August 2008

August has arrived. The last hot month of summer in most of the United States is here. I always loved August when I was a little girl. My favorite number was eight, and it also had my favorite childhood holiday: my birthday! I didn't know then that another birthday means another year older! ha. A red-checkered picnic blanket, watermelon and lemonade -ahhh... precious summer memories!

August is no different to me now. I still love it. I love the Morning Glories that wind their way up the windmill frame above our well. I love the warm days and cooler nights, and sleeping with the windows open. I love the harvest of the garden and watching our children run around in a warm afternoon rain. Time goes on and things may change, but some old favorites will always be the same.

Time is a theme you will see in several of the articles this month. God blessed us this month as we felt the importance of time in a Believer's life. It is something that is so important as young women and moms to use wisely as unto the Lord. Another recurrent theme you will read about is soul-winning. The awesome thing is that we can spur each other on in the wise and fruitful use of our time as we learn to do this together! As we do, God will use us in great and mighty ways for His Kingdom and His People.

I pray you will take time to soak in all of the goodness in this month's articles. May God bless you as you read with us, and we all learn to walk in His time, spreading His Good News, together!

Be sure to grab the Growing in Grace graphics for your site if you don't already have them, and also the (Limited time only. No Longer Available)

Blessings, Mrs.D

Special Announcements:

If you're a business who'd link to partner with GGM and donate something for a giveaway, please contact us at ggmads@gmail.com!

Featured Articles:

GGM Interview:Lady Olivia: Enjoying the Song in My Heart

Follow Me... by Sister Angie

Don't be so SLUGgish by Lady Jess

Dog Days of Summer by Sister Angie

Friendship by Miss Monica June

Columns:

The Faith Factor: 'The Faith Factor: Winning Souls' Sisterlisa

Fact of the Matter: 'It's Only A Matter of Time' Sisterlisa

Portfolio de Couturier: 'The Miss Potter Era' by Miss Brielle and Miss Jocelyn **Giveaway**

Fun Articles:


Happy Hello Day! by Lady Olivia

Davy Crockett's Birthday by Lady Olivia

National Inventor’s Month by Miss Kaitlynn

Taco Burgers, My Favorite! by Miss Virginia

Graphics by designer G's
Some photos from iStockphoto
and sxc.hu Stock Exchange



Editor-in-Chief: Sisterlisa




Special thanks to:
Jen Wallace, Home Interiors Consultant
The Wash Basin

Lady Olivia: Enjoying the Song in My Heart

Miss Monica June: What is your favorite bible verse?

Lady Olivia: I like 1 Timothy 4:12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. I love that verse because I am young, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t do anything. I can do everything and anything with Jesus. I also try to set a good example for my friends by showing kindness, love, and telling them about God.

Miss Monica June: What is your favorite subject to learn about?

Lady Olivia: I like Science the most, but I also like math. The experiments are extremely fun. One time we made a volcano and it totally blew up. I also like learning about the body. It is amazing how God built such a great creation. I also like learning about the ocean and animals.

Miss Monica June: What sort of things do you do with your family?

Lady Olivia: I love to play with my brother. He is funny and always makes me laugh, even when I am sad.
Both my mom and dad have a guitar and so do I so we play that together. I also like to play different sports like volleyball, basketball and other things like that. My dad gives me great tips on it.

Miss Monica June: Tell us about your new dog.

Lady Olivia: Her name is Zoey. She is so funny. If I were to describe what she looked like I would call her a cotton ball or a marshmallow. We have lots fun together. The thing I like to play with her is tug-a-war. Her favorite toy is named Mr. Wiggles. He is a stretchy long blue furry thing that she pulls in her mouth. I also like to dress her up in cute clothes and put bows in her hair, but my brother doesn’t like that very much. He got her a camouflage bandana that isn’t very girly or stylish. She loves for me to brush her right after her bath. She curls up in her towel and grunts because she is so happy.

Miss Monica June: What is your favorite type of food?

Lady Olivia: I like my dad’s home-cooked steak right off the grill. I also like teriyaki chicken at a special Japanese restaurant where they cook in front of you. They also serve fried rice that I am crazy about.

Miss Monica June: What are your favorite colors?

Lady Olivia: I like lime green, turquoise, orange, and hot pink. My room is decorated in all those colors and I love it! It is one of my favorite places to be.

Miss Monica June: If you could go back in time where in time would you go back to, and why?

Lady Olivia: I have always been interested in Pocohantas, Sacagawea, and Juana Cavasos. I like these Indian women because they stand for what they believe in. They make things right and aren’t afraid of what is out there. I wish I could see the Comanche tribe, because I have Comanche blood in me and their lifestyle would be interesting to see. Indians really respected nature that God created. If they killed a buffalo they used every part of it for a good purpose like the horns for drinking cups, the stomach would be used for carrying things, the bones were tools, the fur was used for blankets, clothes, and their tipi. They really used their things wisely.


Miss Monica June: What is your favorite church hymn?

Lady Olivia: I like “What a Friend we Have in Jesus” because He always brings me through times that are hard for me to get through and that is what a real friend does.

Miss Monica June: What is your favorite bible story and why?

Lady Olivia: I love the story of Moses and how he takes the Israelites out of Egypt and frees them from slavery. I think it is great how God parted the Red Sea and how He made all those miracles to set them free.

Miss Monica June: What are your top three favorite books?

Lady Olivia: I like the Life of Faith Series, Little House on the Prairie, and American Girl Books.

Miss Monica June: What is your favorite book in the Bible?

Lady Olivia: I really like Esther. I look up to her a lot because she was so brave. To me it seemed like she had no fear in her body. She was a very godly woman and I like that about her.

Miss Monica June: What kind of things do you like to cook?

Lady Olivia: I don't really have one thing that I like to cook I just pretty much help my mom make whatever she is making for dinner and always enjoy it.


Miss Monica June: What are some are your goals for your future?

Lady Olivia: I definitely want to have children and a family, but I feel kind of young to think about that right now. I would like to be a graphic artist or a cardiologist because my Papa had to have heart surgery two times and I wish I could help others who have that problem.

Miss Monica June: Please tell us something special your mom and you have done together?

Lady Olivia: We actually do a bunch of stuff together. I love my mom because she is such a fun person to be with. Not only is she my mom, but she is my best friend too. We like to cook, play volleyball, shop, write together, and a whole lot of other things. When we have free time we like to make the best of it even if we are cleaning the house!

Thank you for sharing your life with us Lady Olivia. My sisters and I always enjoy your mini devotions.

Follow Me...

Fishing is such a typical summer activity. I am so familiar with the sport that I used to have the nickname "Bassin' Ang" and "Spinnerbait Queen".

I grew up fishing with my dad. He was a bass fisherman so our family went every week possible in the summer to different lakes in the area for fishing tournaments. From a very early age I could bait a hook (yes, with live bait), set the hook, remove fish from lures without getting stuck, and proudly lip that fish with my thumb to pose for pictures.

Did you know Jesus liked to spend a lot of time near the water? In Bible times, fishing was one of the most common occupations. It was how many people earned money and fed their families. When Jesus told his disciples that He would make them fishers of men, surely they were able to easily understand this metaphor.

Have you ever noticed that this sport is called "fishing" and not "catching"? As a very young girl, I would often get impatient waiting for a nibble. This same thing happened when Simon Peter and some of the other disciples were fishing.

They had gone out one night and not caught any fish. Jesus instructed them to cast their net on the other side of the boat. After doing so, they caught so many fish that they were surprised the net did not tear.



In 1 Peter 3:15, we are told to "be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you." Listen for Jesus' still small voice directing you when and where to cast your net. With whom does He want you to share His truth?

Finally, remember patience as I did while I was fishing growing up. With the Apostle Paul, we can proclaim, "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6)."

Lord God, there are so many lost who need to be caught and captivated by the net of your love and truth. We want to be your faithful disciples. Help us to listen, trust, and obey. In Jesus' name, amen.

Don't be so SLUGgish

Once, when I was gardening, I found many slugs and snails amongst the weeds. As I pulled the weeds and got rid of the pests, I began to think. So many Believers are not doing anything for the cause of Christ. So many are sluggish and laid back in their walk with Him.

The Bible says in John 15:2 "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit."

The same goes for weeds and slugs. If God finds a weed or a pest in his 'garden', he will take it out. If he finds that a plant is putting forth beautiful flowers, he will trim it back to allow more flowers to bloom.

Also, slugs eat the leaves of plants, so be sure not to criticize or bring down your family in Christ. Snails and slugs shrivel up and die if you place salt on them.

Mark 9:50, "Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another."

If we find ourselves cringing at the teaching of the Word of God, then maybe we have become a snail. Strive not to be a snail in your Christian life.

There are other ways that we are slugs as well and that is in our physical life. It's very important that we take time each day to take care of the bodies that the Lord gave us. God gave us muscles to give us strength, but if we neglect our muscles they become weak. Make a point each day to care for your body by adding strength to your arms and legs.

Here are a few ways you can help with keeping up your strength:

1. Stand against the bathroom counter facing away from the sink. Place your hands behind you on the counter and allow your arms to slowly lower your body down past the counter top. Have your knees slightly bent and allow your arms to do the work of lowering and raising your body.

2. Before you get out of bed for the day do some leg lifts. You can lay on your side and slowly lift each leg and slowly lower it. If you go too fast you're defeating the purpose. Do 3 sets of 15 each morning until you build more strength and then you can increase it to 20 or 30, depending on your ability. Not only will this help build strength, but it will raise your adrenaline to help you get going a bit quicker in the morning.

3. When you're sitting down for a movie, you can lift your knees and this helps your abdomen. Start with 3 reps of 10 and build from there.

4. I also recommend that you do squats each day. Every person is different so you may want to start off doing a few each morning and increasing by 2 each day until you build more strength. You will be sore at first, but don't give up! The more strength you build the more energy you'll have and more stamina as well.

Friendship

There are some kindnesses that have been shown to my family over the years by people who call themselves our friends and we have been able to be a friend to others also. Here are some times when those kindnesses and friendships have grown.

One day when I was sick and my friend Emily came to my house after school that day with balloons and a card for me to get better. To this day I still have the card!! Don't you just love it when a friend helps you out in all situations? That what friendship is all about.

When my mom had our littles, people came over with loads of food. One day a friend came over with a van full of food, it lasted us a month! Friends are SO kind! People are still kind to us now when a family member gets sick people come over to help in any way.

For two weeks we went on vacation and our close family friend Miss Esther came by and watched our animals. She took my dog on vacation with her and they went to the coast, how nice is that!?!

One Christmas we had a man named Cleo come over to our house . He passed away just a few months later, you never know when your friend can pass away, so love them and comfort them because you never know how long you will have them for.

It's easy to love someone that you are close to, but when you do something kind for a stranger that is a sacrificial love. When my mom went to a conference she saw a homeless man. She went and bought a bottle of water for him, THAT is a sacrificial love.

~Proverbs 17:17 a "A friend loveth at all times…" (KJV)

Here are some quotes on friendship that we found:

"A friend is one who strengthens you with prayers, blesses you with love and encourages you with hope." -Unknown

"True friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it be lost."
- Charles Caleb Colton

"A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out."- Unknown

"A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart, and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words."
- Donna Roberts

Dog Days of Summer

The “dog days of summer” are known as the hottest and most sultry days of the year. I do not know what the temperature is where you live, but down south, we can easily string together many 100 degree days in a row. A cool rain shower is rare. Aside from an oscillating fan or Olivia’s fruity pops, the heat cannot be escaped. I find myself working in short bursts, trying to stay productive doing housework and laboring in my yard, but must admit that I am horribly tempted in these summer days to become inactive. I feel lethargic and lazy at times.

If I am not careful, this feeling can carry over into my spiritual life. I recently reread the story of Eutychus who fell from a window in the third story of a house where Paul was preaching. I wonder if Eutychus was trying to escape the heat from a long day, trying to find a cool breeze as he sat in the windowsill.


Surely at this time, Paul was preaching in power and might. The day of Pentecost had come and he had been traveling across many countries speaking boldly for the Lord. Finally, he was gathered with the disciples, but there sat Eutychus in the window, oblivious, falling into a deep sleep.

Are we guilty of this today? What if a sermon runs over the usual time frame, do we impatiently look at our watch and wonder when church will finally let out? Does your mind wander during prayer or the reading of God’s word? I am just as guilty as the next person. In our human frailty, we can all become lax and wane in our fervor, especially during these hot summer days.

God understands our weaknesses. Even Jesus’ best friends fell asleep during his darkest hours at the Garden of Gethsemane. This is why He exhorts us to

Matthew 26:41
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Furthermore, we are told the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. In it we learn the need to remain in a state of constant watchfulness and preparedness. We must do so diligently for we never know the day or hour of our Lord’s return.

The consequences are serious. For Eutychus, it was death. For the foolish virgins, there was no second chance to enter into the wedding banquet. Even in these sweltering dog days of summer, we must purpose to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The Faith Factor: Winning Souls

There was a time when my daughter, lady Jess, prayed for her daddy to trust Jesus as his Savior. I heard her praying one night when she was just six years old. She was kneeling over the bedside sobbing! I have never seen a child so young pray so hard before. During those difficult years of our lives, her faith grew so big!

The prayers of children are so sweet. If you have a young sibling or even a cousin who is younger, take some time to pray with them and really listen to what they are saying to the Lord. Their hearts are so tender.

We each need to have our faith grow. The Bible says in Romans 10:17, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

So how do we increase our faith? By hearing the Word of God.

1. Read your Bible faithfully. Read it out loud.

2. Memorize scripture and quote it to your family and friends.

3. Listen to good teaching or preaching tapes or CD's.

4. Pay attention in church service and take notes. When you go home take your notes and reflect upon what the Lord gave you. Re-read the verses the teacher/preacher shared with you and pray about how God might be speaking to you.

If we want our faith to grow then we need to practice what God teaches us, hearing His Word.
As your faith grows, you will begin to walk by faith and not by sight. Faith is believing without seeing.

Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

If you have read any of our past articles from The Faith Factor you'll know that we emphasize sharing the Gospel with others. If you pray for God to cross your path with someone who wants to get saved, He will do that! God wants people saved and if we, as Christians, really want to lead a person to Christ, then just pray and ask God to use you to do that. Each day pray about it. As you come across someone, the Holy Spirit will guide you and tell you who to talk to. Be bold! Don't be nervous, Christ has gone before you and begun a work in their heart about it. You have the victory, just claim it!

If you make winning souls a priority, He will use you to accomplish that task.

If you are willing to commit yourself to be a soul winner, then grab this button and add it to your site.

Leave us a reply and we will pray for God to use you to lead a soul to Christ.

Be sure to come back and tell us once God has used you to lead a person to the Lord so we may rejoice with you!

Here is a way I have been able to lead a person tot he Lord using the M&M Story. I have attached a link to the PDF version of the M&M Story at the end of that article for you to take and memorize.

Keep an eye out for more articles about how to win souls to the Lord here at Growing in Grace!

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It's Only A Matter of Time

Some say that a child spells love, T-I-M-E. Christians were told in the book of Acts that to look for Christ's appearing because it is promised that He will be back. Acts 1:11, "Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."

The Lord tells us in Ephesians 5:16, "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil."

In Esther 4:14 she is admonished by Mordecai that she could be in the King's home for 'such a time as this' in order to save her people.

It is evident throughout scripture that Time is also very important to the Lord.

We are commanded to be diligent with our time here on earth. Keep in mind that this world is not our home, we're just passing through. A person who has trusted the Lord Jesus as their Saviour has an eternal home in Heaven and we are entrusted by the Lord to do His will, which is to spread the Word about Salvation so that more may have the joy of entering his gates one day.

Mark 16:15, "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."

What is it that you do each day that serves the Lord? We know that when we get to Heaven that Christians will be asked what they did for the Lord and He will then present us with our rewards, which of course we will turn and give those back to him as our gifts to Him. Yet what are we doing each day to earn those rewards that we want to be able to place at His feet?

I have led numerous people to the Lord and I am honored that the Lord allows me to do that. There is no greater joy than to be able to be a part of someone's salvation day. To see their face when they realize Jesus really loves them and see them ask Him to save them so they may enter heaven one day. I can sense their burden of sin lifted immediately. There is no other experience like it.

As we see sin growing in this world today we sense that His appearing is coming soon! Each time I turn on the news or read the newspaper I sense that Jesus is coming soon.

Matthew 24:26, "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."

I find myself praying to the Father to allow His Son to come and get us so we may be with the Lord. The burden of sin in this world is heavy on my heart. Are you praying for the Lord's return?

Matthew 24:42 says, "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come."

He wants us to watch for him! He is coming soon!
Do you sense the Lord's return coming soon?
Do you pray to the Father to allow His Son to come get His children?
Are you actively trying to win souls to Christ?

It's only a matter of time before the Lord returns. What are you doing with your time?

Happy Hello Day!

“Hello!” Whenever you answer the phone you probably say hello. Well, at least most people do. What if we said, "Aloha", "Bonjour", "Hola", or the most different of all, "Ahoy”?

In 1877, Thomas Edison wrote a letter suggesting that when people answer the phone, they use the word "hello" instead of the word "ahoy" which was suggested by Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone.

Can you imagine answering the phone and saying “Ahoy”? Well, if we did say that, we would probably think it is strange to answer the phone “hello” after saying “ahoy” all that time.

I just read how Paul greeted the church at Rome in the book of Romans.

Romans 1:7 He said, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ”

Wow, what do you think about that greeting? Imagine if we did that all the time. What a better place the world would be!

Davy Crockett's Birthday

Wait a minute! Before you decide not to read this article, listen for just a sec. This is not just boy stuff. It can get pretty interesting. When I first started studying Texas History, I wasn’t that excited either, but once I got into it I loved it, so tune in. You will too! We are going on a little ride through history.

First of all I know a lot about the history of Texas and about one-fourth of it has to do with Davy Crockett. If you are from Texas, you have heard about Mr. Crockett at one point or another in your life. Why? Well, because of all the great things he has done, but it is too early for me to be telling you about all this stuff. Let me get down to the real part of the story…

Davy was born in Tennessee on August 17, 1786 with the name David Stern Crockett, but everyone called him Davy so that is what he went by. David Crockett was the fifth of nine children of John and Rebecca Hawkins Crockett. According to his autobiography, his younger years were filled with adventure, hardship, and a lot of traveling.

On October 31, 1835, he decided to go to Texas. He claimed, "I want to explore Texas well before I return." Davy’s motto was, "Be always sure you are right, then go ahead." This is a very good motto, because you should always consult with God before you act.


Later, Crockett signed up for the Battle of The Alamo to help Texas declare their freedom. William B. Travis was the commander in charge at the siege of The Alamo. He asked for help against the Mexican forces, and Davy Crockett agreed. The Texas forces of 180-250 men were overwhelmed by the 6,000 Mexican soldiers. The Texans refused to surrender, and after a siege that lasted 13 days, they were soon overcome by the Mexican soldiers of Santa Anna. All of the Texans who defended The Alamo were lost.

So do you think the Mexicans won the whole war? No! Later the Texans won with a surprise attack. They had a bunch of good leaders including Davy Crockett. The Alamo is still located in San Antonio, Texas. You can visit it today.

In the Bible there are many stories of how there are way more enemies fighting against the Israelites, but God brought all the people on His team through.

Are you outnumbered in your life? Does it feel like you just cannot do it alone? Ask Jesus to help you. It works every single time.