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Home for the weekend and these are just a few of my favorite stops. If you are ever heading 41 south be sure to stop in.
Along 41 there is some really good local honey that you can pick up at a road side box. Choose your size and amount that you would like to pay and drop the money in the box! Little places like this still have the honor system.
The best homemade peach and strawberry ice cream around can be found at Burton Brooks Orchard. Open on Saturday and Sunday 1pm to 6pm. Before I met John, I would drive over usually on Saturday afternoons when peaches were in season. I still don’t know how we did not run into each other sooner because little did I know, he was just down the road. I am always amazed at how God works and how He works in His own time. My heart melted as we pulled in on Saturday.
If you are in the area on Sunday mornings you must visit Philadelphia Baptist Church. It is located on Troupeville Road. Service starts at 11am. It is one of my favorite places to be back home. Today Pastor Clay talked with us about Hope. His message came from 1 John 5 and Psalm 56. His message could not have come at a better time. God always knows what we need exactly when we need it.
If you are up for a road trip any time soon be sure to visit some of my favorite places. All small towns are richly unique and you never know what you will find. Support and share other small businesses in Georgia.
Summer 2018 vacation is in the books as complete with maple bacon donuts, sunrises, a sea turtle siting, a heaping ton of sea sand everywhere, snorkeling, Blue Mountain ice cream, baby black tips, putt-putt, deer, Shakes Frozen Custard, sunburns, quiet time with the Lord, stargazing, snowballs that really taste like mounds almond bars, sunsets, dirt roads and one shrimp shucking, oyster cracking, crab peeling contest. (I am only kidding about the contest, we made it up jokingly when I was peeling shrimp for dinner one night.) But if there were a contest I am sure I could win.
We have squeezed every last ounce of our time together for ALL IT IS WORTH! I mean we cashed in our days together like money burning a hole in our pockets all while wishing time would stand still. We are so thankful that God gifted us with beautiful weather, emerald waters and an amazing time.
With the recent loss of two grand parents, John traveling more (without family close by this has given me a new appreciation for single moms because you are serious rock stars), with the salon growing and big decisions that need to be made, this time away was so good for all of us. Now by no means am I complaining, so please don’t misunderstand. I am just being transparent because life has a crazy way of taking the wheel sometimes.
I am truly thankful and grateful. I hope you will get to take some time to unplug, slow down, breathe in some fresh air, feel the sunshine on your face, the wind in your hair and the sand between your toes. That you will sit a little longer, spend a little more time listening and slow down enough to just be still.
Because we live in a fast paced culture that teaches success in an unhealthy way and that family and children are not as important as your career. (By the way this is a lie) I have been reminded that time with our loved ones really does fly by and we don’t get it back once it’s gone. At the end of every season what truly matters most is faith, family and friends. It is not conditional to how much money we can put in the bank, how many rat races we can run or the time we’ve wasted stuck in comparison or mislead into competing. We only get one shot. One life. The memories we make are a gift. Time well spent and a life well lived leaves a legacy.
Faith is to trust and believe. Faith makes the impossible possible. When you feel like a sunken ship, beat up and bruised and your wounds are as deep as the ocean. Jesus tells his friends to cast a net and his love reaches into the deepest places. Jesus picks up all the broken ones and He makes something beautiful because the mess is never wasted. He can’t leave us the way He finds us. He is making all things new so His light shines through. He bends low and draws a line in the sand. Even the wind and the waves obey His commands. The ocean current carries us but we are never too far out of His reach. His peace, mercy and grace come like a crashing wave and we are set free. Now we have to go and share why Jesus died for all of us because hearts that have been set free can never be quiet.
“When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Luke 5:4 NIV
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19 NIV
“They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him, But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.” John 8:6 NIV
“He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. ” Mathew 8:26 NIV
“Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.” – 2 John 1:3 NIV
“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. ” Galatians 5:13 NIV
2008 Update Zondervan NIV Study Bible
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Guest Taylor talks about feelings of abandonment along with challenges she faced as a young mom. Hope, Healing and how God brought her through some dark days. God never left her to face these challenges alone and He will not leave you either. You are never a disappointment to Him.
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This is our first podcast!
For more information, please contact catharyn@jandrewssalonwr.net
The other day, I was talking with a few of my friends and something came up that I honestly thought that I had let go of. After our conversation it continued to bother me. It was on my mind so much that it woke me up early the next morning. I had gotten upset with myself for talking about it and I just couldn’t shake it. I won’t say names because it would not bless anyone, but I do think we have all had friendships that have ended badly. Sometimes of our own doing and sometimes no fault of ours. For me, bringing it up allowed it to replay in my mind. And I would feel the sting, the hurt and the sadness from it all over again. A very painful season of losing a lot of friendships.
We can not hold on to things like this for too long because it can sometimes take our focus off the things that really matter and it can completely derail us from our assignments. Our God-given purposes. In Matthew 5:44 God tells us to love our enemies. Do you know why He told us that? He tells us that because people are not our enemies. He loves us all. He loves them, just like He loves us. He sees our hearts and he deals with each of us on the matters of the heart. We can not get in the way of that. In Ephesians 6, He tells us our enemies are not against flesh and blood. When we pray for His people even the ones that have hurt us, we are loving them. By not holding on to the offense and forgiving frees us, but it also frees it and them back to Him. We are only deceiving ourselves if we think we are exempt from falling short ourselves. We all need grace.
It had been a while since I had even thought about that season. Now, when I looked back on it what I realize is that I had learned so much from it. What I thought was a negative was actually a positive. It taught me a lot and even grew my faith. What talking with my friends about it actually did was to help me see that I was wrong for still holding on to it. I needed to completely let it go. So, for once and for all. I laid it down. I won’t ever talk about it again. I can’t tell you how healing and freeing this has been. Trusting and knowing that Jesus has it and He is using it to work all things for the good of those that love him, according to his purpose. God’s glory.
“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Matthew 5:44
“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.” Ephesians 6:12
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ” Ephesians 4:29
Zondervan NIV 2008 Update
Within this year I began a journey to lose weight. Not because I care what people think, but because I want to be spiritually, mentally and physically healthy for myself and for my family. It has been almost a year now and as of today I am down seventeen pounds.
People have been incredibly supportive. And I have had lots of opportunities to encourage and share with others on their journey. However, there have been moments when some one would say something that would stop me in my thoughts. Reminded that words can carry weight and if I was not careful I could easily pick up the weight of my own insecurity. I would question. Why would they say that to me? Was I really that overweight? It was then that I quickly realized that I had a choice. I could carry the weight of those words and let them feed into my own insecurity or I could choose to smile with complete sincerity and love in my heart. Our identity is not in the weight of words or in the weight of our own insecurity but our identity is in Christ alone and who He says we are. Everyday we get to choose. We can choose love, understanding, grace and kindness. And then give it ALL away!
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, 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 trust, always hopes, always perseveres.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 NIV
In May, I took a second trip back to Rwanda, Africa. This time we carried my daughter with us. God grew our faith and taught us both a lot while we were there. Including trusting God more. He used both of us in ways we could have never imagined. Several months later we are still processing.
One thing that God showed me through the beautiful people of Rwanda is how to love others well through forgiveness. Forgiveness is a word that leads to an action that if not freely given away can catch us up. Puts a big snag in our story and can keep us stuck. It is that little lump in the throat. It hinders us.
In 1994 a genocide took place in Rwanda. Family, friends and communities were torn apart and completely destroyed. Thousands of people were lost during those three months. Fast forward to where God intervenes. The people of Rwanda, some who had lost everything found the courage to face the ones who had committed these atrocities and extended forgiveness. Relationships grew and communities began to heal. Rwanda is now thriving and growing like never before. Rwanda is full of smart beautiful creatives with these incredible untouched and natural God-given resources. God is still healing and writing their well-favored story.
I am a sexual abuse survivor. Forgiveness has always been hard for me. God began my healing several years ago. And on the journey to healing He carried me to Rwanda to witness first hand what only God can do. When I learned of that kind of forgiveness, healing and genuine love for one another. How could I not forgive. Forgiveness is a process that is not impossible . It is not easy but God meets with us and walks us through. He never leaves us to go through our trials alone. He sends others to walk alongside us and us with others. You know, the ones that say “me too.” That is beauty of our story. It is the good stuff that comes from the hurt. It is what draws us closer to God. That is the blessing that it produces. I honestly don’t know what I would do with out the hope He has given me and that hope is for you too. If you are harboring unforgiveness of any kind. Please lay it down. Don’t hold on to it another second. Some things are way to heavy for us to carry alone. Ask God to help you. He is faithful. God will never ask us to do what He hasn’t already done for us. Don’t allow the enemy to steal from you any longer. There is so much healing and freedom that can come from forgiving.
Matthew 6:14 NIV says “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
Luke 18:27 NIV Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
Jeremiah 33:6 NIV “‘Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security.”
Refrences: Zondervan NIV Study Bible, 2008 Update.
Lately, I have been a little obsessed with the clouds. I snapped this picture the other morning while out on a run. I loved the contrast between the two. These little clouds all jumbled together can represent how we sometimes view our hardships. It can sometimes feel like we keep getting hit with hard things one right after another. Or, we can sometimes feel like there is this big, giant, dark cloud following us around.
Well, I went to scripture to see what God’s word has to say about clouds and I found this verse. Psalm 105:39 NIV “He spread out a cloud as a covering, and a fire to give them light at night.”
What if we looked at the clouds in a our life a little differently. What if we look for the blessing instead. What if we change our perspective. Hardships can produce something in us for a purpose. Right? Is it not in the process, the breaking down and rebuilding that we grow the most? During the process of hard times, what if God is giving us clouds as a covering. Protection.
Clouds can also produce rain. What if God is bringing in a little rain to water our battered and tired souls. Water is essential for growth. Slowing down our pace a little to receive what only He can give.
Resource: Zondervan NIV Study Bible 2008 Update
