Our Broken Bodies

"It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength."—1 Corinthians 15:42–43

Encouragement for Today

"It is a comfort and a hope—as Paul means it to be—to know that we will continue to have bodies in the next life. Those bodies will be very different from the frail, disappointing bodies we inhabit now. If you have health issues, remember that your struggles are only temporary. God does intend full health for your body—if not in this world, then in the one to come. Remember, God's intent and plan is always good. It just takes time for everything to work out."—Diane Eble, author of Abundant Gifts: A Daybook of Grace-Filled Devotions

Like many other people in this world, I have a broken body. As some of you know, I have health problems, many of which related to thyroid cancer and the after effects. Though I am 'cured' I still struggle with a slew of problems. This past school year has been the hardest on me yet with daily migraines, kidney problems, and other issues. I went to the doctor yesterday to get the results of some bloodwork. For the most part, I expected some of the results, but not all. I knew that my synthroid dosage may be off, which is a synthetic hormone replacement since I haven't a thyroid. I knew that my estrogen and progesterone levels weren't good because of my complete hysterectomy last year. What I did't expect was just how bad the thyroid hormone panels were. This is scary to me because the synthroid not only provides the thyroid hormones my body can no longer produce, it also SUPPRESSES CANCER GROWTH of remnant thyroid cancer cells in my body. This is what concerns us. If the imbalance has been going on for a while, there's a chance that cancer cells could come back.

I had a huge scare back in 2005 when my thyroglobulin level indicated the cancer had returned. Praise the Lord, the body scan back then indicated I was clean. Yesterday, however, I found out that even in this case, 80% of thyroid cancer patients with elevated thyroglobulin levels will have a recurrence within 3 to 5 years of the first detection of thyroglobulin. As it was put to me, I shouldn't have thyroglobulin in my system at all because I have no thyroid. If I do, it it because there are thyroid cancer cells in my body that are producing it. I've known for a while things weren't right. Hypothyroid symptoms have been worse and worse for many months now. I'd been to the doctor many times this year and expressed this. I'm so frustrated with myself for not pushing the issue more. I'm always telling others to be their own advocate when it comes to their health and I didn't follow my own advice.

This news comes just days before the 10th anniversary of the surgery that removed my cancerous thyroid (Aug 5). So you can imagine, I was pretty bummed yesterday. However, my dovotion today reminded me that it's not this life I should be so concerned with. It's not my broken body that I should be so focused on, though it's very hard to think of much else when your body is in pain or can't function right. It's also hard to think of much else either, especially when the 'C' word raises it's nasty head again, reminding you that it's still there - that you aren't home free. But one day I will be FREE of this broken body and that is the day I anticipate with great joy!

I see my health as the perverbial thorn in my side. Like Paul, I've prayed for complete and total healing but continue to struggle with health issues. God reminded me in this passage that no matter what I suffer, He is all that I need - that when I am weak, HE is STRONG! Then the power of CHRIST can work through me!

"So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.
Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 1 Corinthians 12:6-10

Like Paul, I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, not for self pity nor attention, but for the glory of Jesus Christ! I tell my story so that others know that it is not my own power or strength they see, but God who working through me!

Though my health isn't all that great, it's not in a crisis. There are those who are enduring so much more, illnesses and health issues that effect their quality of life and even threaten their very lives. Please lift all you know who are suffering in this way in prayer. There are so many who need our help and prayers right now!

Blessings, friends!

In His Love, Cathy

Never Trust a Chair

Greed causes fighting;
trusting the Lord leads to prosperity.
Those who trust their own insight are foolish,
but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe.
Proverbs 28:25-26

My husband, Scott, celebrated his birthday. We had his traditional family birthday party and served his favorite meal - lasagne! After the meal, cake, and ice cream we all went into the family room for him to open presents. Since there were so many of us we had to take additional chairs into the family room. I grabbed a chair for myself and I thought Scott had grabbed a chair for himself as well. We all meandered into the family room, talking and laughing with each other on the way. I put my chair down, walked to the front of it, and began to sit. What happened next seemed like a slow motion segment from an action movie. Like I said, I set my chair down, walked to the front of it, and started to sit. As I began to sit, I TRUSTED that the chair that I had put there just mere seconds prior to my sitting down would be there. But as I started my descent into the chair, my mother-in-law's expression suddenly changed to alarm. What I didn't know was what was happening behind me. At the very moment I began to sit, Scott came up behind me, grabbed my chair and moved it. He did not see that I was about to sit down in it. He thought it was a 'spare' chair so he grabbed it for himself! I sat down expecting a chair to be there to support me. I expected my backside to only have to travel downward about a foot to reach it's destination. Sitting down in that particular chair was second nature to me. I've sat in in so many times I could do so blindfolded. This time, however, the support of that chair was GONE and at the very moment I expected it and needed it most. Quite to my surprise, instead of my backside making contact with the seat of a chair, it travelled much farther down and made a harsh crash with the floor! Immediately, Scott realized what had happened and rushed to my side to see about me. So did his mother. Though everyone one else had a good laugh at my expense and pain, I eventually also appreciated the hilarity of the situation. Boy, did I look foolish!



From my 'chair' experience, we can draw an analogy about trust. I made the mistake in trusting in something I could see, something I KNEW was physically there, something that was the result of my own efforts - I was the one who placed the chair where it was and I expected it to be there. I saw it there. I felt it there. I moved it there. However, when it came down to when it counted the most - the moment I sat down - the chair was gone! It failed me. I failed myself. My husband failed me!

Don’t put your trust in mere humans.

They are as frail as breath.

What good are they?

Isaiah 2:22

Aren't we like this in our spiritual lives as well? We may trust in other people until they disappoint. We may only trust in ourselves, until we fail. We may trust in our own efforts, until that isn't enough. We may trust only in what we can control, until we lose control. We may only trust in what we can see, hear, and feel, until we can no longer rely on our senses. We may trust our own abilities, until we lose them. We may trust in our wealth, our success, our career, until the economy goes south. This world has a way of pulling the chair right out from under us. Ultimately our trust in anything but God will end up with our backsides crashing to the ground!

You will keep in perfect peace

all who trust in you,

all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Trust in the Lord always,

for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.

Isaiah 26:3-4

There is only ONE who can be trusted without fail. We can trust God ALWAYS. He keeps His promises. We can be completely open and honest with God about our 'trust issues' and the areas in our lives where we are unwilling to trust Him. He knows what they are already, we just need to let go!



What do you need to trust God with today? No matter what it is or how bad it is, totally surrender it all to God today. Trust Him!

For the word of the Lord holds true,

and we can trust everything he does.

Psalm 33:4

In His Love, Cathy

Who Do You Place Your Trust In?

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;

do not depend on your own understanding.

6 Seek his will in all you do,

and he will show you which path to take.
7 Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.

Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

8 Then you will have healing for your body

and strength for your bones.
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth

and with the best part of everything you produce.

10 Then he will fill your barns with grain,

and your vats will overflow with good wine.
11 My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline,

and don’t be upset when he corrects you.

12 For the Lord corrects those he loves,

just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.

Proverbs 3:5-12

Who do you place your trust in? Do you fully and truly trust God in all areas of your life? Is He really the one on the throne of your heart? Or do you trust in your own wisdom and understanding, forsaking His will in matters and opting to follow the 'conventional wisdom' of the world instead? When God asks us to do something outside of our comfort zone, against our common sense or 'better' judgement, outside the norm of this world -anything outside of the box, do we REALLY trust Him and follow through in obedience no matter how ridiculous it seems? Or do we withdraw back into our own understanding, putting ourselves back on the throne of our heart, thus failing to fully trust in and comply with God Himself? When we trust ourselves more than God in matters, then we, in essence, show that we do not believe God.

How about when we are wronged or when we think there is an injustice done to us? Do we trust in God to handle it or do we rely on ourselves to take care of it? I'm not saying we shouldn't stand up for what is right. What I'm saying is when those times come, how do we handle it? Do we seek God's Will in the matter or do we react the way we want to, the way the world says we should?

Oswald Chambers brings up an interesting point. Our own abitilities, possessions, common sense, thoughts, rights, and wisdom are to be of indifference to us. When we start focusing on these things, then we have placed ourselves back on the throne of our hearts instead of Christ. He writes,

" Having the proper outlook is evidence of the deeply rooted belief in the overshadowing of God's personal deliverance.

The Sermon on the Mount indicates that when we are on a mission for Jesus Christ, thre is not time to stand up for ourselves. Jesus says, in effect, 'Don't worry about whether you are treated justly.' Looking for justice is actually a sign that we have been diverted from our devotion to Him. Never look for justice in theis world, but never cease to give it. If we look for justice, we will only begin to complain and to indulge ourselves in the discontent of self-pity, as if to say, 'Why should I be treated like this?'

If we are devoted to Jesus Christ, we have nothing to do with what we encounter, whether it it just or unjust. In essence, Jesus says, 'Continue steadily on with what I have told you to do, and I will guard your life. If you try to guide it yourself, you remove yourself from My deliverance.' Even the most devout among us become atheistic in the regard - we do not believe Him. We put our common sense on the throne and then attach God's name to it. We lean to our own understanding, instead of trusting God with all our hearts."

Our complaining is a sign of not fully trusting God WITH ALL and IN ALL things! That statement is such a wake up call to me! We are not to be so concerned with this world to worry about whether we have been justly treated or not. We are simply to TRUST HIM for HE IS JUST and WILL DEAL JUSTICE according to His will and His time. Focusing on the wrongs done to us distracts us from TRUSTING HIM and BELIEVING HIM. It distracts us from HIS MISSION. It causes us to take Christ off the throne of our hearts and put ourselves right back on. Instead, we should seek HIM in ALL that we do and LEAN NOT on our own understanding in the matter. Follow through with obedience in Christ in the matter, not complaining or seeking justice for ourselves according to worldly terms. Lay your complaints out before God alone and then TRUST HIM to handle it.

Proverbs 29:11 says, "Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back." Every Biblical reference to people who vented or complained to others ended up with the complainers in big time trouble. Why? Because they didn't TRUST GOD! I know this is true from my own personal experience. Trust in God today. Don't depend on your own understanding it only leads to trouble. Acknowledge Him in ALL your ways, responding in obedience, and HE will make your paths straight!

In His Love, Cathy

New Link to a New Blog

Do you know who Allie N. is? Maybe you don't but I do. She is a former student of mine from Pace High who loves the Lord and lives for Christ. She's started her own blog writing about the happenings in her life and her walk in Christ. Allie has an amazing story and testimony to tell. Her posts are refreshingly honest and insightful, from the heart of a young woman. She gives us a glance of the perspective from the younger generation of Believers. Check out her blog at the following link or click on it at the right...www.alliemarieneal.blogspot.com

In His Love, Cathy

Our Trip - Scott's Birthday

Cathy, Sue, Scott, Marlene (Mom), Mike, Denise, Lisa

I don't even know where to begin to describe what an incredible journey that our family went on. This trip was more than a vacation, it was the journey of a lifetime. Scott, my husband, was adopted. Our trip to Washington reunited him with his birth family for the first time ever.

As I've written before, the fact that Scott and his birth family were able to find each other was a miracle of God. Finding each other was just the first stop on a wonderful journey that will now last a lifetime. A journey of building life long family relationships and making up for the 44 years they missed.

Though we emailed and called his new found siblings prior to our trip, it was an odd situation to visit people who were perfect strangers. We were also strangers to them, but they welcomed us into their home and into their family. Though it was awkward at first for both sides, we soon warmed up to each other. It was also an emotional time to start with. For some, there were tears for their father, tears for their mother, tears for the pain of the past, and tears for this family discovering a long lost brother.

Scott and his half-siblings began to get to know each other. A time of discovery began, each learning about the other. A time of healing after many years of pain took root for this family and for their mother. A time of family bonding was set in motion. It was neat to watch new family relationships being forged before my very eyes. It was even greater to see how happy my husband was to finally know his family and his heritage. It was so cool to note the parallels in our family compared to theirs - common names, birthdays, etc... I sat in amazement as I watched his siblings, noting familiar facial expressions, gestures, personality traits, stances, and then suddenly realizing they were just like Scott's.

Scott's siblings had everything already planned and worked out before our arrival. We stayed at his sister, Cathy, and her husband, Clark's house. It was such a neat experience meeting them for the first time. They were the first face to face contact Scott made with one of his biological siblings. We had been so excited and anxious to finally meet Cathy and Clark! It was a momentous occassion. Clark and Michael formed an immediate friendship. Especially when Scott and Clark later used Michael as the volleyball in the pool. It's Michael's own fault - he told them to 'Bring it!' and they did:-) Cathy and Clark were such wonderful hosts. They opened their home to us, made us feel so welcome, and really went all out for us. We became fast friends. They also cooked fabulous food, too! Scott said he never got hungry while we were there! Our first day there, we just rested. However that afternoon, we did get to meet his sisters, Sue and Lisa, and his brother, Mike, and his wife, Sue. Oh my goodness, what an experience!

The second day was slotted for sight seeing. Cathy and her daughter Danielle took us to Seattle Center. The drive over and back was so beautiful! The view was scenic wherever you looked! To look out and see Mount Ranier and the Cascade Mountain range is indescribable! At Seattle Center, we got a feel for some of the city's culture. It was a very nice area with a lot of family oriented activities. We also went up the Space Needle. Scott hates heights so he wasn't too fond of the glass elevator to the top. He pushed me in front of him. Boy, what bravery! LOL! That day, we enjoyed hanging out with Cathy and Danielle and getting to know them so much better. They were just a delight! We really enjoyed thier company.

The third day of our trip was a little more emotional. Scott's sister Denise arrived from Oregon. Denise was the sister who had been searching for Scott for over 14 years. Scott couldn't wait to meet her for the first time. After she arrived and we visited a little bit, everyone drove over to Tacoma to meet Marlene, Scott's birth father's wife and his half-siblings' mother. Marlene greeted us with a sweet hug and kindness. She greated Scott with the longest hug. Marlene had always wanted to find Scott. She never gave up on finding him but never thought it would happen in her lifetime. Their meeting was such a powerful moment mixed with 44 years of searching, pain, and emotions. We think Marlene is just such an amazing woman. Scott got to see the home his siblings grew up in and the war medals that his birth father earned in Korea. This visit sunk deep in his heart as he absorbed as much as he could about the man his father was. Marlene was kind enough to show Scott pictures of his Dad, her, and the family through the years. Our visit with Marlene wrapped up with us watching videos of Ed, Scott's birth father, playing his guitar. Man, could he play! Too bad Scott didn't inherit that gift! Scott also got to meet his older brother, Jim, who reminds us of Scott's Uncle Paul.

Later, on that same afternoon, we went to Scott's sister, Sue's home, for a BBQ and to meet her children and grandchildren. Yes, this means Scott is a GREAT-UNCLE! Goes with his greys don't you think? :-) We had a fabulous time hanging out with Sue, her husband Chris, and their family. What a beautiful family they had! Oh, and the food was EXCELLENT! We helped celebrate their daughter, Deanne's, birthday. It was so neat to just hang out and get to know her and her family. They were so gracious! Sue is such a neat lady and her family was so nice! We had a blast!

Our fourth day in Washington found us touring the Waterfront. We visited the Seattle Aquarium with Denise, her grandson Christopher, Cathy, Clark, and our family. We took lots of pictures, again. Afterwards, we had a nice meal at the Red Robin's on the water - except for Brittany and Clark. They had ice cream instead! We then visited Pike's Place Fish Market. We walked up the most gosh awful flights of stairs to get there. Denise and I pulled up the rear on the hike up! I thought I needed oxygen! Whew! However, "The Market" as it's called is a definite stop on any tourist's itinerary to Seattle. It gives you a real feel for the culture of the city. It was just so cool!

Then came Saturday, another emotional day for Scott. His brother, Mike, and his wife Sue took us to the cemetary where Scott's birth father, Ed, is buried. Right beside him lies Scott's oldest brother, Eddie, who was killed in 1968 at the age of 15 as a result of a car accident. It was a sombering experience for Scott to visit the grave of the man who gave him life. A part of him regrets no being able to meet him in this life. He grieved for Ed and tried to wrap his mind around all that has happened, especially the past several months. Afterwards we all went over to Mike and Sue's home to hang out. We so enjoyed their company! Mike and Scott are a lot alike in many ways. It was neat seeing the two brothers together, interacting.

Saturday was also the big family reunion. Just about everyone in the family came. It was wonderful! There were so many people. It was the most enjoyable day of the whole trip. All the young cousins had a blast swimming and playing in the pool. Michael was in hog heaven to have new cousisns his age. Up until now, all of his cousins were way older or younger than he. We all hung out and ate lots of good food. And of course, there were pictures. For the first time in his life, Scott was included in the family pictures. It was neat seeing them line up in birth order! Scott and his youngest sister Lisa (green shirt) were dubbed "The Twins." They are the youngest two. The family teasing already had started up, everyone saying Scott and Lisa even had the same legs!

Then, they brought out a birthday cake for Scott and celebrated his 44th birthday. They threatened to catch him up on all the birthday spankings he missed. Ouch! They also had a sendoff for Scott's nephew-in-law, Eric, who was being sent to Afganistan the next day. We are praying for his safety!

Sunday, we went to church with Scott's sister Sue and his neice, Danielle. Sue attends Ranier View Church. What is so neat is that it was very similar to PCC. We enjoyed such a great worship time and message. Sue and Scott wanted to sit together. Another first for him - sitting in church next his sister. This was such a special moment! My heart was touched! Then we all went out for lunch and enjoyed Subway together!

Then came Monday. We went out to Rock Hard Pizza with his sister Lisa, her friend Pam, Danielle, Mike & Sue, and their daughter Crystal and her family. Lisa and Pam are just such fun and great to be around. We enjoyed the great pizza, too - Lisa's treat! We all enjoyed just hanging out and talking. Then we all went over to Cold Stone Creamery for ice cream - Pam's treat! I swear it was the best ice cream ever! Good company, good food! I was stuffed!!!

Our last day was very nice. We had a picnic lunch with Cathy at the Tacoma Waterfront. Afterwards, we travelled to her daughter Kelly's home to meet her and her family. We enjoyed our time with Kelly, Matt, and their little girl Allison. Then we went back to a restaurant on the Tocoma Waterfront to enjoy one last meal with the family. Cathy & Clark, Sue, Lisa, Mike & his wife Sue, Marlene, Kelly, Matt, & Allyson all joined us for dinner that night. After a long prolonged talk, we finally were ushered out to say our last goodbyes before our flight. It was hard to say goodbye to family we had just met and bonded with. There were ltears, promises to keep in touch - which we intend to keep, and lots of hugs. We were all making preliminary plans for their visit to us here in Florida and about our next trip out there.

Cathy and Clark took us to the airport. It was hard to say goodbye. We cried, again, and gave each other numerous hugs. It was hard to leave. We just want to say thank you to Cathy and Clark for putting up with the five of us in there home. We also want to thank them as well as Marlene, Denise, Sue & Chris, Mike & Sue, Lisa & Pam, Jim, and Danielle for all you did for us while we were there. This is just an incredible family! We think so much of you all!

Scott has been very blessed and fortunate to have found his birth familly. He now knows the answers to many of the questions he's carried around for over 40 years. A huge burden has been lifted from his shoulders. Knowing this, he now walks around with the confidence of knowing his own history - which is something highly valued by a history teacher. However, he has been blessed with so much more than the knowledge of who his family is. He and his new found family are forging family bonds and relationships. Our children have been blessed to discover new aunts, uncles, and cousins, who , in Brittany's words, "Look like me!"

Scott is also blessed to have had two wonderful, loving parents who adopted him as their very own son. They have always been open and honest with Scott about his adoption. They have always supported his finding his birth family when the time came. He loves his parents and his 'little' brother. But like Mrs. Denny said, "There's enough love to go around."

Scott's story is so amazing. But Scott firmly believes God orchestrated all events from the time he was conceived to now. As Scott puts it, everything that happened was for a reason. God's plan is ALWAYS PERFECT and ALWAYS ACCORDING TO HIS WILL - even for a child born under less than perfect circumstances. Despite the circumstances of Scott's birth, God has used him to reach others for Jesus Christ. Scott's passion for teaching and to mentor young people carries over into every aspect of his life. Many trust him and seek him when they are experiencing problems in their lives. Through him, young people have been lead to Jesus Christ, young men have relied on his example as a godly man, students see a teacher who truly cares, his runners see a coach of integrity. And because he was at the right place at the right time, he was able to help save the life of a child. A former student had come to him for advice about a 'friend' seeking abortion. His advice - don't. And she didn't, why? Because of Scott's unique perspective - he was that unwanted child.

I am thankful for the man who is my husband. I am thankful that God brought him into this world despite the circumstances of his birth. I am proud, yes proud, to say I'm his wife.

I am sharing this story not just for my friends who read my blog. I am recording these events here for my children, grandchildren, and for all to know what God has done for us - especially Scott.

Why were we, of all people, so fortunate to find Scott's birth family? It literally breaks your heart to see the many thousands of people registered in various online adoption research databases. It's like finding a needle in a haystack! And to read the comments left by people so desparately searching for their lost family just tears at your soul! I know without a doubt that Scott and his family finding each other was the work of God's wonderful hand. We are humbled and blessed to have this longtime prayer answered!

I have one last thing to say before I sign off. I want to wish my wonderful husband a very, very happy birthday today, July 27, 2009! He is 44 years young! I love you so much and wish you to have a very special day. You deserve it!

In His Love, Cathy

We are the Body

In His Love, Cathy

It Is Time

For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3:1

It is time. Effective August 31, I will be stepping down as PCC's children's ministry director/children's pastor of PCC. I know this may come as a big surprise to so many but it is time. God has shown me that my time for serving in this capacity at PCC is up. Plain and simple. My family and I love our church. We love our church family. We are staying and will continue attending PCC and serving Christ through PCC. We will continue to GIVE to PCC to support it's mission. My husband Scott plans to continue in his role as a youth leader and teacher. We're not going anywhere.

Though I am passionate about children's ministry and I LOVE the children, it has become increasingly apparent over the last several months that my time serving in this capacity was coming to a close. This was not a decision that was arrived at lightly. We as a family prayed over this decision and all of us felt God's peace over it. There were many factors that lead to us prayerfully considering this option. Having a full time secular job on top of leading a growing ministry for the past six years has become increasingly more difficult. To be totally transparent, my family has sacrificed the most in this. The Holy Spirit has convicted me that it is now time for me to focus my attention on my family. He is calling me to support my husband in what He is about to do through him. He is calling me to make more time for my husband and children, to prepare them for the future He has called them to.

In addition, I know without a shadow of a doubt that God is leading me in a different direction in ministry. He has impressed upon me that it is time to pull back, take a Sabbatical, clear my overwhelmingly busy schedule, clear my head, and seek His new direction for me. He has made it very clear to me that it is time for change. At one point in my life children's ministry was what He had called me to do. That calling was crystal clear. It was a calling I thought would last a lifetime. Now God is calling for me to give it up. This calling is just as crystal clear as the call into children's ministry. He has called me to stop, pull back, and listen. He has something else for me to do. He needs my full attention to prepare me. However, I will continue writing/blogging because believe this will be one of the forums he uses to prepare me for what He has planned next.

Serving as PCC's Children's Ministry Director/Pastor has been one of the biggest honors and blessings in my life. My family and I grew so much through serving in this ministry. This ministry blessed us in so many ways. We were not only blessed spiritually, but we were also blessed with dear friendships made through the ministry, blessed through the children, and even received financial blessings. I was blessed to serve with an incredible church staff and team of volunteers. I will miss the comraderie we shared as we were elbow deep working for the Lord in this way. I wish to thank everyone who supported, volunteered, prayed, and served in children's ministry during the six years I was 'in office.' I couldn't have been blessed to work alongside of any better people. Everyone had such a servant's heart and willingly gave of their time, money, and efforts to accomplish God's work of reaching the children for Jesus Christ. I will forever cherish the friends I have made in this ministry and the people who helped make it happen. It was not my efforts but the efforts of God Himself along with each and every single one of you who made this ministry thrive. I love you all dearly.

I will cherish the children and always be thankful for those who gave their lives to Christ as a result of this ministry. To me, there is no higher calling than to lead these young ones to Jesus Christ! God worked through this ministry to change lives. It was such a blessing to be a part of it.

But now it is time for me to step down so that someone else may step in and receive these blessings and be a blessing in return. I am thankful what God accomplished in children's ministry during my years of service. I now look forward to the great things God will accomplish in the future through PCC's Children's Ministry. He has brought the right new leadership and the right mix of volunteers to keep this ministry strong and vibrant. PCC Children's Ministry will continue in the tradition of excellence in reaching children for Christ. Changed lives and hearts will always be the goal of this ministry. Please continue support the new children's ministry leadership, volunteers, and the children whose lives are impacted for Christ through PCC Kids Ministry. My heart and passion is still for these precious little ones! Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated and necessary as we transistion to even greater things.

I've heard it said that as one door closes, God opens another. I'm excited to see what that next door holds for both PCC's children and for our family! I am forever in your service as your sister in Jesus Christ. Blessings friends!

In His Love, Cathy In His Love, Cathy

We're Home

We just got home from our big family vacation to meet Scott's birth family. Had a red eye flight - no sleep in 24 hours. So our plans for the rest of the day - SLEEP and LOTS of it! Phones are off and computer will be very shortly.

The trip was great! All went very well in meeting Scott's siblings and father's wife, plus numerous nieces, nephews, (and great nieces and nephews). Such a sweet family who have overcome so much. Such a beautiful, generous, and amazing family. Not to mention some of the best cooks around! I gained weight!

I'll be blogging on our trip and post pictures in upcoming days. Suffice it to say God was so very, very good! We are privileged to be related to these wonderful people!

Shout out to the fam back in Washington State and Oregon - we miss you guys already! But we also missed our friends and family here in Florida. There's just no place like home:-)

With all our love!

In His Love, Cathy

The Trip of a Lifetime

We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!

Luke 15:32

Tomorrow our family embarks on the trip of a lifetime. As many of you know, we are traveling to finally meet my husband's, Scott's, biological family. Scott was adopted as a newborn baby. His adoption was closed which meant he had no access to any identifying information about his birth family. Even though he grew up with the most wonderful parents anyone could ask for, he still wanted to know if he had other family out there. After years of wondering about his biological family, whether he had brothers and sisters, and if anyone was looking for him, he is finally getting to meet the family he always knew was out there.

His Father's wife along with one of his half sisters never gave up looking for him. They didn't know if the child they were searching for was a boy or girl. They didn't even know if the biological mother gave birth or if, according to her last words, had an abortion. As Scott's sister put it, because of the possibility the child had been aborted, they wondered if they were chasing a ghost. But they never gave up. His sister was certain of his existence AND that this unknown child was a boy. Only God could have revealed this to her. Only God could have orchestrated the events which lead them to discover each other. Forty three years of searching and wondering about this missing child is now at an end. We are looking forward for a wonderful beginning with his newfound family, a family he knew in his heart were searching for him, a family he has always reserved room in his heart for.

Sadly, his birth father passed away in 2005 so he won't be able to meet him and get to know him. However, Scott hopes to learn as much about him as possible. Emotions are a little high in our home as I am sure they are with his new found family. We are excited and look forward to this trip of a lifetime with great anticipation. On the eve of our departure, Scott is still in disbelief. He never thought this would happen in a million years.

Please pray for his biological and his adoptive family. Please pray for Scott and for us. Though this is a good thing, it is still very emotional for all.

God bless you and yours this week. I may not be able to blog this week but I'll try to post pictures when I can.

In His Love, Cathy

The Power of Love

"This is my command: Love each other."

John 15:17

Little Taylor was enjoying a wonderful day with her family. Then out of nowhere the unthinkable happened. Due to a freak accident, she obtained a bad injury to her face and mouth. There was no way her family could have ever forseen the accident that had occurred. A plan for a wonderful afternoon on the water evaporated for Taylor and her family. Taylor was rushed to the ER. Her mom texted members of the church prayer group. The prayer group quickly stepped in, notifying everyone of the crisis. Everyone began praying for little Taylor. While in the ER, Taylor asked her mom, "Who is praying for me?" A sweet, brave little girl with a developing faith in Christ wanted to know if anyone had petitioned God on her behalf.

At this very same time, another family was at home about to enjoy a wonderful meal together. The mom checked her email as she was putting the finishing touches on the dinner. She saw the news of Taylor's accident and prayer request for her. Immediately, dinner plans were postponed as she and her husband decided that there was another child who was in greater need of their prayers and attention. So, they left their family and drove with haste to the ER. After inquiring on Taylor's status at the front desk, they settled into the ER until they could see little Taylor. An hour after arriving, this couple was finally able to see Taylor. When Taylor learned that this couple were in the waiting room, she asked her mom if she thought they were praying for her. She was hopeful and delighted to know someone was there for her. She and her mom were allowed to go to the waiting room to see the couple. As she entered the waiting room, Taylor burst into tears, hugging the lady who came to see her. According to Taylor's mom, it was this moment that little Taylor realized that there were people in the world, in addition to her family, who really loved her. Not only did she have the love of her family, but also the love of those in her church family - those who prayed for her, who reached out to her and her family. What a powerful testimony to a child about the love of Jesus Christ! For Taylor, this was Christ's love demonstrated in a real and meaningful way. She saw Christ in action through people!

Taylor's story is not the only one that I've heard in which people have so generously and unselfishly shared the love of Christ with others. There are so many more testimonies of people loving each other, doing life together, helping each other, praying one for another, encouraging one another- those who are helping families facing health crisis, those who are helping families in financial need, those who are reaching out to mentor youth - and the list goes on. Our church is so blessed to be made up of so many people who truly "love one another."

Love is more than lip service. Love is a verb. Love is action oriented. Love is a choice. Love is being there for others in this life even if it inconveniences you. Love is looking out for the best interest of others before yourself. Love is a sacrifice. Love is a commitment. Love is hard work - let's face it, some people are just harder to love than others. That's not an excuse not to love them. The command was, "Love each other" not "Love each other except for... Billy because he is hard to get along with...Susie because she's always so negative..." Love is worth the effort.

"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." 1 Corinthians 13:3-5

Really loving others the way Christ does is challenging. We may not be perfect at loving others, but that's okay, we don't have to be. We can do our best and trust God make up for our shortcomings.

Love one another.

In His Love, Cathy

A Beautiful Day

Here are some pics I took with my camera. The sky was just gorgeous today. This is the view from our patio swing. Couldn't ask for a more beautiful scene. God is pretty amazing!

In His Love, Cathy

Facebook vs Faithbook

Quiztime!
1.Which of the following do you do FIRST in the morning?
A. Check Facebook
B. Check email
C. Read my Bible, pray, have a Quiet Time
D. I dunno


I admit it. I am a facebook 'addict'. How appropriate that this mornings Proverbs 31 Ministry article touched on this very subject. Here's an excellent article by Susanne Scheppman on prioritizing God's Word over Facebook.

If the first thing you do is jump on your computer before your quiet time, you definitely want to give this article a good read. Our desire for God's Word should be our first response. You can ask God to help fill you with this desire if you find yourself waning. And yes, I'm preaching to myself here. Even though I have my quiet times in the mornings there are days that I'm impatient and jump in online while I'm waiting for my coffee to brew. Check out Susanne's article at the following link:

http://proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com/2009/07/faith-book_08.html

God bless and have a fantastic day!
In His Love, Cathy

Mid Course Correction

"With all my heart I want your blessings.

Be merciful as you promised.

I pondered the direction of my life,

and I turned to follow your laws."

...

"I used to wander off until you disciplined me;

but now I closely follow your word."

...

"My suffering was good for me,

for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees.

Your instructions are more valuable to me

than millions in gold and silver."

Psalm 119:58-59;67;71-72

Before I became a believer, my life was a mess. Perhaps it didn't seem like a mess when measured against the world's standards. In fact, it was probably a pretty normal life compared to most. Looking back now, I can see just how messed up I really was. My priorities were all wrong. My motives were selfish. I was focused on living for myself. I would like to say that when I became a Christian, this all instantly disappeared, but that wasn't the case. I still struggled with the sins of my past. I had a lot of growing up to do as a believer and I still do in many ways.

In my freshman year in college, I met a wonderful guy. He was handsome. He was kind. He was a Christian. We became fast friends and later that friendship developed into something more. This wonderful man talked with me about God and about Jesus Christ. We began attending church together. We began dating. Within 2 years of meeting, we were married. It was during our courtship that I realized that God loved me just as I was. I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior for real.

It was tough to made a mid course correction after living a selfish, sinful life. It took a long time for me to grow up as a Christian, and I'm still not all grown up yet. I still fail. I still fall into sin. I am human and therefore am not perfect in any way, shape, or form. I am simply a sinner who is forgiven.

Making a mid course correction is hard. We might be right smack dab in the middle of a very sinful situation. We may feel that there is no other way out than to see it through. We elude ourselves into thinking, "Okay, this is the last time and then I'll stop!" Only we are so trapped by the sin that we are entangled in a vicious cycle. We may incorrectly believe that we are so far into a really bad situation or habit that there is no way God loves us or can help us. We may just give up and feel that we are a lost cause.

There is hope. There is help. God can and will rescue you. You can seek Him. He is there just waiting for you. No matter how deep you think you are in, God can pull you out. Don't push Him away. Allow Him to come in. He loves you so much that He sent His one and only Son to die in your place, to pay the price of your sin. (John 3:16) Call out to Him. Simply ask for His forgiveness and believe in Christ. Confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior today!

In His Love, Cathy

He Carries Us

"Praise the LORD; praise God our savior!

For each day he carries us in his arms."

Psalm 68:19

When I was a little girl, I would often fall asleep in our car on road trips. Whenever we arrived at our destination, it was often very late in the evening. Instead of waking me up, my father would lovingly sweep me up into his arms and carry me, gently laying me on my bed and tucking me in. I remember that I would often wake up when he did this, but I still pretended to be asleep. I loved the way I felt when Daddy carried me in his arms - so loved, so secure, so very safe. I was afraid if Daddy found out that I was awake, he'd put me down and make me walk. Oh how I wanted him to carry me! Of course, he knew that I was only pretending to be asleep yet he obliged me in my little game. I think he enjoyed those tender moments as much as I did.

I loved these moments as a child but when I became a mom, I learned to cherish them. I loved holding my children in my arms. Watching their sweet faces as they slept, waves of immense love and joy would flood my heart. Because of the depth of my love for my children, I wanted to protect them, keep them safe, and do all within my means to give them the best life possible. I wanted to be there for them each and every day, to help 'carry' them through life. It was this perspective that gave me fresh eyes to God's infinite and unfailing love for us.

Our heavenly Father loves us so completely and deeply that He happily carries His children. We who are in Christ can rely on God to carry us in His loving arms each and every day. We don't have to walk on our own two feet. We don't have to be afraid that He'll put us down. He doesn't mind carrying us, in fact, it's His promise. He saved us. He rescued us from sin and death. He has offered us His best, His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus picked us up, took on our sins, and with His outstretched arms nailed to the cross, died in our place. Those strong arms carry us today, helping us through the trials, burdens, and struggles of life. In relying on our own strength, we fail. In obediently relying on Christ, we overcome!

Trust in Christ today. Ask Him to be your Lord and Savior. Trust Him to carry you in His nail scarred arms. In Him you find love, security, and safety! In Him, you will find the best life possible - eternal life!

Prayer and Faith

22 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
25 “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.” Mark 11:22-26

In this familar passage, Jesus affirms God's power to do the impossible. Jesus reminds us here to have faith in God! We can pray for anything and God will grant it. However there are certain heart conditions that must be met on our part.

First, we must believe. Jesus emphasizes the importance of our believing in two of these verses. We must believe that what we are praying for will REALLY HAPPEN. We must believe that we have ALREADY RECEIVED IT! If we are praying unselfishly for something within the will of God, no matter how impossible it seems, God will make it happen!

Second, don't doubt. We may say we believe. We may think we believe. But then comes that nagging, tugging doubt that tries to gain a foothold. We pray, but then we run through "What if?" scenarios in our mind. However, we're talking the God of the Universe here! He created EVERYTHING! All things exist because of HIM! So I think He can handle whatever we are praying for. But then there is the doubt that God even hears our prayers. We can be assured that He does listen. Psalm 116:1-2 gives us a beautiful illustration of how our loving Father listens to us when we pray. It says, "I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!" There is absolutely no room for doubt in our hearts. When those feelings come, we must reaffirm our belief in our EVERLASTING and ALL POWERFUL Father who CAN DO ANYTHING! We can seek His mercy and confess to Him any sin so that our prayers are unhindered. Think about it, the God of Creation, bends down to listen to you!

Third, we are to forgive. Unforgiveness is another hindrance to our prayers. Why? Because God is so very merciful and willing to forgive us. We can not be in right standing with Him if we are unforgiving and unmerciful toward others. Therefore, we must first forgive and seek God's forgiveness! Can you think of anyone you need to forgive? Perhaps there is someone you need to ask forgiveness of as well? Ask God to help you be more merciful and forgiving. He will be faithful to answer this prayer!

Effective prayer begins with an attitude of faith, forgiveness, and submission. We can pray for the impossible and God can make it possible, "For nothing is impossible with God." Luke 1:37. God is much larger than any of the mountains in our lives. He can toss them into the sea if we just have the faith of a mustard seed! Pray with confidence and assurance in our wonderful God! Trust God to move the mountain in your life today!

In His Love, Cathy