Trusting God as My Defender

Believe it or not, the cardinal sightings for us continue. Last week I received more to the puzzle, something that has been staring at me most of the year, yet I failed to recognize His message for me.

I was in a meeting confessing my double mindedness. I preach a message of surrender and yet for most of this year have held on to anger and mistrust towards God because financially, things did not work out the way I thought things would this year. At all. Instead of praising Him, I turned my back and actually made the situation worse through denial, spending anyway, and just pure rebellion.

As I confessed and repented, the ladies looked at me and smiled. One of them, who also has been seeing cardinals and having them dive bomb her, related her cardinal revelation with me by saying,

"Just how many times do you need to see a cardinal before you realize God is asking you to trust Him as your defender?"

It was so simple and dead on it was hysterical. As we googled cardinal earlier in the year, we learned the male cardinal is a defender and if I saw a male cardinal trying to get my attention once, it happened a dozen times. He dive bombed me at least three times.

And yet my anger and rebellion continued.

All the way home I kept praying the words, "Your banner over me is love and I want to trust You as my defender."

It's a process for me, I know this won't be an overnight change unless God deems it.

But I'm aware now.

He is my defender, and yours. And I really want to trust Him that way.

Do you?

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she also blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. One of the books will be a quote in Kathy Vick's Simon and Schuster/Howard's gift book, "Run Like a Girl."You can also find Julie the third Wednesday of each month over at Take Root and Write with her column, Finding Freedom through Surrender. She facilitates a group by the same name at the sister social networking site, Christian Women Take Root.

You Are So Beautiful!

"You are so beautiful to me, can't you see?"

These are the words that my uncle used to sing in the car when I was a child. They were the words to his favorite song, "You are so beautiful to me, can't you see?" I can hear them like it was yesterday.

Beautiful . . . the dictionary defines beautiful as "having qualities that give great pleasure or satisfaction to see, hear, think about, etc.; delighting the senses or mind." Beautiful, that is how God sees us. So much that He sent His one and only son to die on a cross for us. Beautiful . . . He takes great pleasure in His creation.

So . . . why is it that the words I heard from women this week were . . . 'I had to go get my license picture this week and I look like such an old hag! Or 'I'm eating french fries for lunch, I'm such a hog!' Or 'Why can't I have those beautiful legs and hair like the woman leading the aerobics class!' If the Lord sees us as beautiful, made in His own image, and we believe what He says then what are we doing to ourselves . . . and Him? (Please do not run out of the gate, I am talking to myself too.)

Beautiful . . . that is how He sees us. You and me, your neighbor next door, your child's teacher, your fellow co-worker, your children, your spouse, and even those people you may not be fond of. He delights in us and He wants us to stop and listen. You may even hear Him singing, "You are so beautiful to me, can't you see?"

Let Him love you today, Kim

My Hope and My Heart

With everything in the news about the economy and the election, I was blown away by this video I received. At The Surrendered Scribe I try to summarize the election each week and this video speaks my heart. These are the important things. With the economy, the war, and so many things at stake to cause anxiety, my hope is in the Lord.

Please take a couple minutes and watch this video. It is powerful.




Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she also blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. One of the books will be a quote in Kathy Vick's Simon and Schuster/Howard's gift book, "Run Like a Girl."You can also find Julie the third Thursday of each month over at Take Root and Write with her column, Finding Freedom through Surrender. She facilates a group by the same name at the sister social networking site, Christian Women Take Root.

Trust Him

I have been learning a thing or two about trust these days. Once complete surrender has taken place, you automatically come to this place of trust that feels unlike anything else.
When you’re in the waiting---listening for His voice, looking everywhere for a glimpse of His face, seeking His touch on your life—it is very challenging to trust.

What I’ve learned the most this week is that in the midst of our waiting---He is there. But most of the time we don’t hear Him-- because we are too caught up in what we think the plan for our life should be.
We think we have it all taken care of, and He needs to give us some signal so that we’ll know He’ s on the same page as us!!!
‘Lean not to your own understanding”…..
We have been so accustomed to doing things in our own strength, that He’s just supposed to climb on board our thought life.
What we’re missing is that we must forget about our own thoughts and ideas and climb on board His grace boat--There we ride the waves of his love and peace, and trust naturally comes while we’re on the journey.
Once we get to the place of pure trust—wherever the boat docks—we must obey. Even if it is a place that we are unfamiliar with, or the destination doesn’t really fit the description we had in mind!

Receive His grace.
His promises are true.
Take His journey.

Surrender.
Trust.
Obey.

He really is who He says He is.


Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy.Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program.

Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. She is also a contributing author at www.mommiesmagazine.com.

Maria's first published work is in Jan Ross and Jeanice McDade's Women of Passion's anthology, "Ordinary Women Serving an Extraordinary God". Both Kim and Maria have been selected to have their work tentatively included in Lori Wagner,s upcoming book, Quilting Patches of Life, Volume 2.

Maria is very passionate about getting the word out to special parents that they are not alone in their journey of raising their special child; and that they were chosen by God to parent their children. Maria welcomes comments and communication as well as invitations for her to speak to your group.

Feathers and Bombs

A couple years ago I was part of a team that was getting hit hard with "stuff." One person in particular was hit very hard and I had, with others, the burden to intercede. As things worsened, God showed me this vision:

As a group of us here and there prayed, we were tossing feathers the defeated one's way. He, however, was very specific and coordinated and like a "smart bomb", his throws were right on target.

That vision showed me that an united front is needed when it comes to big time prayer. As a writer, even in the smallest sense, I have a team cover me. Behind the scenes, there is a group of us getting together to pray for Kim and the team heading to Romania in less than a month. I don't want to launch feathers for the Lord to Romania. I want these ladies covered in provision, health, travel, connections, itinerary, families back home, opportunities to be intentional, and the miraculous. I want to see targeted smart throws cover them before, after, and during their trip. I want this for every intercessory effort He calls me to.

When you get serious, don't expect the defeated one to jump for joy. If Christ is in you, the defeated one hates you and he hates when you get serious for the Lord. It's not the time to shrink back with a water gun shouting, "stop it satan!" It's time to get the faithfilled AK 47 of intercession out and decree, "In the name of Jesus, you are defeated. You have no business here. So get packing!"

I'll admit, Kim and her team have their struggles as they prepare, and I too am sensing as I agree with them, I'm getting hit with a lot of things that are discouraging at best. I'm afraid on a good day, and in dire pain on a bad.

But I am not holding feathers.

Are you?


Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she also blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. One of the books will be a quote in Kathy Vick's Simon and Schuster/Howard's gift book, "Run Like a Girl."You can also find Julie the third Thursday of each month over at Take Root and Write with her column, Finding Freedom through Surrender. She facilates a group by the same name at the sister social networking site, Christian Women Take Root.

Curl Up In His Lap

My six year old isn’t one to sit still anymore.
Even though her muscles are not like mine and yours, she never stays still.
I used to be able to hold her for hours on end.
Now I’m grateful if I get a minute or two while I read her a book.

But last week, in the hustle and bustle of the morning routine, she came and curled up on my lap.
For no reason at all.
And she stayed there much longer than I ever dreamed she would.
I was so very happy that my once little baby girl, was actually taking the time to rest in the comfort of my arms.
I just was basking in the moment of feeling her tiny body on mine—and I was so very conscious of the moment.
She wasn’t hurt or ill, she just wanted to be in her Mommy’s arms--
And I didn’t want it to end.
I wished and prayed at that moment that she would come curl up on my lap more often. So I could love on her only as a parent can.

And then it hit me.
That’s exactly how our Heavenly Father wishes us to come to Him.
Pure and without an agenda like a child.
Just for Him.
Just because we want to be in the comfort of His arms.
He craves our attention and dependence on Him.
Not just when we are hurting or burdened—but always.
He wants us to come just as we are—
Even in the midst of our crazy days—
He wants us to curl up on His lap….

And He doesn’t want it to end.




Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy.Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program.

Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. She is also a contributing author at www.mommiesmagazine.com.

Maria's first published work is in Jan Ross and Jeanice McDade's Women of Passion's anthology, "Ordinary Women Serving an Extraordinary God". Both Kim and Maria have been selected to have their work tentatively included in Lori Wagner,s upcoming book, Quilting Patches of Life, Volume 2.

Maria is very passionate about getting the word out to special parents that they are not alone in their journey of raising their special child; and that they were chosen by God to parent their children. Maria welcomes comments and communication as well as invitations for her to speak to your group.

The Narrow Gate Still Holds

Just a note to let you know that Kim, Maria and I all live within seven miles or less of each other. Last night 75 mph winds went through our area. I know a tree blocked a major way into the way to their lovely town, and I know my neighborhood looks like a war zone. I think Kim and Maria have electricity, but I am at our Y using the Wi Fi really quick as we need internet for homework, too!

So we were whipped around a bit, but God is still in control. For our family, our house has no damage. We have ice, water, and the only thing in crisis mode is a new bucket of ice cream. We absolutely realize we are inconvenienced at worst.

But we might be off schedule, so we appreciate your understanding.

Our prayers for Texas.

---The Narrow Gate Girls

Counting Down

The countdown has begun . . . I leave for Romania in one month. A friend asked "Do you still have some room in your suitcase for supplies?" My reply, "So far I only have $265 in donations and a bag of thermometers, yes there is plenty of room."

One month away and each day as I open the empty mailbox it is as though I can hear a voice saying, "Do you trust me?"

Honestly my response is, "Yes I do."

Eighteen years ago the Lord laid a country and His hurting people on my heart. For years I prayed for Him to 'use' me to bring hope and change to the face of abuse and abandonment. And for years I was frustrated and puzzled as to why the doors did not open. And now here I stand, covered in His grace and love ready for all He has in store. Looking back . . . I was not ready. I believed in God and Jesus but I was not in a personal relationship with them. I had areas in my own personal life that needed healed and restored before I could help bring healing and restoration to other hurting people. I also had to learn about who God really was, why He sent His one and only son, and what being a 'follower of the way' was really about. I needed to open my mind and heart, accepting his love and forgiveness . . . forgiveness . . . especially learning how to love and forgive myself. As one wise mentor said, "When we do not accept His forgiveness and keep going back to our sin it is like saying His dying on the cross was not good enough."

( heartlight.org)

So today when I think about all He has done in my life, how He has equipped and prepared me for such a time as this, I can look at that empty mailbox and respond, "Yes I trust Him! And to this I shout, "Amen!"

Keep us in your prayers, Kim

The 24 Hour Difference

Image from Classroom Clipart

You can also find this post at The Surrendered Scribe

As you know, I'm originally from Upstate NY and that's where I was on September 11. That day is so seared in memory that I don't even need to tell you the year, you know. You remember exactly what you were doing that day.

I lived far enough away from NYC (in fact in OH I'm the same distance away pretty much) that the terror of that day affected me like most of the world. Shock, grief, sadness, the gamut of emotions associated with loss. Yet because I was far enough away, I did not lose any family members or loved ones as thousands did.

The day changed me though, I bet it did you too. How many of you refer to September 10? Do you remember what you were doing that day? I know I don't. I remember after the 11th thinking about how I had been in the Big Apple two weeks before. I didn't give a thought about my safety then. Now anytime I see a plane in the sky I pray for their safety. What a difference a day makes.

I know of one family that changed their lives because of the 11th. They didn't want to keep taking life as they did on September 10. They realized life is short and you are not promised the next day, yet boy, do we take it for granted.

I'm a deep thinker, maybe too deep I suppose, but I wondered and still do about choices. How many people on September 10 started a rebellious relationship? Ended one? Found out they were pregnant? Ended a pregnancy? Forgave someone? Held a grudge? Started over? Kept the same routine thinking, I'll change tomorrow? Had another drink, or went to another casino when bills were due and family was concerned? How many on September 10 said I'm starting this--or---I'm ending it?

I pray, truly pray there is not another day ever like September 11 for any country. I often think of Israel where that thought is daily for them. They lived with strict travel and military a lot longer than we ever have because they had to. But again, we are not promised a second. Is there anything today that if you knew tomorow would change everything for everyone, you'd do different?

I'm just asking, you don't have to answer.

If you have questions though, my hope is like that family that switched things around in their lives after the 11th, that you seek a Bible believing and reading church, a clergyperson with the same foundation as that, grounded in Christ. Maybe a Bible study, many YMCA's are treating the "C" in YMCA as it was always intended, about Christ. If you want to take a private step for now, I always encourage people to get a Bible they are comfortable with (I suggest NIV only because I truly can not grasp formal language like King James and was intimidated by it as a seeking person) and read the book of John. Take a chapter a day and each day for a month, ask God to show Himself to be real (oh, He will, I promise) and to give you the tools to make whatever changes you feel are necessary.

Wake up September 12, Lord willing, with no regrets.

And let's not forget the people who gave all so we could have another chance at another day.

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she also blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. One of the books will be a quote in Kathy Vick's Simon and Schuster/Howard's gift book, "Run Like a Girl."You can also find Julie the third Thursday of each month over at Take Root and Write with her column, Finding Freedom through Surrender. She facilates a group by the same name at the sister social networking site, Christian Women Take Root.

Follow Us!

We admit we're not the most techno savvy bloggers out there, but we try the best we can.

Blogger has a new widget, or thingie, whatever you call it, that let's you click on our sidebar, the right part of our blog, and follow us.

If you like reading the Narrow Gate Invites, we invite you to follow us.

We really appreciate you reading!

---Kim, Maria and Julie

Breaking Free

What I love about blogging different places throughout cyberspace is each place gives me a different voice, but they all are a part of me. I enjoy being humorous at Take Root and Write or the Surrendered Scribe, and it's encouraging when I can share my mom/reader/writer heart over at the Christian Writers Forum blog. Here, I tend to be the deep thinker, which definitely is a big part of who I am. When you add it all together, I'm quite the diverse package. The common thread, I hope, is that I'm always authentic.

Sunday I participated in a meme about 8 Random Things. I blended the silly with the serious, and I received a lot of feedback on my last random thing. I have a feeling I hit a chord of sorts, and I'll share it here. I'll end the post by sharing the Psalm I read the same day. Amazing how God works. It's like He knows what I'm feeling and what I need! (I'm grinning with sarcasm).

Here is the last random thing:

I finally verbalized even though it's been deep in my spirit for
months that I don't trust God (now, this time) because every time I do,
something goes horribly wrong with our health and/or insurance. This year, it
took til the first week of January for us to have a child ER visit AND to learn
that our insurance was so screwed up they had to give us all new insurance with
a retroactive start date. However it was all new in how it worked, so to pay the
co pays, it was taken off our med card that we could not adjust after we agreed
on the amount. We even added extra to cover surprises. We paid for braces and
had the extra, until the new insurance. We have been paying out of pocket since
June. I realize many people have no insurance at all and I grieve over that. Yet
I'm sharing a random thing you need to know. Would you pray for me to trust God
once and for all?

It was hard as "The Surrendered Scribe" to not only admit I don't trust God, but get specific about why. My husband is very good about pointing out the 99 things going right in our lives. Me? I zoom in on that one thing that went far out of my comfort zone. I honestly believe the health issues I deal with are a direct result from working myself crazy a couple years ago taking care of our daughter and the insurance battles. To realize right off the bat in 2008 that we needed not only completely new insurance, but the same name as the insurance we battled with, I closed my spirit big time. With the work fund for co pays tapped out, and then in June our med card tapped out, and still have out of pocket expenses to pay because the deductible isn't met, well I haven't handled this with joy and thanksgiving. Not even close.

What I keep stewing about is that we even put extra last fall on the med card for the unexpected. We knew we were paying for braces, we knew some of our medicines and appointments. But the new insurance and the way it did things with the deductible, we had no idea last fall. God did, but all this year, it hasn't been good enough for me.

To admit that in that random thing freed me and I can picture God pumping His fist saying, yes! Finally! The enemy is losing his grip on me because I'm finally speaking the truth instead of stewing. Things are not as bad as a couple years back, and that ended in such a miraculous fashion. We know now what to do next year. It will work out.

But my real name needs to be the surrendering scribe because I haven't mastered anything on my journey with the Lord. Yet He's so gracious and good. I've been reading the Bible online with the year program in a new to me translation (link to that is on the right of this blog) and here was my reading for Sunday out of Psalm 77.

1.
I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me.
2.
When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands and my soul refused to be comforted.
3.
I remembered you, O God, and I groaned; I mused, and my spirit grew faint. "Selah"
4.
You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak.
5.
I thought about the former days, the years of long ago;
6.
I remembered my songs in the night. My heart mused and my spirit inquired:
7.
"Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again?
8.
Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time?
9.
Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?" "Selah"
10.
Then I thought, "To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High."
11.
I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12.
I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.
13.
Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God?
14.
You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.
15.
With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. "Selah"
16.
The waters saw you, O God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed.
17.
The clouds poured down water, the skies resounded with thunder; your arrows flashed back and forth.
18.
Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked.
19.
Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen.
20.
You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

I love it. Just like me, the Psalm starts out melancholy and ends with hope.

I pray His message encourages you today, too.

Surrender To Your Hero

"My Hero" by Michele E. Struss. Please visit her site for her story and amazing work, available for purchase

For a few years now, I have been convincing myself that I have surrendered many things in my life to the Lord. It sounded good, so I’ve said it over and over again. But it wasn’t until recently that I truly learned what it meant—and honestly did it.

My daughter is a person with hemiplegic cerebral palsy---the muscles on the left side of her body are tight, as a result of a brain injury from an infection when she was an infant. She is six years old now, and she does extremely well. She wears braces on her legs for support and balance, and she has an incredible, independent spirit.
She started Kindergarten this week—at a “big school” with lots and lots of steps. She is very capable of climbing steps, she just does it at her own pace—and since steps are part of the world, my husband and I wanted her to go to her home school with her big brother.

So she did.

A few months ago I made the conscious decision to lay all my thoughts and fears regarding this transition to the Lord. We needed someone at the school to be around her during the most crucial times of her school day, to keep her safe. I laid this all at His feet, and said, “I know you will send the perfect person to our school for this position, someone with a heart that will see and feel what my daughter needs.”

And He did.

The bus was also a concern of mine, and once again, I submitted everything to Him, and said, “I know you will send us a bus driver with a compassionate heart, and will ensure her safety as she climbs the big steps on and off the bus.”

And He did.

I have been holding on to her for so long, that I knew it was time. He has been petitioning me to trust Him for her safety and her progress, and I think He is very proud of me this week.

He has shown me that He has been holding on to her all her life. He is the one that catches her when she falls, He is the one watching over her and keeping her safe.

The painting shown above is very near and dear to my heart. The artist is an amazing woman that is a person with a disability, also. If you look closely, you will see that the little girl in the picture has fallen, and her crutches that she uses to walk are lying by her side.

This painting, “My Hero” is the epitome of my surrender.

He is watching over my daughter, and all children with disabilities and helping them up when they fall.

He is in control of it all. He chose special parents to parent children with disabilities—we need to trust that He is guiding us with each and every decision we have to make.

He is our hero.

He is the father of all of us, and He wants us to depend on Him for each and every thought, decision, and action.

And He is rejoicing with joy when we surrender it all to Him.


My prayer is that these words will resound in your spirit today and take root.

What are you holding on to?

He’s your hero, too— He is watching over you, and will help you up each time you fall.

Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy.Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program.

Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. She is also a contributing author at www.mommiesmagazine.com.

Maria's first published work is in Jan Ross and Jeanice McDade's Women of Passion's anthology, "Ordinary Women Serving an Extraordinary God". Both Kim and Maria have been selected to have their work tentatively included in Lori Wagner,s upcoming book, Quilting Patches of Life, Volume 2.

Maria is very passionate about getting the word out to special parents that they are not alone in their journey of raising their special child; and that they were chosen by God to parent their children. Maria welcomes comments and communication as well as invitations for her to speak to your group.

The Grocery Doors

I wish I could take credit for the word picture I'm about to give you to think about, but the original story comes from Joy Chickonoski, and sharing it with you is confirmation of a prayer time I had last month. When I was prayed for the person shared that I am a scribe (true) and that I absorb what I see, say and learn so that I can share it with others. Well I remember this story, and it's a perfect fit for what my child went through earlier this week.

Typically our oldest gets home at 3:15. Yesterday, the first day of school, 3:15 came and no child. At 3:25, my phone rang. It was him and he missed the bus. No problem, we live close by and I got him.

When we got home though, he fell apart. He was scared enough that he couldn't remember our phone number and that threw him into a panic. He thought he was in trouble. Once he was safely home he realized he had to go through the same process again. Maybe the bus situation would work out, maybe not.

With that, the whispers started. I bet you know them too.

"You're going to have a bad day."

"You'll never figure this out."

"You're going to fail."

"You have no business doing this."

By dusk, he was doubled over with stomach cramps and a headache. Fear had a vise grip on him. We went for a walk and together we prayed the fear would be sent packing in Jesus' name. Taking a step further, I felt God asking me to pray that the generational curse of fear over our family would be destroyed in Jesus' name.

For us, this means I can trace back to my life, one of my parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and other family members from both sides who carried/carry fear in their choices. My own example was as a child was I was so scared of art that I would hardly sleep the night before. When my alarm clock would sing, I judged whether the art day would go well on how fast I could get the numbers back to zero. I was desperate for reassurance and full of fear.

I boldly stand under His authority and claim the fear cycle stops yesterday.

But just because the fear was renounced, does everything magically disappear? Not in my case, and so far, not in our son's. We have to choose to believe faith is the victor. We can't choose both fear and faith. But when you're ten and you aren't sure the bus is going to be there for you, what do you do?

Well here is where we need to visualize the grocery doors. You know the automatic doors that nter as soon as you step on the mat? Well that's faith. Do you ever worry about those grocery doors opening? Probably not. You believe they will open and they do.

So it is with life with Christ at the helm. You can't see what comes around the corner, but you have to trust He is there. You have to trust He's in control of that bus coming, that diagnosis being under His care, those finances provided for, whatever it is, He's that grocery door.

How about you? Are you still listening to those nasty whispers and believing the lies? Are you approaching your faith like automatic grocery doors or Fort Knox?

It's a choice.

Just so you know, as hard as I prayed for him, 3:30 came today and went with no child. No call either. My heart knew he was on the bus or I would have a call. My stomach cranked out the waves of panic rising. I literally had to picture open grocery doors and speak truth as I encouraged my son to do. I did call the bus garage to make sure at 3:45 all was well, and I learned the driver didn't see him in the back and missed him on the route and left him for last. He came home happy and stress free. I chose faith, eventually, so I'm learning right with you!

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she also blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. One of the books will be a quote in Kathy Vick's Simon and Schuster/Howard's gift book, "Run Like a Girl."You can also find Julie the third Thursday of each month over at Take Root and Write with her column, Finding Freedom through Surrender. She facilates a group by the same name at the sister social networking site, Christian Women Take Root.

Happy Anniversary and Congratulations

Kim's right, we're over the 100 mark AND we are very close to over 1000 visits. Okay, 800 are probably from me trying to figure things out, but still, I'm excited. God is good.

They are modest so I'll add congrats to this post too.

Although there still needs to be a signed release and final edits, tentatively Kim and Maria will both have selections included in Lori Wagner's Quilting Patches of Life, Vol. 2. In fact, the designer of this blog, Dustin-Lee Casey, is also listed as a contest winner. Congrats also to LauraLee Shaw, a friend and faithful reader here.

Things at our house are still a battle between choosing fear or faith, I think this afternoon will reveal the Victor in all this, the One we've been clinging too all along. I'll blog on that tomorrow.

Congrats again Kim and Maria!

Happy Anniversary

Today I opened our blog dashboard and learned that we have posted 100 posts. Wow guys and gals! Thank you for reading!!!

I still remember when Julie approached Maria and I about writing a blog and I thought to myself, "Hmmm . . . sounds interesting, however I do not even know what a blog is." And here we are! So today I encourage you to dig out that forgotten or misplaced idea, brush it off, send up a prayer, and give it a try. When we do the possible God will do the impossible. Amen

Have a blessed day, Kim

PS) I am already anticipating a great blog from Julie on Thursday. I know God is good!

Enough

All day I've tried to get here and it really isn't working out. Beyond the first day of school, the Lord is asking me to share His truth with one person today, and that one lives under this roof. I believe a breakthrough over fear is in the works, and I plan to share my part of the story come Thursday. Because his story has been my story for so long, and today is the day we said in Jesus' name, enough.

If you feel that way too, please come back Thursday!

Thanks for understanding.

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she also blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. One of the books will be a quote in Kathy Vick's Simon and Schuster/Howard's gift book, "Run Like a Girl."You can also find Julie the third Thursday of each month over at Take Root and Write with her column, Finding Freedom through Surrender. She facilates a group by the same name at the sister social networking site, Christian Women Take Root.