Jennifer sure does know how to make pretty babies, doesn't she? :o) LUV Ya Jennifer! Awesome post Jennifer gave us!! Do you ever wonder how/when did you get "here" I was thinking the other day after watching Grant read and do his math WOW, I have taught my child how to do these things. I look back to when I was in college and knew all the answers and was extremely outspoken against homeschooling, I look back 3 years and see me struggling with the commitment to go through with the conviction, I look back a year and see me looking for the easy path to take in homeschooling, and now here I am using a very eclectic curriculum and speaking out with confidence and knowledge to our families watching my children learn. I went from against homeschooling to having a heart to do it but fear that I was somehow suddenly unqualifed to teach my child now that they were older to feeling really at peace and seeing the benefits. This truly is just an example of the many ways the Lord has changed my life over the last 9 years, building one Bible study on another, one friendship on another, continually walking through a storm to see HIS calm at the other end. When did I get here? I got here slowly one step after another walking with my Savior it just snuck up on me. Jennifer This post shows what a sweet heart Jennifer has: Jan 25, 2002 My heart is aching for all the families on Parentsoup.... I think families of Parentsoup have lost 8 children starting on Christmas day till now. My heart aches as the holidays wil never be the same for these families. I am looking at my children in a whole new light, but that cannot possibly be the lesson behind so much pain. I cried out to the Lord last night for these families and as I was praying for them not being able to even comprehend how much pain they must be in it hit me. Our Heavenly father also saw His child die under horrible circumstances, and He knows the pain of these families better than anyone and can offer the most comfort. So I pray that these families are able to see the face of the Lord during these horrible moments and that we are able to share His Word with them... Jennifer Jennifer's words of wisdom Feb 16, 2002 Umm ok, about ministry callings, may I say a word? This is a topic I have read on and feel really convicted on. I believe we all have a calling that is affected by the season of ife we are in. I feel this is also echoed in titus proverbs and other places. I think we fall prey to society's ideas in this ministry area and forget that our first and foremost ministry would be to our family, husband children..... If we are not meeting those needs I think we have no buisness seeking ministry outside the home. This is hard cause we get our accolades from the public ministries, but really it is the quiet ones that are most important. I reccommend Woman of Splendor, A heart like His. I hope I do not start something on this party day. I just want everyone on this board to know that they are part of ministry, a life to life evangelism that takes place everyday and has a HUGE impact on everyone around them! The most important ministry you will ever have is your life and leading it in a manner that it reflects Christ to others. Your heart, your life, your home is your ministry that can show Christ to others in real life everyday ways that people need to see. Hugs Jennifer Feb 21, 2002 Ruglet and others facing trials.... Can I please share what the Lord has blessed me with during these last year: 2 Corinthians 1:1-11 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of compassion and and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so alos through Christ our comfort overflows...we know just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort...we are under great pressure, far betind our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened to us that we might not rely on ourselves but on God..." From a study by Kay Arthur... "What is the most important thing anyone could ever see in you in the middle of a trial, stress, suffering, rejection? It is Jesus. His Life. He is seen and not you. He alone gets the glory...There is one reason, only one reason, that we expereince these things: so that His life might be dramatically seen in our deathlike circimstances. Listen to His life giving words, *For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus's sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh*2 Corinthians 4:11" I have found comfort and purpose for the trials we are enduring right now. Believe me more than once they have been more than I could endure, but now I realize what glory I can give to my Lord by how I chose to go about these trials. Romans 8:36-39 speaks about how we are more than conquerors, we have a greater power within so we need not whime and complain about these things but try yo have a heart for our Lord and be a light unto to the world during these walks in the desert. I cannot tell you the freedom I am now experienceing during the trials we are experiencing having the realization of their greater purpose. I still get crabby, but I am soon conficted to be joyful and to let these circumstances glorify the Lord and not my whining. I hope sharing this helps someone and does not sound pushy I really meant it as a blessing. Hugs Jennifer (who oops just yelled at the kids. See I am still working on this LOL) Mar 01,2002 Count your blessings name them one by one! DH and I have had a week of adversity. The praise is that we are so happy we have been beaming and unable to contain ourselves. I honestly cannot even convey our emotions, they are supernatural surrounded by all this chaos. We have coined the term "happy chaos" this week. The Lord is with us and among us. I can only say this is a gift from God and an answer to prayer! Praise Him! Thank you for all the prayers! Hugs a smiley and ever so happy Jennifer How did Jennifer choose her screename?... "Easily explained: Mom of G.rant R.iley E.mma W.illiam = momofgrew"