Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Opening for Today's Meeting
Have you ever heard the old saying “If you keep making that face, it might stay that way”? You might remember your mom saying that to you, as I do or you might say that to your children now. There is some truth in that old saying. Have you ever thought what you would look like if you pouted too much, wrinkled your brow too many times, or pressed your lips together.
My mother tells me not to press my lips together because I’ll get a ton of little vertical lines running across my mouth. She has them which is why she’s warning me. So I try to control the faces I make when I’m annoyed or angry. I try to remember, as best I can, to control it. But it’s hard. The truth is what face I make on the outside is really only a reflection on how I’m feeling on the inside. How am I feeling about myself? Am I tired, worried, busy, or annoyed? These feelings get written all over my face.
The Bible says,“A glad heart makes a cheerful face” Proverbs 15:13 and “A cheerful heart is good medicine.” Proverbs 17:22
It’s too hard to control the expressions on our face because it’s just showing what’s going on deeper into who we are. But we can start changing how we react to situations internally. We can cast all our cares on God because He cares for us. With God’s help, we can have a cheerful heart which will be reflected all over our face.
Blessings,
Lisa
Monday, February 20, 2012
Ladies Worship Night
You are invited to a Ladies Praise and Worship Night on Monday, February 27 from 7-8:15 pm at Bethel Assembly of God, Martinsburg, WV in the main sanctuary. Childcare will be provided for all ages. This event is hosted by Ignyte Women's Ministry at Bethel.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Opening for Topic Meeting
Last time we met
several moms shared what kind of old woman they would like to become. They spoke of having joy in tough
situations, kindness in relating to others, faithfulness to God, and showing
love to family and lets not forget looking good and dressing stylish.
Like these
moms, I want to be all these things as well.
These
qualities that were talked about are the Fruit of
the
Spirit. The Bible says in Galations
5:22-23, “But the fruit of
the spirit is love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, and
self-control.
We can try
to develop these qualities in our own strength but it
will be more difficult and less of a
success rate. Or we can spend
time in the presence of God where God
produces these qualities
in us.
When He does it, it produces lasting fruit that will last to
old age.
Blessings,
Lisa
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Kimberly's Miracle
Most of my closest friends know this, but it just makes me feel so good to tell of God's amazing grace and miracles.
Brayden "Kade" Morgan was born February 19, 2010 after a very difficult pregnancy. Early on in my pregnancy, the sonographer couldn't find where the umbilical cord entered the placenta. In fact, I had to go back for a third sonogram because of this exact issue. After the third sonogram, I assumed she had found where it entered, because I heard nothing else from her.
I went on bed rest at 28 weeks. I couldn't even get out of bed to eat without my blood pressure shooting into the "stroke" zone. Scott was working all night, coming home for a few hours of sleep while my Mama took care of Britton until Scott woke up, so she could go home to work until she had to return to my house at night...and so on....
I had preeclampsia. At 36 weeks, my body was fighting the baby off as if it were a foreign invader. It couldn't take the pregnancy any longer... SO Dr. Malmborg decided to induce. My water didn't break, so he attempted to break it. He wasn't able to due to severe pain....so he said "let's get your epidural and try again". I was completely happy with that decision!
NOTHING but God's precious hands protecting Kade can explain why he wasn't killed when the doctor tried to break my water
My labor went on, I had an epidural. I had contractions. The doctor broke my water... again, God was holding my sweet baby in his hands. I gave birth... to a miracle. The baby came faster than the doctor could get to the hospital. He walked in about 2 minutes after I gave birth so the nurse delivered him. When I delivered the placenta he said, "this is a miracle"..."did the baby go into distress?" At that point he left me and went straight to the baby and did a thorough look over. Kade was perfect.
The doctor told us in his 42 years of delivering babies, he'd only seen one other case of Vasa Previa and the baby didn't survive.He told me had I not got sick and put on bed rest, Kade most likely would not have survived labor at full term. I am forever thankful God made me sick!!!
I was really the talk of the maternity ward! All these nurses and doctors came to see my placenta! Ha ha! They sent it off to use it for research, and I am so glad we had a story of success!
Vasa Previa is a condition that all the blood vessels that should be inside the placenta, are outside - exposed - of the placenta. If the vessels are hit hard, scratched by the baby's nails, have a lot of pressure on them.... the baby will drown in his/her own blood.....
Check out the stats: http://www.vasaprevia.org/
1 in 25 babies SURVIVE Vasa Previa.
Especially RARE condition on top of that.
Diagnosed conditions require mandatory c section at 34 weeks.Most babies with Vasa Previa that are delivered vaginally die within hours or a few days.
This is Kimberly Morgan's testimony of her miracle baby, Kade!
Brayden "Kade" Morgan was born February 19, 2010 after a very difficult pregnancy. Early on in my pregnancy, the sonographer couldn't find where the umbilical cord entered the placenta. In fact, I had to go back for a third sonogram because of this exact issue. After the third sonogram, I assumed she had found where it entered, because I heard nothing else from her.
I went on bed rest at 28 weeks. I couldn't even get out of bed to eat without my blood pressure shooting into the "stroke" zone. Scott was working all night, coming home for a few hours of sleep while my Mama took care of Britton until Scott woke up, so she could go home to work until she had to return to my house at night...and so on....
I had preeclampsia. At 36 weeks, my body was fighting the baby off as if it were a foreign invader. It couldn't take the pregnancy any longer... SO Dr. Malmborg decided to induce. My water didn't break, so he attempted to break it. He wasn't able to due to severe pain....so he said "let's get your epidural and try again". I was completely happy with that decision!
NOTHING but God's precious hands protecting Kade can explain why he wasn't killed when the doctor tried to break my water
My labor went on, I had an epidural. I had contractions. The doctor broke my water... again, God was holding my sweet baby in his hands. I gave birth... to a miracle. The baby came faster than the doctor could get to the hospital. He walked in about 2 minutes after I gave birth so the nurse delivered him. When I delivered the placenta he said, "this is a miracle"..."did the baby go into distress?" At that point he left me and went straight to the baby and did a thorough look over. Kade was perfect.
The doctor told us in his 42 years of delivering babies, he'd only seen one other case of Vasa Previa and the baby didn't survive.He told me had I not got sick and put on bed rest, Kade most likely would not have survived labor at full term. I am forever thankful God made me sick!!!
I was really the talk of the maternity ward! All these nurses and doctors came to see my placenta! Ha ha! They sent it off to use it for research, and I am so glad we had a story of success!
Vasa Previa is a condition that all the blood vessels that should be inside the placenta, are outside - exposed - of the placenta. If the vessels are hit hard, scratched by the baby's nails, have a lot of pressure on them.... the baby will drown in his/her own blood.....
Check out the stats: http://www.vasaprevia.org/
1 in 25 babies SURVIVE Vasa Previa.
Especially RARE condition on top of that.
Diagnosed conditions require mandatory c section at 34 weeks.Most babies with Vasa Previa that are delivered vaginally die within hours or a few days.
This is Kimberly Morgan's testimony of her miracle baby, Kade!
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Children's Book Review
Recently my daughter came home with a book her teacher recommended because she knows she loves to read. My husband read the cover and became concerned because the book contained disturbing scenes and violent content. After looking into it further and reading the reviews we decided that this was not a book she should be reading. We explained our feelings to her and why we felt this was not a book that would be good for her based on our Christian values and her personal needs.
As mother's, I know, we are all concerned about what our children read, watch on TV, play video games and so on. There are many good resources to help us make decisions for our children based on Christian values and their individual needs, temperament, and understanding. The Bible in 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 urges us to "Test everything, hold onto the good. Avoid every kind of evil."
The book I am referring to is called The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins. This book is aimed at children and young adults 13-18. Many of the books written for this age group tend to be very dark in nature. I am sharing the following link so that you are informed about just one of the books out there that your children may find in their school library or classroom. This provides info about the book and suggestions on life lessons you can teach them if they have read the book.
Kim Ratcliffe
Here is the link for Focus on the Family review of the book The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins:
http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/protecting_your_family/book-reviews/h/hunger-games.aspx
Summary of review: In this tale of 24 teenagers forced to kill each other, readers follow a number of gruesome, bloody and otherwise disturbing scenes. One tribute murders another by snapping his neck. Other tributes are killed by spears, arrows, blows to the head with rocks and the stings of mutated yellow jackets. Wounds ooze blood and puss, and the wounded smell festering flesh. One of the final tributes is mauled by a pack of rabid dog-like creatures for hours before he dies. Katniss also mentions how, in previous games, tributes were killed by venomous snakes, went insane from thirst or froze to death. One previous contestant tried to eat the tributes he'd killed, but the Gamemakers stopped this because it didn't play well with the audience. Leaders in the Capitol cut out the tongues of those who disobey them.
As mother's, I know, we are all concerned about what our children read, watch on TV, play video games and so on. There are many good resources to help us make decisions for our children based on Christian values and their individual needs, temperament, and understanding. The Bible in 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 urges us to "Test everything, hold onto the good. Avoid every kind of evil."
The book I am referring to is called The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins. This book is aimed at children and young adults 13-18. Many of the books written for this age group tend to be very dark in nature. I am sharing the following link so that you are informed about just one of the books out there that your children may find in their school library or classroom. This provides info about the book and suggestions on life lessons you can teach them if they have read the book.
Kim Ratcliffe
Here is the link for Focus on the Family review of the book The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins:
http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/protecting_your_family/book-reviews/h/hunger-games.aspx
Summary of review: In this tale of 24 teenagers forced to kill each other, readers follow a number of gruesome, bloody and otherwise disturbing scenes. One tribute murders another by snapping his neck. Other tributes are killed by spears, arrows, blows to the head with rocks and the stings of mutated yellow jackets. Wounds ooze blood and puss, and the wounded smell festering flesh. One of the final tributes is mauled by a pack of rabid dog-like creatures for hours before he dies. Katniss also mentions how, in previous games, tributes were killed by venomous snakes, went insane from thirst or froze to death. One previous contestant tried to eat the tributes he'd killed, but the Gamemakers stopped this because it didn't play well with the audience. Leaders in the Capitol cut out the tongues of those who disobey them.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Choosing Your Path
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust and obey-these two words go together like coffee and cream. Yet every day we face difficult situations that seem to defy simple solutions. As women, myriad difficult choices face us-the right course of care for a sick child, moving from everything familiar for a new opportunity, following God's leading even when the outcome is hazy, even when the right choice frightens us. You may toss and turn for nights without finding peace in your choice. How do you determine the right choice? Obey the guidance you find in God's Word, earnestly pray and seek trusted counsel, then trust God with the outcome.
Reflect & Pray: What hard choice is confronting you today? What factors make your decision difficult? How is God asking you to trust him in this situation?
Read Proverbs 3:1-35
Devotional from The Busy Mom's Bible
Trust and obey-these two words go together like coffee and cream. Yet every day we face difficult situations that seem to defy simple solutions. As women, myriad difficult choices face us-the right course of care for a sick child, moving from everything familiar for a new opportunity, following God's leading even when the outcome is hazy, even when the right choice frightens us. You may toss and turn for nights without finding peace in your choice. How do you determine the right choice? Obey the guidance you find in God's Word, earnestly pray and seek trusted counsel, then trust God with the outcome.
Reflect & Pray: What hard choice is confronting you today? What factors make your decision difficult? How is God asking you to trust him in this situation?
Read Proverbs 3:1-35
Devotional from The Busy Mom's Bible
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Bethel's Refuel Services
Join us for Bethel's Refuel Services on Wednesday evenings at 7 pm at Bethel Assembly of God, Martinsburg, WV in the main sanctuary. A great series is beginning on the book of Judges taught by Rev. Ralph Campbell.
Also available are classes for children of all ages: Nursery (under 2); Sunlight Kids (2 years old); Rainbows (3 & 4 years old); Mpact Girls Club (K-High School); and Royal Rangers for boys (K-High School).
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