The Presence

The Presence

I kept hearing whispers in the night.
Oh who can it be, who can it be?
But when I arose there was no one in sight.

My heart did not pound in fear,
But I knew there was a Presence near.

"What is it You want from me?" I asked.
Oh who can it be, who can it be?
For Your presence I can not see.

Then this loud voice I heard,
Without this Presence saying a word.

"Is that my name I hear you call?"
Oh who can it be, who can it be?
"Yes," You say, "because I want to hear it all."

"I don't know what to say,
But such a peace has come my way."

You tell me not to hurry
Oh, who can it be, who can it be?
And that time shouldn't be a worry.

"But, I don't want this time to end.....
Will You come here again?

~By: Sandra M. King

I was inspired to write this after an experience I had one night. How many times does the Lord want to have intimate time alone with us? Just as in a marriage relationship, at times intimacy takes place long after the day is done. One thing God really showed me is that intimacy is not rushed. So often intimacy can be rushed because we may feel uncomfortable. If we are not used to His presence or being intimate with our spouse, it can cause some feelings of discomfort. At times when we are given a choice to engage in intimacy, we shy away from it because we become vulnerable. We have to let our guard down and that means exposing things that are deep within us. So we hold back, from God and our spouses.

When day started to break and the sun was rising from the mountain top, I was faced with something else. I knew that at any moment the kids would wake up and I needed to embrace them as I do every morning. I asked the Lord if He would come here again. I didn't hear God say anything. I thought about it for a moment, and wondered.....I shouldn't ask Him if He would come here again. Of course He would, if I allowed Him to.

Be Still My Soul

On June 30th we will be moving to the Vancouver, Washington area. These past two weeks have been very unsettling because WE have been trying to connect the dots to make this transition smooth. The other day was one of the hardest days we've experienced since moving to Lewiston. And we've had some hard days. It seemed as though the dots just weren't connecting. I started to get this knot in my stomach because it is a big move. It's a faith move.

Then I started thinking about how God has never let us down. I needed to change the way I was looking at this move. Yes, it is a faith move, but God is positioning us for our destiny. Although we love it here in Lewiston. The people in Lewiston/Clarkston are phenomenal, but we feel as though we are suppose to move. Right now we are still in the midst of the transition, but in a later post I will go into more details.

The dots are starting to connect without us doing much of the work. Last night Don and I came up with this great plan for a business. We are ready for the open doors of ministry. I can't wait to share in the upcoming months all the things going on behind the scene.

I just had to tell my soul to be still. So what ever you're going through today, just tell your soul to be still.
*Turn off the music on the sidebar and be blessed.

Hugs For Friends

I woke up this morning and realized how important my friends are to me. Sometimes I have the tendency to take them for granted. I know for some women friendship can be a sore subject because of past and or present experiences. One things for sure, we as women need each other. I learned a long time ago that I couldn't walk this journey alone. I needed to have friends.

Often times I hear women say that they get along better with guys because women are "messy" Yes, there are women out there who are "messy" I for one quoted this statement on numerous occasions all the while my heart ached for friendship with other women. It wasn't until I changed when I realized just how much fun friendships can be. I had to let my guard down and stop playing Magnum P.I. looking for clues to prove that "her and I just can't be friends because of....."

If you have been hurt because of past friendships with other women, take it to the cross. Forgive. Open up your heart. There's a woman out there who's looking for a friend like you. Will you be her friend?
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Friends possess remarkable keys. They open the locked doors of our lives. They give us entrance to places we'd never dare go by ourselves. They fling wide the gates of lush, secret gardens. They take us to treasure rooms glistening with gifts we're sure we don't deserve.

Friends unlatch the windows of our souls. They grip the drapes we've drawn around ourselves and yank them back to let God's gleaming light stream in. They pull and tug until the windows pop open and fresh, new breezes fill our musty hearts.

When storms throw trees across our path, a friend will lend her strength to haul the logs away. Friends are not fazed by our roadblocks. They come equipped with chain saws. They help us chop our obstacles like firewood then strike a match to them. they make sparks fly up from the flames. They say, "Why not sit awhile and warm yourself by this nice fire?" When the smoke clears, friends pass out coat hangers and feast with us on roasted marshmallows until the last ember dies.

Friends have sight where we are blind. They are guides through the jungles of our past. They are fearless to face the dangers we know lurk beneath the brush. Friends hack and slash at the wild, clinging thoughts that bind us. With grace, they loose us from our blindfolds then tie them on branches, making trail for the future.

Friends create breakthroughs. The best ones are agents of God. Like him, they stand us in front of a mirror and introduce us to ourselves.

*From the book "Hugs For Friends" by: LeAnn Weiss & Caron Loveless

Speak Life

When was the last time you spoke life into your child?

As I sat there this past Saturday watching Trae make history by becoming the first male in my family to graduate, Don whispered in my ear, "You're a great mother. You always encourage the kids. It's all because of you."

I thought the tears were already flowing, but after he said that I was looking for a bucket to catch them. I can't say that I did anything special or brought a number of "how-to" books. One thing I did and always do is speak life to my children. When I see their flaws, most times I often overlook them because we are all a work in progress. Plus I wouldn't want my kids to talk about my flaws because they would have lots to talk about.

There have been times that I've commented to another mom on something good that her child has done. Then she will proceed to tell me everything "bad" that Johnny did last week. Imagine the shame Johnny must feel when he's in hearing distance of mommy's conversation. Or when I tell mommy that Suzy looks so cute in that outfit. Mommy doesn't hesitate to say that Suzy went from a size 4T to a 6x because she can't get rid of the "baby fat."

As I look through my purse for a muzzle to put over mom's mouth I now understand why Johnny acts the way he does and Suzy's lack of confidence.

I always tell my kids that they will be history makers in this land. That they will change the world. That they are leaders and not followers. That they don't follow the trend, they set it. I tell them that I'm a mother to world changers.

I'll admit that at first it was a struggle for me to say those things. I had no idea what I was doing when I became a mother. I was so young. Yes I was a teenager. One thing I did know is that I wanted my kids to make a difference in this world. But in order for them to do that it had to start with me. I had to change my way of thinking. I first had to believe that it was possible for my kids to change the world. If I didn't believe it, how could I convince them.

One day while sitting in the rocking chair nursing Ben, I started saying to him all these great things that he was going to do when he grew up. I then looked at the other 3 kids running through the house. One by one I saw the potential in each one of them. As the tears rolled down my cheeks, I knew that I had tapped into something. I was always a positive mom, but I knew that I needed to convey to my children the potential that I saw.

My children are history makers and so are yours. Tell them that today.
*Turn the music off from the sidebar to listen to this song.

History In the Making

Tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 pm history will take place. We, along with family and friends will watch Trae as he makes an entrance through those doors at the LCSC Activity Center and make history.

What so special about a graduation ceremony? This ceremony will have a significant impact on my extended family. Trae is the first male to graduate high school in my family. We are so thankful and honored that the Lord has chosen to use him to be a trailblazer and change the course in my family lineage.

Don and I have been really excited about this because he will be taking his next big step this Fall. Trae has decided to answer the call on his life and go into ministry. Trae is so talented. He could have chosen another profession and been very successful. As parents, we stand behind him and support him 100%. He will attend Portland Biblce College along with his sister Ruth.

Trae's Senior year has been a great year. He lead a ministry at the high school that he took over from Ruth called "Revolution" He taught his fellow brothers and sisters in Christ how to share their faith on the high school campus. Encourage & discipled new believers. He stood up like a strong tower for what he believed. He was popular for all the right reasons (Praise God). His class mates chose him to be Prom King and the staff chose him to receive the David Laird Award and be a Senior Representative based on his character and positive influence.

So tomorrow, will you rejoice with us as we celebrate this great acheivement.

I can't wait to see this in my son's hand!
As for now, he's asking momma to cook him some eggs.

A Woman's Hands

"A Woman's Hands"
by: Sandra King

Soft to the touch and beautiful to the eye
are a woman's hands
Working diligently from sunrise to sunset
are a woman's hands

Are my 2 hands and 10 fingers enough to take on the battles in life
and eventually win the war?

Soothing the cry of a baby and nursing a sick child
are a woman's hands
Redirecting and correcting in the right directions
are a woman's hands

Yes your hands and fingers are enough. Don't run from the battle
you can win this war.

Underestimated for their strength and longevity
are a woman's hands
They may grow tired, but they never quit
are a woman's hands

Psalm 144:1 - Blessed be the Lord my Rock, Who trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle-

Lonely as they walk down the neighborhood streets
are a woman's hands
Looking for a sister or friend to share life with
are a woman's hands

Ready to fight even if I have to go at it alone. To much is at stake
and I can't afford the price if the war is lost

Geared up to defend family, faith and friends
are a woman's hands
Ready, set, go.....as they stretch toward heaven
are a woman's hands

When God saw my palm and finger prints, He knew it was me.
For there is none in heaven or on earth like mine

At last they sway from side to side
are a woman's hands
Proclaiming victory and they worship the Lord God Almighty.

Frank & Laura's Wedding

This past weekend we had the privilege of attending the wedding ceremony of Frank & Laura. They were married a year ago, but took this time to have a renewal. I absolutely love wedding because there's something so much deeper going on during a wedding ceremony. It's a commitment that two people make before God, family and friends. The theme was country and western.

My husband was so honored when he was asked to officiate the ceremony. My husband has known Frank since the late 70s when they lived in Hermiston. They were Royal Ranger Commanders in Outpost 86. The wedding ceremony couldn't have gone any better.

Laura was one of the most beautiful brides I'd even seen. This was our first time meeting her. She was so warm and loving. She welcomed us with open arms. As a wife who has the tendency to notice how other wives are with their husbands, I noticed a similarity between Laura and I. We are both engulfed in our husbands and look at them with such awe.

We are so happy for Frank. We love him dearly and prayed for some time that he would find someone special. Not just anyone, but someone special. It fills our heart with joy knowing that he's found that special person.



As a family we took this opportunity to enjoy each other and relax on the farm.









Frank's sister sang this song for the ceremony.