Quit Riding the Fence: A Tale of Much Pie.

Well, are y'all ready for this? I playfully teased my husband about putting on a bake sale when he came home with 4 pieces of fence when he needed 60. The grand total of fencing the front half of the acre was over three thousand dollars. Now, the man is down to needing $270 to finish his project. That's 23 pies. That leads me to ask you a question. Who would like a pie for Christmas? Who would like a pie for no good reason, but to eat it? Thank you for your support. You are God's grace to us.

Talk to me, Abba

The graciousness of Christ is yours. You accept it or reject it with your words. You can choose to share Me with others. Remember, those who claim to know Me often need to see Me the most. They have forgotten or they have never seen. Do not be wrapped up in how people act or should act. You be the fragrance of Christ to them. You do not need to indulge petty arguments. You need only to show my grace and truth to those who need hear it. Don't be fooled by people's seeming self-confidence or religious speak. Trust My Holy Spirit to guide you. Crucify flesh and Live among the people.

For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;

2 Corinthians 2:15

For more on this segment, see this post.

Each New Day by Corrie ten Boom

I have been reading Corrie ten Boom books of late as you may know. I have been enjoying reading through her devotional Each New Day. Every day I am met with a rich text. Corrie never fails to deliver authentic and powerful words encouraging. I anticipate a sweet meeting with scripture, poetry, hymns, songs, etc. every time I open the book. It is a gorgeous display of what Ephesians 5:19-20 tells us to do. She speaks to us in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs that daily draw the heart closer to the Lord Jesus. I greatly encourage you to pick up this book.

Other Corrie ten Boom books I have reviewed:

Amazing Love

Defeated Enemies

In My Father's House

Tramp For the Lord

Talk to me, Abba.

Refuse to react to jealousy and drama. I have sent you those who will rejoice when you rejoice. Be joyful in their presence. When you lose yourself in the drama others cultivate, you refuse to use your call to bring about the kingdom of God wherever you go. Sometimes it seems easier to go to to the poverty stricken than deal with the petty. You go where I send you. It will be painful. All things that cause death to flesh are painful. Humility comes from submitting yourself to these situations. 

Choose grace.

One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace will have the king for a friend.

Proverbs 22:11

For more on this segment, see this post.

Gone Girl

I am writing this book review so that you can all make fun of me. I think I have been tucked neatly in the Christian bubble for quite some time. Unfortunately, growing up, I had vast experience with knowledge of things little girls should have no knowledge of. Over the last decade, however, I haven't had a t.v. in my house or read anything that was remotely risque. Well, a family member of mine told me this was her favorite book she had read this year and so I bit. 

Oh. My. Word. First, let me tell you that Gillian Flynn is brilliant. She can write. I was drawn in and wanted to know what was happening at every turn. Her story is genius. The plot is fascinating. At the end of the book you find yourself with your mouth open saying, "Woah, what a ride." This book is a fascinating suspense thriller.

I kept laughing at myself as I read the book because it would sneak up with me and be overtly raunchy. No, it's no 50 shades porn for women. It is however the full monty of verbiage for sexual intimacy. The bad part to me is that words stick in my head. These are words and thoughts I never want to repeat to anyone. It was definitely a surprise a minute. One moment I was shocked by the twist in the book and the next I was slapped in the face with in your face raunch. 

There's my two cents. 

Pie. Pie. Me, oh My..

Hello, friends of Gomer, we are over halfway to our goal of finishing the first half of our fence project. Can you believe it? When Denbigh came home with his initial four pieces of fence, I teased him and told him to have a bake sale to raise the rest of the money. Can you believe that he has gone from needing to sell 300 pies to needing to sell 94? Sometimes, I am just completely overwhelmed that God lets us do fun things to raise money to give hope to those we come into contact with. I have spent most of every day shelling pecans and coming up with recipes. Would you like to help us meet our goal? All you have to do is buy and eat pie. Thank you for all of your support. God is gracious to provide and knit our hearts together. Thank you again.

Here are two sets of buttons. One is for shipping and one is for pick up or delivery. We can deliver from San Marcos to Waco on Wednesday the 21st. If you have a special order or certain number of pies you would like, email me and I will send you a personal invoice.

For pick up only

Southern Pecan Pie $12.00 USD    Deep Mocha Pecan Pie $15.00 USD    Salted Caramel Pecan Pie $15.00 USD    Maple Bacon Bourbon Pecan Pie $18.00 USD

For shipping to home

Southern Pecan Pie $22.00 USD Deep Mocha Pecan Pie $25.00 USD Salted Caramel Pecan Pie $25.00 USD Maple Bacon Bourbon Pecan Pie $28.00 USD

Talk to me, Abba.

Do you see what I am doing? I have poured out my abundant blessing on your household. Take notice. Acknowledge Me. Worship Me. Revel in my glory. Bask in My love. Linger in My presence. I am doing a thing in your life that you could not have foreseen. I am bringing new and abundant life. Listen and you will know. Can you see it?

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

For more on this segment, see this post.

A Year With G.K. Chesterton

I have recently begun reading some of the writings of GK Chesterton and everything I have read has struck a particular chord with me. I could each time sense the presence of the Holy Spirit in his work. This devotional is no different.

I really enjoy when there are many elements to a work. In this book there are writings, poetry, excerpts, scripture, and history. It reminded me much of how the Bible is put together. There are many different aspects to engage all of your mental senses. The words are rich with life.

You will want to indulge yourself in this book. It's the kind of thing that allows you to process and exchange grief and confusion with vibrant joy and depth of knowledge. I cannot think of any other way to describe it to you besides "a humble depth." You must read for yourself to see why George Bernard Shaw called G. K. a colossal genius.

"This world of ours has some purp

ose; and if there is a purpose, there is a Person. I had always felt life first as a story: and if there is a story, there is a Storyteller."-G. K. Chesterton

This book was graciously provided for review by Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Talking Across the Fence.

Hey, y'all. In case you didn't know, Denbigh sold three hundred dollars in pie last week and so he headed to Lowe's and bought seven sections of fence. Monday and Wednesday he was working in his new church office. That left him Tuesday to put up the sections he bought. If you know anything about my neighborhood, it's right neighborly. As Denbigh was outside trying to assemble his fence, five neighbors showed up to do the thing you do in the country, talk across it. As you can guess, he only got up half of the fence. That's okay though. Real life is in the interruptions. We are happy to have such warm and friendly (and cantankerous) neighbors. 

Denbigh started a new position at a church this week at a church in New Braunfels. He will be leading worship for two services on Sunday mornings and working at the office on Wednesdays. He will still be able to be here to work on the house and minister to (love) whomever the Lord brings us. It will be nice to settle into a church family again. 

I have no idea what the future holds, but I am trusting God with it. I am at a stage in life where I want things to be really simple. All I want is to be a good wife, mother, and friend. I'd really like to trade in any other hat I may have. I just want to cultivate warmth here in our home. May it be so. I was talking to God about it the other day and asking Him for things that would allow us to focus all of our resources on the broken. I have been asking God to pay off this ministry house. That would be a miracle to us. The cost is $150,000. Would you pray for this with us? I know that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills and He longs to bless His children. 

Please pray for people in ministry. To me, this has been the year I have seen the most devastation among the people of God. Most of the people we see that appear like they have it all together are the most broken and hurt. Pray for those around you. May God be glorified. May you bask in His love.

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