I will pray for you...later

Now this is about a very terrible habit I used to have. I would tell someone, "Oh, I will pray for you" and then forget to actually DO IT. Even in my own life circumstances, I would say "I will pray about it or, we should pray about this or that" and again, forget to actually do it.

I think this makes the Devil's day. He doesn't care what we promise to do, it's what we ACTUALLY do that is either serves God or serves him.

So in the last few years, I've learned to pay attention to the gentle nudging of the Holy Spirit's prompting. I was having a conversation with my mom and once again saying my line of "we should pray about it" with no intention of praying at THAT moment. But that's exactly what I felt in my heart, as clear the morning after a rain...PRAY NOW. I was almost startled at the thought. Then I said to my mom, "why don't we pray now?" and she paused for a minute, and said "Okay, yes, let's pray now!" There is something amazing about praying in that very moment too, try it and see!

So ever since that experience a few years ago, I've disciplined my lazy self to DO what I say, right then and there, rather than waiting for the "perfect time to actually do it." We will not know, this side of heaven, how important timing and prayer truly are.

I also noticed something else about Jesus' prayer life. That He not only prayed for people in the moment He was with them, but He set aside time to talk to His Father in Heaven.

Mark 1:35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

Luke 6:12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.

Luke 5:16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

We can do this too, anything that Jesus did, we can be sure that doing it too will be a benefit and blessing to us! Get alone where the distractions of the world can't compete for your interest, and pray to God. For me, at this point of life with two little ones to care for, it's in the car driving and the shower. But you find your best "alone" time and make it happen.

I encourage you to not only say you will pray when someone needs it, but to do it then and there, even with them, because of Matthew 18:22 "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." How cool is that? God is there with you when you pray together! I loooove that. Of course there will be times you actually cannot pray at that moment, but be sure to follow through and pray as you have promised. If I can learn to keep my word, anyone can!

And second, make time for you and God. It will become one of your most cherished times, those that you have spent in the presence of God with your mind focused on Him and able to finally hear that "still, small voice" that same one that spoke to Elijah ( 1 Kings 19:13).

God bless your socks off! Right now and far into the coming new year!

And that's your daily diamond! Huge love, Tiffany

Top 5 Books for your Littles

Sometimes it's nice to get a few recommendations, I always like recommendations, so here are a few of my all time favorites. Book hunting can be daunting, since there are millions and billions of books. Some are terrible, some are just ok, and there are a few shining stars...the last category is what I will share...in our humble opinion of course.

We will start with our #5 and work our way down to the #1...our all time favorite! Although I reserve the title of BEST BOOK EVER for the BIBLE--hands down, the winner!

5. Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd- a fun little book and helps to set the "sleepy-time" stage.

4. If you give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond-a cute little book about a mouse that will need a lot more than just a cookie.

3. Snow Lion by David M. McPhail- a book my sister and I loved a kids, about a lion who keeps trying to take some snow back to the desert until he learns the difference of hot things and cold things. It's adorably written.

2. Jesus Loves Me by Tim Warnes- About a little bear cub and his parents who do all sorts of things while explaining that Jesus loves him all the day long and all the night long. It's so sweet and adorably illustrated!

1. Jamberry by Bruce Degen- my all time favorite children's book about a bear and a boy that do all sorts of adventures while singing, dancing and eating all sorts of berries! It's a fun book to read because it rhymes, I love rhymes! And the author is the illustrator and it's just as sweet in word as it is in picture.

I hope you enjoy these books as much as our family has and perhaps, they even become part of your personal library.

Happy Reading!!!

Huge love, from one big book worm, with glasses...

Tiffany

The WORST "holiday" EVER

And it's just around the corner, yes, I'm referring to Halloween. I know what you are probably thinking, "it's just fun, candy and dressing up--what harm is in that?"
Well, lets take an honest and Biblical look at it. The typical "decorations" for instance:

Witches
Ghosts
Dead People
Demons
Graves
Goblins
Blood
Vampires

How nice. All of the things that give warm and kind feelings.

Not at all. All of those things reek of hell.

Walk down the Halloween aisle at any store and you'll come face to face with the gruesome display and celebration of DEATH. Am I being too harsh? No, it IS HARSH.

Halloween is: dressed up, candy-coated death. The masses are drawn to it, satan has a peculiar way of using dark things to ignite a desire to "want" to be scared. It's a masterful and complex seduction, but then again, satan has had thousands of years to perfect it. He is so good at it, that most people can't even tell it's evil, they only see the "entertainment" of it all.

You say "oh it's just candy and costumes" Satan, also referred to as the "thief" in John 10:10 reads
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy..." That's his whole modus operandi (mode of operation).

Here's a good rule of thumb, "if the Devil likes it, I don't."

Have you ever received a warning from your veterinarian to keep your small animals, specifically black cats, indoors on Halloween? Why? Because these animals are sacrificed as part of Halloween traditions. If you go beyond that, there are even more evil sacrifices, I have a hard time even typing it-- babies sacrificed as well as children. Sexual abuses against children and women are also part of their rituals done on this day.

Think I'm making this up? Go buy the Halloween documentary which gives the testimony of an adult child of a satanist who witnessed human sacrifice and was also sexually abused during these yearly rituals.
(Jeremiah Films: http://www.jeremiahfilms.com/store/halloween/halloween-trick-or-treat.html)

It's absolutely stomach turning to know the truth of Halloween and what is happening--I will never be able to see this horrifying "holiday" as "fun" while I know the root of it and the atrocities that are happening in places that don't get "trick or treaters" but instead are shedding the blood of the innocent all in the name of the Devil and his day.

I ALMOST can't believe there isn't public outrage at this ALMOST, but I know WHY there isn't. Because most people are deceived, and why? Because satan is a great deceiver, he works hard to be sure that people don't know the truth. That's why you have church's with "Fall Festivals" otherwise known as Halloween celebrations, just at a church rather than a haunted house. That's why people insist on dressing up and participating because it's so "fun" and they are more committed to their "fun" and personal tradition, "I've been celebrating Halloween all my life" excuse and "oh, we don't do any of THAT, we just dress up as "nice" things and the one excuse the really irks me, "what else will we do?"ANYTHING, just like any other day of the year.  As Christians, we should have NOTHING to do with the celebration of this day. We are called to be righteous and set apart. To be in the world but not of it-- meaning don't do as the world does. 

The Bible warns us, 1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
In my view, if you are a Christian, you should have nothing to do with anything that even resembles participation in Halloween rituals: dressing up, trick or treating, decorating your house with "death," carving pumpkins.

Especially concerning should be the children. Exposing your child to this evil and tradition carries consequences that you may not see in your own life, but could be manifested in the child's life. Perhaps an fascination with witchcraft is begun and your child becomes entangled in the powers of darkness--which they may never make their way out.

Also note, that Halloween is the ONLY holiday that offers "safety tips" for participating in. 

Remember that Satan is the king of SUBTLE, right now he'll be whispering in your ear "YOU don't sacrifice animals, you just have "fun" dressing up and eating candy as you have since you were a child--nothing bad ever happened, see? And your church celebrates it, see? It's fine, never come back and read her blog again. She's no fun."

Who will you choose? The lies of satan perhaps? After all, he only wants to kill you softly, sweetly and before you even realize what he has done.

As Christians, we have a responsibility to make sure that our choices don't hinder or become a stumbling block to some who might be more easily enticed into darkness.

1 Corinthians 8:9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.

What I encourage you to do right now, stop and pray.  Ask God's directly for His will for your life, and for His wisdom in raising your children and for what would be pleasing in His sight for you to do on Halloween.

I suggest looking up the testimony of Carol Kornacki, who is a former witch and now is an amazing Christian woman who teaches and speaks specifically on the dangers of Halloween.
www.carolkornacki.org

Please know that I'm praying for all who read this, that the Truth of God is revealed and hearts are made tender so that they will be able to detect the harm that is very real and very evident at this "holiday" we call Halloween.

Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Let this be your measurement, on what you allow into your life, home and to become tradition.

Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things"

PS: Be nice to your pumpkins, don't jab into them with knives and fire, but rather keep those adorable little rounded poofs as examples of the first fruits of the Fall harvest. I have pumpkins, gourds and fall leaves decorating my house...it's the kinder way to celebrate! I LOVE FALL!

Huge love,

Tiffany

Have you ever been mad at what someone DIDN'T do?

I know you might be thinking I'm nuts...but just stay with me for a minute. Have you ever been mad at someone for not say, opening a door for you while you were obviously struggling with your arms full? Or what about when you are sick and the people you expect to be there don't show up? Or maybe you expected someone to come to your defense, but instead they stayed silent? Perhaps a big event happened in your life and the person you care about most didn't do anything to celebrate it with you? What about the person who didn't move over when you were trying to merge onto the freeway?

Oh the possibilities are endless for us to be offended, hurt and even mad at what others DON'T DO. So what DO we do? The first step is recognizing that our expectations of others won't ALWAYS be met. That's just life. Humans are error prone-- even the ones we love the most--they will mess up too, forget our birthday or fail in some other capacity.

We basically need to let others and our loved ones off the hook of "You shoulda, coulda, woulda and now I'm angry," Because it's BEST for US and our relationships. Remember that Satan comes to destroy our relationships too.

John 10:10 The thief (Satan) comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

If we allow ourselves to become offended and mad at these things, then it opens the door for Satan to get a foot hold on us and eventually, if unchecked, our relationship with that person will be so destroyed that it will be lost all together. Satan has won and we lose.

This is the best antidote to offense...

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails..."

Read it again. And again. Oh and maybe once more! Ha ha ha. We can never get enough of what LOVE is, I can't anyway.

 I suggest trying to memorize it, to hide it in your heart, so that the Holy Spirit can bring it easily to your mind when you need to be reminded of it. That's why it's beneficial to us to memorize scripture--it's the antidote to the poison of Satan and our own wretched ways.

Now I'm not guaranteeing that people won't ever fail you again, but instead sharing the tool (Scriptures) that have helped me the most with being offended. As you can probably tell, I used to struggle with being offended like ONE MILLION times a day by people I didn't even know, to my own hubby. And trust me, you never get anything good out of being offended all the doodle-a-la-day. Instead, exclaim loudly, "I'm NOT easily offended." And smile your biggest, most care-free smile you can dream up. The tricky part is meaning it. But keep 1 Corinthians 13 handy and you will be able to be sincere in no time!

I'm praying God will give you more of His grace, His love and His eyes to see others and that His truth sinks deep in your heart and begins to heal any old offenses that have caused you hurt or harm.

Huge love to you friend!

Tiffany

How to say no to sex (for teens)

Okay, so we're talking about sex when you are teen and not married of course. Always, best place to begin is with what God says--the BIBLE, after all, sex was His idea in the first place.

1 Corinthians 6:18 Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.

God gives us instruction and laws to obey, not because He is mean, but because He wants the best for us. Sex outside of marriage is harmful to us and the other person involved.

When you are a teenager, it seems like it's what EVERYONE is doing. But the truth is that the wise are waiting for vows to be made, rings exchanged and their wedding night for that first experience of sex to begin.

REMEMBER: Sex out of marriage will hurt you more than it will ever feel good.

What can you do when you are pressured to have sex?

1). RUN. Physically get out of the situation. Like Joseph in the Bible, he ran out of His master's house when the master's wife wanted to have sex with him.
Make like Joe and GO! FAST!

2). Tell your boyfriend/girlfriend that if they really love you, they will wait. If they reverse it on you, "that if you love them, then you will" I suggest offering them the door and saying, find someone else to sleep with you and I'll find someone who will love me and my decision to wait.

3). Decide ahead of time. Make this as non-negotiable in your head (meaning it's not up for debate, arguing or being pressured) that you are not going to harm yourself or your boyfriend/girlfriend by having sex out of marriage. That's wisdom baby!

Sex out of marriage is dangerous, there are unseen injuries that are done that you might not realize are even hurting you. Statistically speaking, the more sexual partners you have the less likely your marriage will work. That's also why each marriage after your first marriage, has a higher and higher failure rate.

Think of your body like a piece of duct tape, the more you stick it to things, the less sticky it gets. It's best when stuck only once to something, that holds the most staying power. Why waste it on some turd in high school?

In all the emails I get, I've only received letters of heartbreak concerning those had sex and didn't wait.

Sex is like a fire. It's a beautiful and wonderful thing when it's keep in the safety of a fireplace (marriage), but if you put that same fire in the middle of the floor in your house, it will destroy beyond comprehension.

Sex throws out a million tiny little anchors into the other person, it's designed to do this. It's to be for life, to hold you together. But outside of marriage, it's will rip your very heart out of your body when you breakup with that person and you will FEEL that you are dying, the pain is that real. Sex is not a casual thing, the world will tell you that, but they are dead wrong. Sex is the most serious thing you can do with another person.

Well, what if you already did it? You can ask God to forgive you, to cleanse you from it and He will. He promises:

Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, let's settle this," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool."

The best advice I have is to be wise now, and wait until you are married to have sex. Even if you have already done it, you can stop and wait until you are married. You can have all the sex you want then, and studies show that women enjoy sex most when they are married and older than the teen years.

If a guy threatens to break up with you because you won't have sex with him, then he is not worth dating! If he REALLY loved you, he would respect your decision and not try to take what belongs to your future husband and you.

Remember that no boyfriend/girlfriend deserves ALL of you, they haven't made the covenant with you before God to have access to your heart, soul and mind.

Just say NO.

Your loving big sister, friend or cousin--however you would like to think of me. I share this stuff because I love you and don't want you hurt or to suffer.

Sex as a teen won't change your life into something amazing. You won't be prettier, taller, cooler or smarter. Just look at all the adults who are married and have had all the sex they wanted, they aren't any of those things because of having sex! Ha ha ha!

No matter what you have done, stop and wait for marriage before you give your whole self. You will be glad you did!


Huge hugs,
Tiffany

Remembering Alex Moore...and who he left behind.

I just wanted to share this with you, I'm a Westmont College alum, and I was reading the seasonal publication and I stopped at this announcement: Alex Moore, a young professor of Kinesiology (31 years old) died May 9, 2012 from complications following a surgery to treat his Crohn's disease.

As I read on, this further broke my heart, He was survived by his wife who was eight months pregnant with their first child. They were married in 2008. Kirsten Moore, gave birth to their little girl, Alexis Moore, the following month on June 29, 2012.

As I thought of Kirsten, who gave birth only a few weeks after me and Audrey...I just cried. My heart broke that she and her husband couldn't stare in awe together at their little miracle and that precious little one would not know her father's arms, eyes and voice...in this life. And that Kirsten would be facing the amazing and challenging job of parenting without the love and support of her husband.

I share this not to make you sad or somehow feel better about your life, but instead that you would be moved to pray continually for Kirsten and for little Alexis, that God's love, grace and and peace would be with them both and for His blessing to be upon them both, always.

If you would like to financially bless them, please send your blessing to:

Kirsten Moore Benefit
Attn: Brennan de Raad
2927 De la Vina Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93105

Make check payable to: Kirsten Moore Benefit

I hope you are moved to support Kirsten and Alexis in this unbelievably difficult time, both with cards of love and financial support. In this economy, losing the income of a spouse would be devastating financially--not to mention the emotional, mental and physical loss she is already undergoing.

If you don't know what to say to her, just write, "We are praying for you and love you both." But do it - pray, and mean it--love them. That's the best way to respond to someone grieving, just hug them and love them.

Huge love to you all, I hope you are all moved to action to care for the widows and orphans as God calls us--for such a time as this.

Your faithful servant and friend,

Tiffany

What to teach your littles about God

(My Littles)


As a fairly new mom, my oldest is only 3, I've been in a constant state of learning-as-we-go. But there is also another aspect to being a mother, which is TEACHING as you go as well! And just as you spend time teaching how to brush little teeth, go potty and clean up toys...we need to be teaching God's Word and principles.

Some of the first principles that we can teach to our little ones are:

1. Jesus love you
2. He is good
3. God is watching over you

How do I do this?
Well, I start out telling my little Sydney, "Do you know that Jesus loves you? And did you know that Jesus is good?" She is usually quiet as she listens.
And then I remind her that God is always with her and watching her, so she doesn't have to be scared. She usually replies with the sweetest, "okay, Mommy."

And that's it. Pretty simple and easy. But it is setting the the foundation of God's principles in her little heart.

We also pray before our meals, a simple prayer like, "Heavenly Father, thank you for this food and bless it to our bodies. Amen." Now she doesn't always WANT to say a prayer, so Hubby and I still pray, modeling the proper behavior even if she isn't too interested. I know that in her little mind, it was always hold the truth that Mommy and Daddy asked for God's blessing over our meals.

And one of the most important jobs of a parent speaking God's blessing over our children. Usually when I have one of my precious little ones in my arms, I speak God's blessing over them. Here's a simple prayer example, but feel free to dive into the Scriptures and find every good blessing and speak it over your child. There is no area too "small" not to pray over!

Our Father in Heaven, I ask you to bless this child with favor with You and with people, that he/she will know you at a young age and his/her heart will always be bent toward you. Please guide this child in the way of wisdom and lead her/him along straight paths (Proverbs 4:11). I ask that no weapon formed against her/him shall prosper, and that every tongue raised against them will be silenced (Isaiah 54:17). And that he/she will renew his/her mind by reading your Word, so that she/he would be able to test and approve what Your will is--Your good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2). And by the wounds of Jesus, we he/she will have healing (Isaiah 53:5). Father, that your Word be a lamp to her/his feet, and a light to her/his path (Psalm 119:105). I ask this in the name of Yeshua, the Name above every name. Amen.

Every day you have with the child God entrusted you to raise well, is a day you can teach and train them up in the way of the Lord. Everything they encounter in the world will attempt to pry them away from Truth, but the ground work you lay now will be the foundation to which they will return.

Proverbs 22:6
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

I'm praying for all of you who read this blog, if you are hoping to be a parent one day, are a new parent, an old one or even a grand one! Ha ha ha!
That the importance of your job is not lost, but instead highlighted. And that God gives you His wisdom and understanding to raise your children or grandchildren well--for this is the will of God.

In Him, By Him and For Him,

Tiffany