A Thursday for Your Thoughts

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Thankfulness

Written by Laurie Howell

 As I think back to one of the most wonderful times of my life I begin to sense the smells and hear the sounds of a beautiful country where children run barefoot and people walk freely through the countryside.  I smell the red dirt coming from the paths that lead to the grass huts and I hear the children laughing as they walk from place to place and play games in the rugged streets.  This land that I grew to love during my college days is the land of Kenya, East Africa.

I thank the Lord for giving me the opportunity to spend my days in such a welcoming place and for allowing me to see Him become alive to those who have never heard the name of Jesus.  There are many things I could tell you about my experiences there but the one word that the Lord brings to mind is thankfulness.  You see as time has gone by and over twelve years have come and gone since I stepped foot on African soil I have begun to lose sight of what God has given us and the many blessings he bestows on us each day.

What prompted the reminiscing of the months I spent in Kenya this week was having our hot water heater go out last Thursday morning.  As I was taking a very cold bath and shivering through it I remembered how many times I took a cold shower during my stay in Africa.

As I thought of the people there and how many of them have never even had a hot bath I became disgusted with my heart and my frustration.  Although these students that I had the opportunity to teach lacked so much of the everyday things that we take for granted, they still had smiles on their faces and a love for God like I had never seen before.

I had the experience of serving under a missionary of 25 years to Kenya, Jill Branyon.  She taught me to be thankful for all that was given and to trust in the Lord with all of my heart.  It was under her mentorship that I learned the meaning of discipleship and giving myself to others so that they may know the love of Christ.

After all of these years she is still my mentor and friend.  I praise God that she always shares the truth with me and does not allow me to become complacent in my walk. I pray that we will all stop and look around us and take in the blessings we have and thank God for all that he does for us.

I am grateful for the loss of hot water in my house this week because it has brought me back to where I was when I returned from Kenya so long ago….so very thankful for what I have.

  “In everything give thanks

 for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

 1 Thessalonians 5:19 NASB

 Laurie LeAnne Howell: I am a mother of a sweet two-year old baby girl, Brenlee Kate, and we have one little one on the way. I enjoy spending time with my daughter and being a stay at home mom.

  I have been married to my husband, Micah Howell, for nine years.  He is a youth pastor and we love sharing our lives with the students at First Baptist Church of Nederland, Texas.  I had the opportunity to serve overseas in Kenya with the International Mission Board on three different occasions.  It was on one of those trips where I fell in love with a young college student who loved to preach the name of Jesus who I am married to today.

 I have been able to see many children who have been abused and neglected adopted into forever families who love and support them.  I worked for a foster placing and adoption agency for six years before starting our little family.  Thanks be to God who loves us and gives us the chance to glorify Him in all that we do.

Consider sharing your thoughts or your story on "A Thursday for Your Thoughts" .  Every Thursday post has been an absolute blessing to me.  I relate to your experiences and when I can't, I revel in God's making of your unique story.  I am continually touched. 

Email your story with pictures or any questions to- www.kristiburden.com

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written by Ann Gattie

My first "real" job after college was with Southwest Airlines. I was 21 years old and a flight attendant (AKA stewardess, princess on a plane, sky goddess).

I spent 6 weeks in training to learn all about in-flight operations, safety precautions, CPR training and most importantly...makeup application, hairstyle coaching and wardrobe consultation.

We spent TWO days with beauty consultants discussing the skin tone color pallets, how to apply fake eyelashes and which undergarments are the most figure flattering. My hair was cut and colored, my lips were the perfect shade of red and my cheeks were sore from all of the smiling.

Upon graduation, we all received our personalized golden wings. I held my head high and kept thinking about all the great plans I had in mind. I received my first assignment "Report to your supervisor at Chicago Midway".

On September 11, 2001, I packed my bags, kissed my friends and family goodbye and set out on the new adventure. En route from Dallas to Chicago, we were diverted to Baltimore, Maryland. The pilots on our flight told us to "sit down, shut up and call them if anything looked out of place". As we descended into Baltimore and saw smoke in the sky, we knew something was wrong.  After the passengers deplaned, we walked into the terminal and saw the news...this was my 9/11. The smoke was from American Airlines flight #77 at the Pentagon, 40 miles away from Baltimore.

I spent the next 4 days in a hotel near the BWI airport. I laid in bed crying. I prayed. I cried and prayed some more. I had never seen devastation or an entire nation grieve like this. When I finally left my hotel room, strangers stopped me to ask "will you still fly?", "are you scared?", "what are you planning on doing next?"

It never crossed my mind to stop what I had planned. I was steadfast and not willing to skip a beat with my new career. Terrorists weren't going to scare me!

My plans were to keep my hair long and blonde, my teeth bright and white, my waistline small and to have as much fun as humanly possible! For the next 10 months, I sashayed through the airplane aisle, I performed countless safety demonstrations, comforted frightened flyers and explored new cities. I enjoyed a winter storm in New York, warm sunny beaches in Florida, a hot air balloon ride in New Mexico, fresh seafood in California and the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

In July 2002, after feeling sick for a few weeks, I flew home to Texas to see my family. I thought I had a sinus infection and was feeling a little homesick. A big dose of TLC from my "Bebe" and "Papa" would cure anything that ails me. My sweet "Papa" picked me up from DFW and drove me 2 hours home. That night, I started coughing up blood. I was too weak to stand or walk and labored just to breathe.

My grandparents took me to the local clinic in my hometown. An x-ray of my lungs showed lots of blood and fluids...but still no answers or diagnosis. We went to the ER at Scott & White in Temple.  There were lots of tests, lots of questions and even more confusion. Could it be pneumonia? Tuberculosis?

I don't remember much from the following days or weeks in ICU.  While I was "asleep", there were more tests, biopsies, blood transfusions, chest tubes and an intebator. The diagnosis was a rare incurable autoimmune disease, Wegener's Granulomatosis. A disease that affects the sinuses, lungs and kidneys. The treatment plan had been established and the prognosis was less than positive. From that day forward, I would be on a continuous chemotherapy and steroid regimen. The disease needed drugs, the side effects from the drugs needed more drugs. Each day was 17+ medicines, hair loss and weight gain.

Doctors told me I wouldn't be able to have kids, the seasonal flu or cold could put me in the hospital and a relapse was very likely. My chances of celebrating my 30th birthday were slim to none.

After the shock wore off and the medicines took control, I lost my identity. I was no longer strong, fearless, immortal or beautiful.  I didn't want to be labeled as "bald, fat, sickly, fragile or barren".   My life had been derailed. All of the plans I crafted were erased. My heart was heavy and my ego shattered. I felt like I had to grieve the life I once had and carelessly lost.

I could wallow in self-pity and question why, or I could cling to God's promise. I could be angry or I can TRUST!

Jeremiah 29:11- For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

I realized that God does have a plan for my life and that alone gives me great hope.  But when the plan seems difficult, I am reminded that His plan for me always revolves around my relationship with Him.   Whatever is going on in my life, His ultimate plan is that I would come to Him, seek Him and live in communion with Him.

A few months ago, I celebrated my 32nd birthday!

This month marks 9 years in remission with Wegener's Granulomatosis.

In a few weeks I celebrate my 6th wedding anniversary with my awesome husband and best friend, Tim.

Every single day I rejoice in my blessings... Aidan (4 years old) &  Connor (22 months old).

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Let's all seek out  the plan God has for us...in spite of our own desires & wishes. Whatever he has in store for us is better than we could ever dream of ourselves!

 

Ann let me write her bio for her and I can hardly contain myself.  Ann Gattie is my fabulous sister-n-law.  I was her mentor my Junior year of High School while she was a sixth grader.  It was at that time that I met her brother who I later married.  Ann has always been a bubbly beauty, but more so since I have seen her walk closer with her Savior.  She is one of those moms who makes everything including eating your vegetables an absolute treat.  She's a girl who becomes your friend the moment you meet; not to mention a wonderful wife, sister, aunt, gift-giver and party planner.  She enjoys reading, playing with her kiddos, cooking and life.

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The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.

-Lamentations 3:25

 Jane Crain's Story-

“I would never date Jim Crain”–real words that came out of my mouth (at one time prior to me marrying the man).

I hear and read statements made by our young ladies that “I can’t find that great guy” or “When will the right guy come along?” ….. I am amazed that girls start so young talking about having and needing boyfriends. They seem to feel that they need a boyfriend to make them feel beautiful or popular.

I have been married to Jim Crain for 20 years this last May.  He is a wonderful man and a great husband and father.  But I had to wait a long time for him to come into my life.  I was 32 when I married and there were some hard years while waiting on that “right” guy to come along–wondering if he ever would.  There were many tears shed and many nights of feeling unloved.

  I always prayed when I dated that it would work out if it was God’s will.  Well, it never did until…Jim Crain came along. It was a surprise; we cannot tell you when our first date was. We just became friends and the friendship became a dating relationship which turned into our marriage relationship.

While I was waiting for Jim, I wondered often what was wrong with me or what I needed to change to find someone.  One day I realized that if I wanted the “right” guy, I needed to be the “right” girl.  I had to be whole and love myself alone and then I could be whole and love myself with someone else.

God can send that “right” guy to you at any time—some marry right out of high school and some wait until later. There is no proven formula. Just make sure the guy you find treats you in a way that glorifies God – you deserve it because you are His daughter!  Try to listen to that inside Holy Spirit voice that will lead you and guide you on the right path.

Originally from Northeast Texas, I met and married my husband at FBC Texarkana.  I like watching soccer and marching bands.  I also enjoy reading and doing needlepoint.

What's your story?  Please send your story, a treasured recipe or your thoughts to kristiburden@gmail.com .  Girls of all ages are encouraged to share.  I anxiously await hearing from you.  And don't forget to come back next week for "A Thursday for Your Thoughts".

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by Christy Zenon

My mom and stepfather celebrated their 27th wedding anniversary a couple of weeks ago. Every year at this time, I am reminded of what a good marriage theirs is. Having seen so many years together, they have a wealth of knowledge to share with me.

I have asked my mom, “What makes your marriage work?” The first answer she always gives is, “Work. It takes a lot of work to stay together.” Having been married myself, I now know the work that it takes.

You have to be able to compromise and even sometimes agree to disagree. This is hard for me to do. I am a very bull-headed, stubborn person. I like to be right…..all of the time… even when I’m wrong. This does not translate well to ANY relationship! I have a hard time letting go of the problem at hand and admitting when I’m in the wrong. Compromise is a bit easier. If we can both come to an agreement and meet in the middle, all the better!

My mom and stepdad are also best friends. This may sound like the simplest thing in the world, but some couples just don’t seem to have the friendship thing down before walking the aisle. Mom and Mike, that’s my stepdad, were very good friends for a while before getting married. They spent a lot of good quality time together before jumping into marriage. They took the time to have fun and get to know each other.

As a matter of fact, even so many years later, they are still getting to know each other and learning new things all the time.

Another thing that they always, always do is consult each other before ANY decision. Neither mom nor Mike makes too much of a move before speaking with the other. I never understood this is a teenager. Why did my mother have to involve Mike in decisions that I asked her about??? Now, as an adult, I get it. Whatever she does affects him.  Same goes with decisions that he makes.  There is discussion, and often times compromise when it comes to decisions!

One last thing: probably the most important thing. My parents always had God in their marriage.  We prayed before every meal. Every time the church doors were open, we were there. I’ve seen them kneel at the altar before. God was and is a very important presence in their home.

I’ve watched through the years, the acts of kindness and generosity that my parents have shown to others and each other. Not a day goes by where Mike does not do something nice for my mom, and vice versa.  You can see and feel the Christian love between them.

Yes, there will be arguments and disagreements. Yes, there will be angry words said. However, these are temporary. Each person in a relationship needs to learn to be willing to lose sometimes. (I’m speaking to myself, too… seriously, this is an issue with me!)  In the long run, the basis of the arguments or disagreements is not that big of a deal.

In the whole scheme of things, all that matters is the friendship and love between the couple and between the couple and the Lord.

As I said before, every year on my parents’ anniversary, I am reminded that true love DOES exist and there is someone out there for all of us! We just have to wait, be patient, and trust that God can instill in us the things needed to make that special relationship work.

-For my parents’ anniversary, I made a string-art letter representing their last name.
It is an inexpensive project that requires very little. There are other variations of this kind of art, but I used the cheapest variation I could find!
Items needed:
1. Small piece of plywood- I used 2ft x 2ft (pine, I think)

2. A box of small nails- (1/2 inch to 1 inch) you are not going to drive them all of the way through, but you need enough leeway to wrap string around

3. Spray paint

4. Embroidery thread- I used four of the little skeins that you can find for under $1.00 each at most places. First, I spray painted the plywood. I probably could have waited until after putting the nails in, but I didn’t. (You’ll see why I could have waited later.)
Second, I drew my pattern in pencil onto the board. This was a little tricky as I free-handed it, however you can use a stencil.
Third, I hammered the nails along the edges of the pattern (letter). I had no certain pattern, I just put them fairly close together along the lines.
Fourth… here is where I could have waited. I spray painted over the board once again.. .getting the nails this time.  I spray painted until all of the nails were covered and matched the board.
Fifth, was my favorite part. I tied the string to one of the corner nails and started wrapping around the other nails. At first, I had no set pattern in mind, but I fell into a rhythm and it ended up being pretty uniform (except for a couple of parts!). When I got to the end of the skein, I tied it off and started a new one. The ends gave me a bit of a problem, but I just cut those off as close to the nails as possible and tucked the remainder.

It’s as easy as that! It takes a little time, but it is easy and affordable! I hope you enjoy this project as much as I did!

Who is Christy Zenon?

I am a single mother, insurance agent, and part-time student.  I am just now at 34 discovering my love for crafts...Late, I know!  I don't do much in my spare time.  I like to read books, yes they still make them.  I like to surf the internet and learn new things.  (I spend way too much time doing just that) All of that side, I am a work in progress.  I am learning new things about life and myself everyday.  God is certainly not finished with this girl yet!

 

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by Cindy Huff

On August 15, I celebrate the birth of my baby.  Those of you who know me, may see me at GG's with my 10-year-old daughter Kathryn.  I love my girl to the moon and back!  (Like we all do!!)  I try to tell her this every day, no matter what kind of day we have had.  Kathryn is not the baby whose birthday I celebrate every August 15.

Before God blessed me with my sweet girl, I was pregnant with my sweet, first-born boy.  My first pregnancy was rolling right along as normal with the dreaded morning sickness every day, my clothes were getting smaller, I had daily mood swings, but there was also this new joy I had never experienced before, those tiny movements inside me that indicate life is in the making!!

Oh how magical these were!  I looked forward to them each day.  There was nothing quite like those tiny flutters that changed to kicking feet!  I couldn't wait to be a mother!!  My own sweet mom marked each passing month with a card for me telling me we were one month closer!

But one day, all the treasured movements inside me stopped.  Completely.  It happened on a weekend, and I didn't think much of it at first, because I was pretty small still, felt physically fine otherwise, and I figured the baby was turned another way.

But a trip to the hospital the following Monday for an ultra sound confirmed my worst fear, and something I did not expect on this day, my growing bundle of joy had passed away.  With no warning, and no real symptoms.

How devastated I was, as I was due to give birth to my boy three months later.  I began to ask, "Why God?  I teach your children at school each day, wouldn't I make a great mother?  Why was I allowed to get so far in my pregnancy?"  We even had a cute little nursery set up and a going home outfit bought.

It hit me that I would never know if he would love sports or music, or both.  Would I be getting ready today for baseball, football, or band camp now? Some of these things I will never know, and don't need to.

But I know being pregnant with Ryan taught me many things.  I learned to love in a completely new, unselfish way!  This is an amazing gift from God I believe.  I had nurturing, motherly instincts from the day of his birth onward, that I wouldn't have had otherwise.  I had more compassion with my students at school, because now I viewed those students I taught as someone else's baby.

God's love for me was put in a different light as well.  He gave His own Son for forgiveness of my sins.  This was so hard for me to comprehend at this time more than ever as I couldn't imagine giving my child up voluntarily for another!  How awesome that makes His love for us, His children!

Things would be totally different now and my life would never be quite the same, this much I knew.  So I quit asking questions, and tried to build on my faith in God.  I trusted my prayers would be answered in His time.  I began to see the face of God everywhere after this tragedy in my life.

He was shown to me through my immediate family and parents who stepped up to make decisions I couldn't make at that time.  He was shown to me through the kind, compassionate nurses and doctors who cared for me in the hospital.  He was shown to me through the funeral home staff.  He was shown to me through the many prayers, cards, words of kindness, and meals we received from people in our family, church family, coworkers, and friends.  He was shown to me by those who just sat with me and didn't say a word when milestones that should have happened did not.  I learned that I was by far not the only one to experience this.

I want to be the face of God to another mother in the future who may go through this as well.  I may never be a mother to a son again, but I know those few months with Ryan were among the best in my life!  I am confident knowing he is in Heaven resting in Jesus' arms.

Meanwhile, I have a beautiful daughter who is growing every day and needs my guidance and compassion in these formative tween years.  She needs to see the face of Jesus through me as often as possible.

Our role as a mother is an awesome responsibility, and an incredible gift from God.  I have considered myself a mother since Ryan was conceived.  I continue to think of him often, and wonder what he would be doing, and how handsome he would be.  I bet he would be causing a little trouble every now and then too!!

It is a little easier to deal with as time passes, and I finally allowed myself to be ok with not thinking of him every day.  I learned this does not mean I will ever forget my son.  It means I gave myself permission to move on with my life and be the kind of wife and mother God wants me to be now.

As I do every year, I will take a few minutes on his birthday to go through his keepsake box and look at the things I have kept that are his, and the cards and little gifts we received.  I will visit the cemetery and put flowers on his headstone.

But I also plan to do something for someone in need on Ryan's birthday.  I am praying now for God to lead me to a person that needs a blessing.  I am learning to look for ways to be the face of Jesus to others as it was shown to me.   I believe that is what our loving God calls us to do!

 

My name is Cindy Huff.  I was born and raised in Nederland and I teach 2nd grade at Helena Park Elementary.  I love 2nd graders!  My husband is Freddie, who is a firefighter, and my daughter is Kathryn, who is 10 years old and will be a 5th grader at C.O. Wilson.  I love my wonderful family, and I am so thankful for them every day!  In my spare time, I enjoy some quiet time and getting into a great book.  I enjoy listening to various types of music as well.  I also really love to cook, and especially bake!  I am always searching for and trying out a new recipe!  I grew up at First Baptist Nederland, and have attended different churches in the past several years, but recently have began attending FBCN again.  We have met some great people, and look forward to meeting more!

 

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{Treat} older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.

-1 Timothy 5:2

 I have a big family; an awesome family (Jason's family included). I am thankful for two sisters and two sisters in-law.  I am blessed to have grandmothers and a host of nieces and cousins.

 When Jason and I married we lived within ten miles of our entire family.  Our parents' house helped us to escape the Ramen Noodle Dinners we had at home.  I never went to Wal-Mart alone.  And even the ladies at church were extended family.

But as I believe God would have it, we have moved three times.  Each time our move has taken us to a bigger place, and a place farther from home.  We are now nearly 400 miles from all of our family.

As soon as I find my new comfort zone I feel as if I'm being stretched again. 

If you look up "small town girl" on google images surely you would find my picture. I'd be the girl with a ponytail, jeans and in flip-flops buying Dr. Peppers ,bread and bologna at the corner store. 

I am simple......in the most complex way.

You see, I feel most confident sharing life with those who know me. They know my quirks and weaknesses, but accept me as I am.  I fear rejection.  I sometimes feel misunderstood.

Yet I feel compelled.

I feel compelled to meet new people, make new friendships.  Putting yourself out there can be awkward, but it's worth it.  In sharing life, its beauties and struggles, I have learned that most of you can relate.  You're in the same boat, or once were.  Even if my struggle is unique, I know that there are those of you out there who will lift up a silent prayer on my behalf.

As I've been stretched to meet people of all ages with different backgrounds I've found a common thread.  Girls from nine to ninety from every walk of life have a need for friends. 

We all need friends who share their faith.  And I'm pretty sure there are times for all of us that we need to borrow a little faith.  Though we're women working toward noble character, we still need girls to laugh with. I am thankful for times we can sit on the couch or stand by our cars in the parking lot and talk about important matters.....or talk about nothing. I'm thankful for the times that you know when I need an encouraging smile or a hug.

But I am compelled to seek friendships that extend beyond.

  I have this persistent thought within me that there are some of us who aren't able to chat in the parking lot. Maybe like my sisters and mom, there are miles of distance between us.   That distance can be defied!

I have found through time and providence that I have an ever-increasing spiritual family. 

{Treat} older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.

-1 Timothy 5:2

 

A Thursday for Your Thoughts.

Each Thursday I would love to highlight someone different.

 I pray that we would grow together.

But more than anything, I pray that this space would bring much-deserved glory to our God who is with us.

Please consider sharing:

Your testimony        A beloved family story

A memorable family activity

A struggle        Scripture that has especially touched your heart

A recipe        A craft

A book review.....................

Include pictures if you can.

There is no age range. Writing skills unnecessary.  Girls from all over.   SHARE.

I'm biting my nails in anticipation waiting to hear from you!

Send your contribution in a Word document to my email.  Also, shoot me an email if you have any questions.

  kristiburden@gmail.com

 

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Random…With Purpose

by Jaime Turner

It’s not just about me.

That is what I am striving to teach my children each and every day.

To think of others before ourselves.

To offer kindness.

To show compassion.

To extend forgiveness.

To serve others.

 To be the hands and feet of Jesus.

“Do you know that nothing you do in this life will ever matter, unless it is about loving God and about loving the people He has made.”  ~Francis Chan

For our family, this means continually serving others by random acts of kindness and by putting others’ needs before our own. This was placed on my heart last year before Christmas as a way to count down the days to Jesus’s birth. As a family, we served someone in some way every single day between Thanksgiving and Christmas. We were so blessed by it that we have continued, and we’ve tried to make it a weekly event since then.

 Thinking outside the box and getting outside our comfort zone is difficult sometimes. Doing random acts of kindness can take a lot of planning, but it is even sweeter when we open ourselves to be used by God and we set aside our pride. People look at us like we’re crazy when we try to give them something for free. One thing my children have taught me is there is pure joy in serving others. They get so excited when we do something new for someone or make new friends when we do a project. And surprise: my children don’t really care when people look at them strangely. In fact, they don’t notice it most of the time. Pure innocence—something we could all use a touch of.    There has been joy in seeing people’s faces light up just because we cared enough to bring them a cup of coffee that we made ourselves. There was great fun when we ran around the mall taping quarters to the toy/candy machines hoping to brighten the day of a child we will never see. There was the element of surprise and curiosity that we received when we told the drive-thru lady that we wanted to pay for the person’s meal behind us. There were many questions from our neighbors when we baked them muffins “just because.” (They all thought we were trying to sell them something!) There was the happiness we got to see on strangers’ faces just because we handed them a candy cane outside of a store and told them to have a good day. There was something amazing about seeing my children run around a park eager to pick up trash, without grumbling or complaining, because they knew they were serving others…and ultimately serving Jesus.

  I could tell you all day long how it blesses my soul every time we serve someone and even more so as I see my children serve others. And I love that they have favorite projects that we have done:

 “Bringing ice cream to the orphanage” (Elijah, 8 years)

 “Making and bringing cookies to the fire department” (Lucas, 6 years)

 “Bringing hot chocolate to the crossing guard” (Charley, 4 years)

 Despite what some might think, it doesn’t take a lot of money to serve others either. It just requires a little bit of time and a little bit of ourselves. We’ve had to be creative, step out of our comfort zones, and let our walls down so we could see our neighbors’ needs.

 We can all show love to someone around us. It’s fun to make it random, but it’s important for it to have purpose. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”  ~ Matthew 22:37-39

 

A stay-at-home mom, Jaime Turner has been married for a dozen years and has 3 children. She is a Louisiana native who will never call herself a true Texan because, let’s face it, Texas isn’t home to the New Orleans Saints football team or good Cajun food. Jaime is known for her dimples, revered for her Fantasy Football track record, and thinks Sonic drinks can cure almost any personal ailment. Most importantly, Jaime strives daily to show her family and friends the same love that she has received through Christ Jesus.

 

 

 

 

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 No matter what hat you're wearing

Girls.  and Girls with experience

There are those of you who make me laugh.  And there are those of you who look at Pinterest and actually follow through -making cute cupcakes for your kids' parties. You're probably the same ones that make sure your children brush their teeth twice a day and your kids' socks are super white. Some of you seem to never drop a ball in your juggling efforts, though I know you must. There are those of you who always speak encouraging words. There are those of you who drive in Houston traffic fearlessly, and then those who still go to the bathroom in pairs. There are those of you who sing in the car until someone pulls up beside you at a red light.  None of us are exactly the same.

You have your coffee, and me my Dr. Pepper while we share life.

 

 

 

 

Some of you experience struggles similar to mine.  There are others of you facing struggles I can't imagine. I see you brave life's storms. There are those of you who have been there and done that; sages with wisdom.  You reassure me in tough times.  I think of you who I rarely see but trust that our friendship reaches across distance.

There are those of you still in school; those who wonder what Mr. Right looks like and when you'll meet him.  Some of you are frustrated with drama that surrounds you.  Some of you feel alone.  Some of you experience every feeling listed all in one day. Someone who's reading this, battles insecurity even knowing that God says we are enough.

I know that battle.

I'm thankful for you who pray with me; pray for me. You who have allowed me to pray for you; it is a privilege.  There are those of you who fear sharing your heart in Sunday School.   Your heart pounds in your chest when there's something you don't want to say out loud, but you must.

We are the same.

All of us have at least one bad habit.  Some days our hair aggravates us.  We each have that person in our life that makes us smile.  We love getting a letter or card in the mail.

And we all have a God who has given us a heart to be shared.

Tomorrow August 9, I would like to introduce A Thursday for Your Thoughts. 

Each Thursday I would love to highlight someone different.

I have mentioned before that I have a prayer for this website.  I pray that we as women would have a place to share; and that as we share, we are certain there are faces on the other side of the screen that are laughing, crying and just plain nodding their head in understanding.  I pray that we would grow together.

But more than anything, I pray that this space would bring much-deserved glory to our God who is with us.

Please consider sharing:

Your testimony

A beloved family story

A memorable family activity

A struggle

Scripture that has especially touched your heart

A recipe

A craft

A book review

.....................

Include pictures if you can.

There is no age range. Writing skills unnecessary.  Girls from all over.   SHARE.

I'm biting my nails in anticipation waiting to hear from you!

Send your contribution in a Word document to my email.  Also, shoot me an email if you have any questions.

  kristiburden@gmail.com

 

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 Do you know how when you’re organizing or moving you put things in a box? It’s o.k. to be organized. There is nothing wrong with that. But when you put people in boxes- it’s just wrong.  I know that sounds weird, but let me say what I mean.

Do you or your friends ever say or think things like “That girl is ugly”, or “She is rude”, or “She’s weird”? Well that’s what we do, we put people in boxes. We see the bad in them and don’t try to see anything else in them.

We just simply throw them in a box. For example, we throw the girl without makeup in the ugly box, the girl with bad grades in the dumb box, and the girl who sits by herself at lunch in the weird box. These people we try to avoid or put them down.

It’s bad because we don’t see them as people.  We see them as things in a box to ignore or throw away. But that’s not how God made us. He didn’t make boxes for the jocks, the popular people, the nerds or weirdos. He just made us all different.  How would we be special if we were all the same?

None of us should be put in a box or ignored. So we should stop seeing him as the nerd or her as the ugly girl. We should just think of them as God’s children.

In the bible it says, Have we not all one Father?  Hath not one God created us? –Malachi 2:10

He didn’t make boxes.  He just made people. So next time you see a person remember this: Would you want to be put in a box?  And try not to think of her as a nerd or him as a jerk. Just try to see the good in people.

Well I’m having a lot of fun writing about boxes but you’re probably tired of hearing about this so I’m just going to make this story short and sweet. Because those are the best stories.

And I guess all there is left to say is “Over and out”,

Goodbye!

Hallie Burden

11 years old

Hallie is my second guest blogger and my daughter.  She has determination bound to prove valuable as she stands firm in the midst of the temptation and chaos of the pre-teen world. She has a creative eye and enjoys designing. She loves listening to music, and twirling.  And truth be known she likes watching TV and sleeping-in too.  Pray for Hallie and her peers as they seek to see value in all people.  Pray that they be bolstered in love as they learn of the Father's love. Pray that they would find their security and self-worth in a God that lovingly created them unique to serve his purpose.

Attention GG's and other God's Girlies!

If you would like to share something special that God has done for you or through you send me an email.  I would love for you to highlight our God's Girlies page.

Email www.kristiburden@gmail.com

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