DEVOTIONAL – THE DUCK AND THE DEVIL

Hey Girls!

Hope you all are doing fine and that those of you who are still in school are surviving okay! Keturah has been extremely busy with college life, music lessons, and work besides her regular homework, etc. so she is having me update this for you all once again. Please take the chance to read this short lesson brought by a pastor from Miami, FL – it is really good to remember. God doesn’t want us to allow the devil to make slaves out of us. If we fall, let’s get up and go on – but like it says, remember that just because we are tempted, it does not mean that we have to give in to the temptation. May it encourage you all in your daily walk with Christ!!!

In Christ,

~Hannah

THE DUCK AND THE DEVIL

A LITTLE BOY was visiting his grandparents on their farm.

He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods.

He practiced in the woods; but he could never hit the target.

Getting a little discouraged, he headed back home for dinner. He was walking back when HE SAW GRANDMA’S PET DUCK. Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head and killed it.

HE WAS SHOCKED and grieved!

In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile, ONLY TO SEE HIS SISTER WATCHING! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.

After lunch the next day Grandma said, “Sally, let’s wash the dishes.”

But Sally said, “Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen.”

Then she whispered to him, “Remember the duck?“

So Johnny did the dishes.

LATER THAT DAY, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing.

But Grandma said, “I’m sorry but I need Sally to help make supper.”

Sally just smiled and said, “Well that’s all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help.”

She whispered again, “Remember the duck?“

So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.

AFTER SEVERAL DAYS of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally’s, he finally couldn’t stand it any longer.

He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck.

Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug and said,

“SWEETHEART, I KNOW. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing, but BECAUSE I LOVE YOU, I FORGAVE YOU. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally MAKE A SLAVE OF YOU.”

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

WHATEVER IS IN YOUR PAST, whatever you have done that the devil keeps throwing it up in your face . . . (lying, cheating, debt, fear, bad habits, hatred, anger, bitterness, etc.) . . .

WHATEVER IS IS, you need to know that God was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing.

He has seen your whole life.

He wants you to know that He loves you and that you are forgiven.

He’s just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you.

The great thing about God is that when you ask for Forgiveness, He not only forgives you, but He Forgets.

It is by God’s grace and mercy that we are saved.

ALWAYS REMEMBER: God is at the window! When Jesus died on the cross, he was thinking of you!

“Temptations, of course, cannot be avoided, but because we cannot prevent the birds from flying over our heads, there is no need that we should let them nest in our hair.”

-Martin Luther (1483-1546)

PRAY FOR THE ELECTION!

HELLO GIRLS!

WE WANTED TO REMIND YOU ALL that it’s not too early to start praying for the upcoming 2008 Presidential election – it is in almost exactly 2 months and we do not have the best of candidates running to be the leader of this whole country. Our country is a Christian nation that was founded on Bible principles, but it is being led away from God more and more. Let us pray that God will have HIS will and way in this election! Let’s pray that people might be convicted of their sins and turn once again to HIM! Let us pray that HE will have mercy on our country that it might be turned back to HIM! PRAY FOR THE ELECTION!

In Christ,

Hannah and Keturah

DEVOTIONAL – MOVING THE MOUNTAIN

I thought this story was really cute and had some good lessons in it. It is taken from my younger sister’s 3rd grade reader (published by Christian Light) for school. I hope it’s not too long for you all to read!

~Hannah

MOVING THE MOUNTAIN

“If ye have faith . . . ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.” ~ Matthew 21:21

TWENTY LITTLE GIRLS had finished supper in an orphanage in India.

NOW THEY SAT on the floor clustered around the missionary. Sister Frances always read from the Bible and prayed with them before bedtime.

“GIRLS, LISTEN to these words of Jesus: ‘Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not . . . YE SHALL SAY UNTO THIS MOUNTAIN, BE THOU REMOVED, AND BE THOU CAST INTO THE SEA; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.’”

MONA RAISED her hand.

“DOES THAT MEAN our mountain? If we tell it to be removed and cast into the sea, will God remove it like it says in that verse?”

ALL THE ORPHANS knew what Mona meant by “our” mountain.

THE ORPHANAGE WAS BUILT on the side of a mountain above the sea. “Our” mountain was really only a small peak on the top. But it rose so steeply west of the building that the sun disappeared behind it early in the afternoon. The orphanage lay in its cold shadow for hours before the day was actually over.

WARMTH FROM THE SUN all afternoon would mean so much to the orphanage. But there stood the mountain.

SISTER FRANCES looked at Mona.

“COULD GOD MOVE our mountain, Sister Frances?” asked the little girl again. “Isn’t that what Jesus said in that verse?”

“YES, THAT IS WHAT Jesus said, and God certainly can move our mountain,” the missionary assured her.

“WELL THEN, LET’S ALL PRAY that He will,” cried the girls. “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we had sunshine all day long?”

“INDEED IT WOULD,” agreed Sister Frances fervently. “But we do not know if it is God’s will for the mountain to be removed. We will ask Him to remove the mountain only if it is His will. Then we must be satisfied with what He decides.”

SO ALL THE GIRLS prayed and Sister Frances prayed.

“NOW IT IS bedtime, girls,” said the teacher.

THEN MONA SAID, “Wait. Jesus said we must TELL the mountain to be removed. Come, girls, we must tell it like it says in the verse.”

MONA WENT to the west window and opened it. The other girls clustered around her. Together they shouted out to the black wall of the mountain,

“BE THOU REMOVED, and be thou cast into the sea!”

THEN THEY CLOSED the window and went off to bed wondering if the mountain would be gone in the morning.

*         *         *         *         *         *         *         *

“SISTER FRANCES, THE MOUNTAIN IS STILL THERE,” announced the girls at breakfast the next morning.

“YES, I NOTICED,” replied the missionary with a smile. “Does the verse say how SOON God would remove the mountain?”

“NO, IT DOESN’T. We must not doubt, but keep on praying. We must keep on telling it to move until it does,” the girls decided.

“IF IT IS God’s will,” reminded Sister Frances.

“YES, IF IT is His will,” agreed all the girls.

*         *         *         *         *         *         *         *

THAT DAY, THE GIRLS decided to help answer their prayer.

THEY TOOK BUCKETS up the mountain and filled them with stones and dirt. Then they carried them down and emptied them over the high bank below the orphanage. They worked at this for about an hour and came in hot, dirty, and exhausted.

“SISTER FRANCES, all that work didn’t help a bit,” they reported. “God will have to remove the mountain ALL BY HIMSELF.”

SO THEY STOPPED trying to move the mountain. But they kept praying fervently every evening and morning.

AND EVERY NIGHT they clustered around the west window and called out to the mountain,

“BE THOU REMOVED, and be thou cast into the sea.”

THEN CAME THE EXCITEMENT of helping Sister Frances prepare to leave for a missionary conference at Bombay. She would be gone for almost a month. As they waved good-bye, they reminded her to keep praying about the mountain.

*         *         *         *         *         *         *         *

A FEW DAYS AFTER SHE LEFT, there came a knock on the door of the orphanage.

THE MAN WHO STOOD THERE said, “I have come from the British government. The sea has been washing away the land on the other side of the mountain. A lot of the shore has washed away. We would like your permission to level off the mountain behind your orphanage and use the rocks to fill in the land and build up the shoreline. Would you give us permission to do that?”

IT DID NOT TAKE LONG for permission to be given and the necessary papers signed.

IN A FEW DAYS bulldozers arrived. Then the delighted girls heard blasting, and the drone of huge trucks and earth-moving machines.

DAY AFTER DAY, LONG LINES of trucks inched down the mountain carrying away tons of rocks and earth. Little by little the top of the mountain disappeared.

MONA AND HER FRIENDS no longer prayed for the mountain to be removed, for they could see God answering their prayer every day. Now they just fervently thank Him over and over.

BUT IN THE EVENING after prayer time they could not resist opening the window and shouting,

“BE THOU REMOVED, and be thou cast into the sea!”

*         *         *         *         *         *         *         *

THEY COULD HARDLY WAIT until Sister Frances came back.

AT THE SAME TIME, they hoped she would not come before the mountain really was gone.

THE AFTERNOON SHE ARRIVED at the train station, they all went to meet her. After the glad greetings were over, Mona said, “We have a surprise, so you must be blindfolded until we reach home.”

OF COURSE, Sister Frances could not imagine what the surprise was.

AT THE ORPHANAGE they led her to the west window and removed the blindfold. Sister Frances blinked in astonishment in the warm sunshine.

“WHY – WHY – WHERE . . . THE MOUNTAIN!” she gasped. “It’s gone!”

THE GIRLS LAUGHED joyously. They clustered around her, all talking at once, trying to tell everything that had happened.

“WE TOLD THE MOUNTAIN to leave and be cast into the sea and that’s exactly what happened,” said one.

“AREN’T YOU GLAD it was God’s will?” said another.

“NOW WE GET the warm sunshine all afternoon,” said a third.

SISTER FRANCES was almost too astonished to say a word.

*         *         *         *         *         *         *         *

THAT EVENING at devotions, Mona asked, “Sister Frances, would you please read that verse again?”

SO THE MISSIONARY READ,

“VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, ‘If ye have faith, and doubt not . . . ye shall say unto this mountain, BE THOU REMOVED, AND BE THOU CAST INTO THE SEA; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”

THAT NIGHT no one talked to the mountain because it had truly been cast into the sea.

WELCOME HOME BERI!

WELCOME HOME, BERI! Beri finally made it back from New Orleans on Sunday after three long weeks of babysitting. Yep, arrived safely – with all four appendages and head still in position:-) Glad to have you back, Beri! You were missed!:-)

100 HITS!

EXCITEMENT! Girls, last Tuesday we received over 100 hits on our blog in 1 day alone! The following day we received near 90, and have had wonderful days for nearly every day this week. Can you believe it? Keep up the good work! Get that good news out there!

DEVOTIONAL AUGUST 10 – 17 THE QUIET HOUR

Hello Girls!

This devotional excerpt is taken from a wonderful book called BEAUTIFUL GIRLHOOD, by Mabel Hale. It is highly recommended! I read this book nearly every day with my Bible when I have my personal devotions. In church, you receive much help and encouragement, but often I have wished for just one sermon that would explain how I should behave as a young person. This book fits the place exactly, describing the life a godly girl should live. Highly recommended to all!:-)

~Keturah

THE QUIET HOUR

“Commune with your own heart… and be still.”* (Psalm 4:4)

Have you learned the value of a quiet hour?

It may not be an hour literally, of sixty minutes, but it is a season away from the rush and whirl of the day, when you may get your bearings and know where you are. We live in an age when everyone is in a hurry, and the girl of our homes does not escape the rush. From morning till night, week in and week out, her hands are full of work and play. If she is an ordinarily energetic girl, practically every moment will be taken up with something to do, somewhere to go, or someone to see.

When we work too long or too hard our bodies become weary.

When we think or study or read too much our minds become tired, and when things do not go right, and all our efforts will not pull them straight, our spirits get worn. From all these wearinesses the quiet hour is a blessed balm.

If the body is tired, to step aside to a quiet place and find a comfortable chair or couch to stretch out our weary body and let it relax to the very toes and finger tips, and there to lie till the tangled nerves straighten, resting, simply resting, will bring back vigor and strength again.

There are some simple secrets in resting the body that are well to remember.

To lie down a few moments upon the back with every part of the body possible touching the couch, just as an infant relaxes to rest, and remain but ten minutes will refresh the body more than half an hour or more sitting in a chair, or lying curled up on a couch or bed. Learn to relax if you would rest.

When the mind is tired, let the books or problems be put aside, and go to the quiet room, or, better still, into the great outdoors, and there think only of those things that are pleasant and in tune with the quiet and peaceful surroundings. Soon the thickness will disappear and the feeling of stupidity give place to clear, active thinking, and you will be rested.

But the quiet hour is best for the wearied spirit.

The girl gets into this spirit-weary condition more often than some suppose. Plans are broken or frustrated, work that is unpleasant and entirely undesirable has to be done, misunderstandings come between her and her mother or others, she is reproved or actually scolded—oh, there are many things to set a girl crosswise with the world about her! And if a girl is trying to do right and is endeavoring to follow Christ in her daily life, she will look with alarm at the surging thoughts and feelings that seem set to overwhelm her. Possibly in the pressure of vexations she has spoken harshly or imprudently, and that adds to her agitation. It is now that a little season in quietness will do her good.

Let her get away from everyone if possible, and the door shut so that she is entirely alone, and then have a sober talk with herself.

Let her rest her body a bit if she needs it, and quiet her thoughts. There will be something in the very quietness of the place that will soothe her ruffled spirits. As soon as she is quieted, let her pray and then think quietly and soberly. Though everything seems in a turmoil at first, soon it will begin to calm down with her own spirits, and order will come out of chaos.

A wise mother will if possible provide opportunities for her children to be alone so that each one will learn how to fall back upon himself for counsel and entertainment. If little people, when they get all worked up and out of humor, were more often sent away to think it out by themselves, many a hard time could be passed smoothly. But now that the girl has come to older years, let her learn to be wise and have her quiet hour.

Those who would keep their spirits in rest and quietness should not wait till driven to seek rest and quiet from every vexation of spirit, but should make a practice of going aside and giving a portion of every day for going aside and giving a portion of every day for meditation, contemplation, and prayer.

Prayer is more than the saying of words with the body in a certain position.

It is talking with God, telling him of your joys and hopes and desires, and receiving back His answer to your own heart, making you know the things that please Him. To meditate is to dwell in thought on any subject. The Christian gains much by meditating on the will and Word of God. Prayer and meditation go hand in hand.

Let me describe a quiet hour of mine which shines out from my girlhood with brightness as I am now writing.

It was at the end of a busy day. I was never strong, and the day’s work had made me tired, and its perplexities and annoyances had harassed me, so that I came to my quiet hour with a spirit somewhat troubled.

I sat on the doorstep, with the clear, starlit heavens above me.

As I looked up into the night my thoughts were something like this, “What a beautiful night! It is so calm and clear and quiet, and the stars shine so brightly. God, who is my Father, made those stars, and He made me. He is the Creator of all things.” Then I was lost in wonder as I thought of the greatness of His creations. I looked at the great distance to the nearest stars, and like a flash of light came the verse of Scripture, “As the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.”* (Psalm 103:11) The thought almost overwhelmed me for a moment. I knew I feared the Lord, and so His mercy was as great toward me as the heavens were high above me! All that space was filled with God’s love and mercy to me. My very soul seemed in awe at the thought. I felt so safe, so calm, so quiet and rested. Then together, my Lord and I, the day was reviewed. My thoughts went back to a place where I had spoken hastily, and I felt reproved and sorry for it, and said, “Lord, I will be more careful tomorrow.” Then my thought went to a time at which I had kept still when someone had taunted me, and it seemed almost as by a voice, so clear did the assurance come to my heart, “I was pleased with you then,” and I said, “Lord, I will try to be even more humble the next time.” So we went over the whole day.

I said (for the Lord seemed very near to me), “Lord, do I stand clear in thy sight? Is everything right between Thee and me?” and the answer came back to my own heart in the quietness of the hour, “You are my child, and I am pleased with you.”

It was time for our family worship, and I rose and went in, with my spirit rested and my soul as calm as the summer night. I have found that these quiet hours with God, these times when I have come as it were into His presence, have been the strength of my Christian life, and I know they are what every young Christian needs.

My dear girl, if you are not a true servant of God, the quiet hours in rest and pure meditation will make you better, and perhaps in them the precious Spirit of God will talk to your heart and show you how to come to Him. I pray that it may be so. But if you are serving God, do not miss these quiet hours with Him. Have some time each day to go aside to meditate and pray. Be willing to do and live as you feel in your heart you should do and live after you have thus sat before Him.

Learn to love to be alone, to know how to depend upon yourself for entertainment, and to find in your own heart and mind something to think about and meditate upon. Do not allow yourself to be one of those light-minded creatures who must always have the stimulating effect of a companion to find enjoyment.

DO YOU HAVE JOY?

Do you have JOY? In our Young People’s Bible Study Class we have been asked to study out a Christian trait and I decided to study JOY. Sometimes as a teenager, you have so many different emotions, thoughts, feelings and struggles whirling through your heart and mind. We need the JOY that only Jesus can give . . . it is the only true JOY that lasts when earthly joy’s don’t!!!

Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of JOY; at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore. ~PSALM 16:11

Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the JOY of the Lord is your strength. ~NEHEMIAH 8:10

But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . JOY . . . ~GALATIANS 5:22

Then will I go unto the alter of God, unto God my exceeding JOY: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God. ~PSALMS 43:4

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of JOY for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified. ~ISAIAH 61:3

And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my JOY fulfilled in themselves. ~JOHN 17:13

PRAYER REQUEST FOR BERI

MOST OF YOU ALREADY know, but Beri has flew out to New Orleans a bit ago to babysit some young relatives for three weeks. She’s having a rough time of it, and requests our prayers for her that she will last:-) She’s coming back soon but keep her in your prayers!

NEW BABES IN CHRIST!!!

Hey Girls!

Just wanted to share some good news! Recently, three young girls gave their hearts to God – Alicia, Carina, and Katie Grace! We are SO happy that they are saved! Keep them in your prayers!

“There’s joy in the camp, a sinner has come home, there’s joy in the camp, rejoicing round the throne, singing and shouting the great redemption song, out of my darkness into the light, out of my blindness given me sight, out of my sorrow into heaven so bright, there’s joy, wondrous joy in the camp!”

Hold up our new babes in Christ and welcome them into the family of God!

WELCOME BACK REBEKAH!!!

Hannah, Keturah, Rebekah, Candace

ON MONDAY WE all headed over to the twin’s house to celebrate Rebekah’s return from Montana. When all the girls went up for the camp meeting there, Rebekah decided to stay behind for awhile. So we decided to throw her a surprise party to welcome her back – and a surprise it was!:-) For us, too – she walked in with her big bear shirt and talking the praises of the wilderness. She says she wants to move there as soon as she’s 18:-). WELCOME BACK REBEKAH! WE MISSED YOU!!:-)

Here are some pictures from the party.

Candace, Naomi, Hannah

Susanna and Hadassah

Keturah and Hannah:-)