s hands. Peter’s denials of knowing Jesus revealed to Peter his lack of faith, but it was this situation that God would use in Peter’s life to grow his faith.

Often times God will use the same situation that has destroyed our faith to build our faith back up again. And let me tell you this from personal experience, when God builds back your faith…it is a faith that will not falter.

Peter would become the rock that Christ would build the church on. Instead of facing accusations around a fire, Peter would face death on a cross. His faith would not waver.

Isn’t it comforting to know that during the moments in our lives we experience a faith shortage, we are still saved? Salvation is not something we can earn and praise God it is not something we can lose. Because as Beth so beautifully points out, just as our works cannot secure our salvation, neither can our woes obscure it…even the times we struggle to have faith.

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Bacon Wrapped Scallops

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Jessica

The other day, my husband and I had a rare night alone so I decided to cook up something special. I went online to the Pioneer Woman’s website and decided to try her recipe for bacon wrapped scallops. After reading the reviews, I decided to make a few tweaks and my husband’s only comment was he wished I had made more.

The recipe tells you to cut a raw piece of bacon in half and to wrap the bacon around the scallop securing it with a toothpick. I recommend first putting the bacon on a microwavable plate in between sheets of paper towels and par cooking the bacon for about 90 seconds before wrapping it around the scallop. Par cooking the bacon ensures it will crisp up nicely in the oven and not be chewy.

After I wrapped the scallops with the par cooked bacon, I rolled them in a bowl in which I had combined 4 tablespoons of brown sugar with some chili powder. The brown sugar added a little sweetness and the chili powder gave it some heat. It really kicked up the flavor an extra couple of notches and paired beautifully with the chili butter sauce.

I served the scallops over a bed of white rice, but you could also serve it over pasta.

While the scallops were cooling, I roasted up some asparagus:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the bottoms of the stems off the asparagus and in a Ziploc bag toss the asparagus with about 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

Arrange the asparagus evenly on a baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt.

Cook for about 8-10 minutes or until fork tender.

Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the asparagus and sprinkle fresh grated parmesan cheese over the top.

Put back in the oven for about a minute or until the cheese melts.

Click here for the full recipe of the scallops.

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From a Distance

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Jessica

I used to maintain my distance from God. I still went to church. I still attended youth activities. I even read my Bible.

But I kept God at a safe distance because I was afraid of being rejected.

This is one of Satan’s favorite scare tactics. He tempts us to question God’s goodness and when we end up giving into sin, he then convinces us God no longer wants anything to do with us.

Just look at Adam and Eve. The serpent deceives Eve into doubting God’s motives when He commands her not to eat the forbidden fruit. Eve believes the serpent’s lies, eats the fruit, gives some to Adam, and then they hide themselves from the presence of God.

Why? Because they are afraid. They both have enjoyed close fellowship with God, but that was before they sinned. Now they aren’t so sure of their standing with God.

Little do they know God has already put “Operation Save Mankind” into motion. As damaging as sin is in our lives, severing fellowship with God is worse. It is when we isolate ourselves from the only One who can restore us that things get ugly…I’m talking really ugly!

Have you ever felt like you have to fix yourself before you can approach God? I sure did. The problem is we can’t fix ourselves. Our hearts are deceitful and we can’t trust them.

You want to read a love story mushier than The Notebook? It is found in Luke 15:11-32. It is the story of a son who demands his father give him the portion of his inheritance now. The son squanders all of his money on wasteful living and loses all of his friends in the process.

A famine then sweeps across the land and this son becomes desperate. He gets a job taking care of some pigs and actually lusts after the slop the pigs are munching on. He reaches rock bottom and decides to head home and beg his father to take him back as a servant. He can’t live like this anymore.

(After you read each Scripture portion below, make yourself the star in the story).

“I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.’” (Luke 15:18-19)

I could no longer pretend everything was okay. I longed to restore my relationship with God, but because of the things in my past I didn’t know if God would still welcome me as His daughter. I didn’t expect Him too. Maybe, though, if I was lucky God would still be able to love me from a distance.

“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.” (vs.20)

But I was wrong. My heavenly Father had been waiting for me and He welcomed me home with open arms. He met me where I was…my shoulders still shrouded with a heavy cloak of guilt and shame. His love was given freely to me with no strings attached.

“And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring forth the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry’” (vs.21-23)

I confessed the same prayer of forgiveness over and over. I told God that I had messed up so badly I was no longer worthy to even stand in His presence. But instead of the rejection I so feared and expected, God removed the heavy burdensome cloak of my past and replaced it with His robe of forgiveness. He put His ring of ownership on my finger and showed me that I am permanently engraved in the palms of His hands. He guided my feet from the destructive path I had been following and set me on a path of healing and wholeness.

“‘For this my son was dead and is alive again: he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.” (vs.24)

God called me His daughter. He didn’t care what I had done or how long I had been gone. He only cared that I had returned.

Now that is a love story. And guess what…it is your love story too.

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Awakened Anew

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Fifteen Years and Counting

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To the Girl who Wrote Into the Radio Station

The Average Princess by Stephanie Alton

Book Review: The Icecutter’s Daughter by Tracie Peterson

Fun Finds: Peacock Fabulous

When Faith is Missing

Bacon Wrapped Scallops

From a Distance