A Merry Christmas To You All

All is calm, All is Bright

Here is my Christmas Story. 

May the Lord's blessings and peace be with you. 

Enjoy!

By The Touch Of Faith

Good day to you my dear internet travelers,

We are doing some updating here at My Thoughtful Place Ministry. We thank you for stopping by today.

Let's start this new chapter of our daily walk by reading through "By The Touch Of Faith" message.

Please bow your head in prayer:

Good day Lord Jesus, thank you for this day. Come let us worship and bow down before God our maker. Bring us into the Holy of Holies, cleanse our lips. Here I am. In Your name, Amen. 

Click on the image to begin. 

LITTLE DISCLAIMER: Please note, included in some of the posted publications are links to other websites. Also there are links posted within this blog to other sites. My Thoughtful Place Ministry cannot control items on other sites, and we may not always agree theologically with certain items that may be found. Please be careful with any information that you discover. As always, remember, the Word of God in the Bible is the ultimate authority in all aspects of our lives.

We seek the Lord's guidance and wisdom in posting of the articles, stories, and testimonies on this blog.

So, my dear cherished neighbor, as you read, don't just take our word (or anyone's). Be sure to take the time you need to read the Bible; do your homework. Discover His word for yourself; asking Him to reveal His plan and purpose made just for you.

My Thoughtful Place Ministry® is a registered trademark established by My Thoughtful Place graphic Design through My Thoughtful Place Ministry Family Network. ©2020 Sara Marie Hantousch. All other trademarks and third party references are property of their respective owners.

Answers I Did Not Expect

The Lord is moving within my life every day. Today, He is more noticeable. After spending time in prayer, He answers those prayers.

Funny thing is He is answering in ways I did not expect. Silly me, I had it all thought out how my prayers would be answered. Then, reality hit me--His ways are not at all like mine! Thank goodness for that.

Here is what I came across today that reminded me to wait on the Lord (always): "In those moments when I am overwhelmed by the light that I asked for, but which brought answers I did not expect, help me not to pull back--but to walk in that light."

Verse of the Day: "For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told." Habakkuk 1:5

 Have a wondrous day, Sara Marie Hantousch, founder of My Thoughtful Place Ministry

Sorry, This is not a good time for me...

Good Morrow my dear loved ones, my precious family circle...

Whether you and I are connected through actual family ties...whether you and I are connected through ties of friendship...you are all each one in my heart part of my family circle...and what a precious honor and privilege it is that you have opened and shared a portion of your life with me...a gift I open each day and thankful to receive such a blessing.

Today, I am at home miserable, with headache and aching in my heart. I pray for humility in sharing with you, to express the weariness that I have been too embarrassed and ashamed to reveal. As my trusted family circle, the sense of honesty and openness comes out into the light through trust and confidence in Jesus. I can hear you say, “Oh no, not another long dissertation.” Please let me say, as always when I write, I do not write in an effort to bring myself attention but to reveal and glorify the wonders of the Lord working through my life.

As Mother Teresa stated: “I'm a little pencil in the hand of a writing God, who is sending a love letter to the world.”

In the words of ABBA:

Don't go wasting your emotion
Lay all your love on me
Don't go sharing your devotion
Lay all your love on me

I hear these words in my head a lot lately. Who is whispering them in my ear, Jesus. Alas, my dear ones, as much I love Jesus...I have neglected Him horribly. What does that mean? That means I have not taken my quiet time with Him. Even when I do have quiet time with Him, I manage to do it quickly and to try to get it over within 5 minutes or less. I want to get back to my comfy chair and do anything else rather than face the changes in my heart and my life the Lord is bringing into the light. In essence, I am trying to hide my bad habits from Him. Hence, the title “Sorry, this is not a good time for me”.

Why am I in such a hurry to get back to my comfy chair or what am I trying to hide, you ask? Worrying about my job, which I have come to dread, for fear of losing it if I do not do it well. Actually, there is more to it than just worrying about doing it well; I worry about disappointing my husband if I should fail and lose my job. This job has been very hard for me and my pride has gotten the better of me. There is no joy in doing the job. It goes beyond and deeper than just 'everyone does not like their job'. Truly, it is an aching dread and lack of joy that causes me such agony. I just don't want to do this job. I do not understand my stubbornness in this area. God has graciously provide this job for me to do and I am very unwilling to want to do it anymore.

In the past, I have managed to find a groove or joy in doing my job. Perhaps I should go a little deeper to say, egotistically, in the past I have been able to glorify myself and make me look good in my job. Come on, you know what that is: it is all about me syndrome. I too am guilty of if I am not the best one at my job and I am not told constantly how great I am then I am lost and confused and I pout. Who knew. The Lord knows.

As from James 3:16-18 The Message (MSG): Live Well, Live Wisely: “Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn't wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn't wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn't wisdom. It’s the furthest thing from wisdom—it’s animal cunning, devilish conniving. Whenever you’re trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others’ throats. Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.”

This job is not like any other I have held. I do not sell anything, I do not make anything, I do not serve or care for anyone. Well, yes, I answer customers concerns about their service. I am merely a voice on the other end of the phone. Maybe that is the issue...my perspective. Even though the customer is not really venting about me personally, they are expressing their dislike for the processes and their circumstances. Do you have any idea how hard it really is to remain quiet, polite and reserved when they are spewing forth various ways of negativity and disapproval when you are only offering an answer to a question they themselves asked for an answer?

Yesterday, was a most challenging day, I had a call with two sisters who tagged teamed me, meaning they were on speaker phone together and I had to endure insults from not only one of them but both of them at the same time. I am perfectly willing to answer any and all questions a customer may have, that is my job. The part that I struggle with and causes the bruises to my ego, is when the customer starts to speak to me in a disrespectful tone and begins to bait me to get angry by hurling personal insults upon me. I honestly run out of positive tone, words and ways to respond. The effect of having to swallow my pride so many times in one day exhausts me. This is where the dread of the job begins to overtake me. It is kind of like shock. I cannot believe I have been a witness to so much negativity, pain and sorrow in one day. Being human, I am confronted by the reality that there has been a few moments in my life where I have been just like that to someone else. My greatest fear is that I may sound like that to someone now. By the time I arrive home at night or by the time the weekend comes, I just want to sit in my comfy chair and not speak any more.

Isaiah 54:14 The Voice (VOICE): “This time, you will be founded and grounded on right thought, speech, and action. And no one will trouble you, abuse or oppress you; you will know no fear and have no worries.”

If I spent even a quarter of the time with the Lord asking Him to reveal His purpose for me in this job that I have spent worrying about my job...I would have less to worry about. Because I have chosen to push Jesus to the side while I figure this out on my own, I have allowed idleness and fear into my home. Did you know that it took the Jews 40 years to travel an eleven day trip back when Moses was leading them? I am here to say, that my own stubbornness just may take me as long to learn what the Lord is waiting to teach me.

I have been murmuring and stamping my feet against doing this job. Seems rather childish for me to be carrying on about this when there others out in the world who have far bigger issues to overcome. I become a hypocrite by telling others how they should believe in and trust in God when in secret and behind closed doors I struggle in fulling trusting God myself.

Matthew 7:3-5 Living Bible (TLB): “And why worry about a speck in the eye of a brother when you have a board in your own? Should you say, ‘Friend, let me help you get that speck out of your eye,’ when you can’t even see because of the board in your own? Hypocrite! First get rid of the board. Then you can see to help your brother.”

Be mindful, this is not about self pity but about seeking an attitude adjustment. I have often chosen to take a step or make a decision on my own limited knowledge. Then if it turns out a mess, I quickly drop to me knees and ask the Lord to fix it for me. This is all backwards. I am seek to the Lord first and wait for His answer. So here I am allowing my bad decisions and worry to overtake me, stress me out to the point of sickness, instead of holding onto God's promises.

Psalm 56:11 The Voice (VOICE): “In God I have placed my trust. I shall not let fear come in, for what can measly men do to me?”

To allow Jesus all the way into my life, I have given my heart, I am to also give Him my mind. After all that is where the battle wages, in my mind. The Lord can certainly be using this job as a lesson for developing humility. So far, He has revealed how often I take personal credit instead of giving the credit to Him and how He has worked through me. He has shown how often I look for others to praise my efforts instead praising Him for His handiwork. I have made this job about myself and what I am able to do [or in some cases can't do] instead of telling others how great God is. He has revealed I am not as open to positive criticism as I thought which makes it harder for me to admit I may have made an error or mistake. He has allowed me to see that responding in love is a powerful lesson [although sometimes painful] in humility.

Someday soon, I pray, the Lord will find a way to provide me with job where I can use my writing and computer graphic skills for His benefit and glory. My heart truly yearns to write for the Lord. Until that day, I ask for His bending and molding in my life to make into the woman and wife He would want me to be.

Psalm 33:20 The Message (MSG) “We’re depending on God; he’s everything we need. What’s more, our hearts brim with joy since we've taken for our own his holy name. Love us, God, with all you've got—that’s what we’re depending on.”

Me And This Job

Hello my loved ones,

Today it is time to share a truth and a step forward in my faith.

I believe in Jesus, who died and rose again to save us all from our sins. I love Him with all my heart. I accepted Jesus as  my Savior back on Psalm Sunday [April 1998]. Here now, I am the farthest from Him I have ever been. And, my dears ones, it is I who have moved...not Jesus.

So much on my mind these days. The cold of the winter has surely set into my heart. The fear of doing well at my job has numbed me. It is this fear of failure I wish to express. I have allowed this job [the fear of losing it to be precise], that the Lord has provided for me, to become more important than Jesus. The devil knows my weaknesses...my pride being the biggest weakness of all. I want to be the best at my job. Who doesn't you say. Here is my downfall...I want everyone to think of me as the best. I want to hear everyone tell me just how great I am...always...everyday. I want it always to be about me...me...me. At the job I do, taking calls and talking with customers, it is about listening to the concerns and then offering resolutions to those concerns. There are goals to be met: how long the calls is to be, how well the tone [treating the customer with respect without letting any judgments entering the voice] of the call is managed, how many times the use of a senior representative's opinion is asked, how well are programs, policies and procedures carried out [basically how many mistakes were made in the handling of the call], etc.

It is the latter issue that has unnerved me and caused me to give into the overwhelming fear of losing my job and numbing me to the point of no motivation. Yes, a mind is a terrible thing to waste. I have wasted my mind on awful thoughts of failure and frightened myself to lethargic hopelessness. That is exactly where the devil knew to trap me...and my dear ones, I walked right smack into it.

Since taking my first call, I started off on the wrong foot...without going into a lot of detail...it resulted in a verbal warning. I was in training...as long as I did not have any other issues...once out of training it would go away. I went home in tears. Thinking that was it...I would throw in the towel right then and there. I talked it over with the Lord and my husband. I stuck it out. Phew, I made it to through training and probation. I have struggled with my call handle times. Seems I just can't seem to resolve the call quick enough. I was going along better until last January...yes, another warning. I took it better than the first one...my pride was still bruised. Then, a few months later, Bam...another warning...it was right in the middle of the busiest call volume and working crazy amount overtime...no excuses...it left me deeply mortified. The fear seeped deeply into my body...fear of failing at my job, fear of losing my job, fear of being a failure in the eyes of my husband and fear of being a failure in front of the Lord and especially fear of being a fool in front of all the people at work. Dread became my best friend. Instead of praying, I began to escape and live in denial by spending endless hours watching movies and playing silly computer games. As result of  the self inflicted stress, I over eat and eat junk food to punish myself. While at work, I was in constant dread of each call becoming my last. Not to mention, I struggle finding the positive motivation to get of out bed to go into work. And in this cold dreary winter weather, my willingness to get out of bed to drive and make it to work has only gotten worse.

Well, wouldn't you know, trouble loves company...right? Just the other day, I took a call...I ended up transferring it. Although, it is not official...it will result in yet another warning. Now what. The battle of faith is in the mind not the heart. I gave my heart to Jesus...it is the best thing I ever did...I did not give Him all of me...I did not give Him my mind [this is where my pride lives in the flesh]. I kept that for me to control. Any of you know, when you ask Jesus into your life, it means you give it all to Him. And, I did. But...and that it is the fist sign...using 'but'. It is a sign that I have not given myself completely to Jesus. It is an indicator that I am going to spend some time going around and around the mountain until I let go of and truly give God control in my life. The good news is God loves me and my mess. God will make me good because He Loves me.

Forgive me, I have gotten track a little...

I came home on Friday filled with unimaginable fear. Not eagerly looking forward to Monday, when I have to get up and face realty. I did not share with my Salah what happened at work. I cried myself to sleep that night. In the morning, I got up and went before the Lord. I asked for the strength to share with my husband...how do I tell him I have made a third error and I will most likely lose my job and if I lose this job...then we will lose this farm...and....and....and...I hate looking like a fool...I don't want to let my husband or the Lord down...and that is right where I let my mind and the devil put me.

I did tell my husband. We talked about it for a while. He reassured me with Godly wisdom and love. Today, not wanting to face the snow outside and the snow blowing that needs to be done, I asked my husband, if he was ok with doing all the snow blowing...I was laughing...you know that nervous laugh that comes when you are extremely embarrassed.

He asked me, "Why are you laughing?'
Me: " I feel funny [embarrassed] asking you that way."
My hubby: "You stay inside. Go back and read your Bible a bit. Your faith is weakening because of all this work stuff. It makes me weaker too. Read your Bible and take time to be by God."

That is my Lord and Savior speaking to me through my husband...who God has placed in my life as the most precious gift ever given to me.

My dear ones, even if you have not personally come to Jesus...no matter what you may believe...I tell you the truth, only one thing matters-stay close to God:

"come near to God and He will come near to you." ~James 4:8~

Also this passage:

"You're all I want in heaven! You're all I want on earth! When my skin sags and my bones get brittle, God is my rock-firm and faithful. Look! Those who left you are falling apart! Deserters, they'll never be heard from again. But I'm in the very presence of God--oh, how refreshing it is! I've made Lord God my home. God, I'm telling the world what you do!" ~Psalm 73:25-28 The Message~

Really, when it comes down to it, there are only two positions in life-close to God or far away from Him. What has caused me so much trouble in recent days and accounted for all my difficulties is the fact that I did not keep close to God. I have chosen not remain close to God...I moved...I have listened to lies the devil has whispered in my ear.

Not sure how this whole job thing will work out. Not sure where God is taking me. I expect Him to show up. I wait in a state of expectancy, and leave room for God to come in as His likes. So, I heed the Godly wisdom of my husband: "Go back and read your Bible". God's Word is alive with meaning, and when you read it something will happen to you. Expect it to speak to you--and it will. Faith is expectancy: "according to your faith will it be done to  you." [Matthew 9:29]. The moment we cease to obey, that moment the revelation ceases to reveal.

I leave you with this prayer:

Gracious Father, I don't want nearness to You to be an occasional experience--I want it to be a perpetual experience. help me to pay the price, no matter what it costs. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen

I Am Taking You Along With Me Today

Good Morning My Dear Ones,

Wow, where has the time gone? It is nearly the end of July already.

Great news from our garden space, the watermelon plants [there are 2] have started to vine and they have some blooms on them...so thrilling to wait in anticipation for fresh watermelon from the garden. I have tried to grow watermelons in the garden for several years with no victory. This year we put up a fence to keep out any visitors [the cats ate the watermelon plants last year; they left all the other plants alone, just ate the watermelon plants, go figure!] and by the blessing of God we now have some lovely promising plants. In addition to the thriving watermelon, there are some pepper plants, tomato, lemongrass, cucumber, okra[not doing so well, but hanging in there!] and some flowers. The weather has been favorable to gardening...last year there was no rain and very hot and humid...the garden was not able to produce much. This year we have received so far, some nice cucumbers with m ore appearing each day...soon the tomato plants will provide for us...there are blooms now...no tomatoes...YET...soon.

I have stumble [no not literally...or perhaps maybe literally since the clover is out in my field] upon a delightful homemade tea made from red clovers. There are many benefits to the clover tea and it is right outside in my yard...hard to resist a natural wonder [I add a little dried mint to mine]. It is good for detoxing the blood and the liver...those who take blood thinners, beware...I offer a couple links to read more:

http://www.rebeccasherbs.com/herb_redclover.html

http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/natural-medicine/herbal-remedies/red-clover-herbal-remedies.htm

http://frugallysustainable.com/2012/07/how-to-use-red-clover-blossoms/

I have to admit, there are moments when I wish had learned about all the possibilities God has provided for us out in the country sooner, I am forever grateful to discover His wonderful blessings now.

"I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" Psalm 27:13

It truly amazes me, how He provides so much to us [when give the room to move in our lives and allow Him the time do His work in us]and we often miss out because "we think" we know what we are doing and talking about...when I read what I just wrote and realize all I do not know...it reminds me of the TV show 'Hogan Heroes' and Sgt. Schultz who would go "I know NOTHING". Although, with him he had seen and was pretending he not see, alas, we do the same. We are shown everyday God's majesty and grace...and pretend [or deliberately choose] not to see or give Him credit for it...we would rather make it about "me" and what "I" did...I am guilty of that very thing every single day.

"Search me, O God, & know my heart, test me, & know my anxious thoughts" Psalm 139.:23

Meanwhile, know that you are in my heart and prayers each day...[by the by, I love meeting with you in my prayers, you have a special space in my heart]

I am out to my field to pick some red clovers to dry for tea...as an added bonus since you are in my heart...I am taking you along with me so we can hop, skip and watch the butterflies together.

Love you bunches and bunches...squeezes and squeezes....sqqqquuuuiisssshhh [that was a bear hug!]

Love Sara

Newly Added

Lemonade Stand By The Creek added a new page to the website, Lemonade Stand Stories. Check out the link: www.lemonadestandbythecreek.web.officelive.com/lemonadestandstories.aspx



Home written stories about our homestead and life on the farm.


My husband and I were both 'city' dwellers. We grew tired of the chaos and noise of the city. My husband's dream has always been to have a home and some land 'somewhere over the rainbow'! I just desired a comfortable home where I could care for my husband and welcome our families. God provided us an opportunity to move out into the American countryside in 2008.


The home has been neglected for some time. It is built mostly from limestone blocks. It is very charming and is a most welcoming home. There is alot of landscaping issues and lots of overgrown brush and trees to clear. There is electrical, insulation and heating tasks to accomplish. ALL the bedrooms and the two baths still have 'pull' chain lights!! There are two quanson huts that onced provided a home for chickens. There is an old hog barn and an old corn crib. The old barn was fallen down and only the skeleton shell remains.


I am ever grateful to God for bringing us here. The peace of country living has taken some of the distractions away in order to hear God's voice better.


Meanwhile, please follow the link above to read about our adventures about adjusting to our farm life and our walk with God.

Relationship Building Missions & Communications

My Thoughtful Place Ministry defines "Relationship-Building Missions" as the rejuvenating of family connectedness through applying the disciplines and teachings of the Biblical message to daily life. The "life" condition could be single, married, divorced, widowed, or family. As each family member may be immersed in or concerned with any one of the various stages of life, childhood, adolescence, young adult, adult, mid-life or senior, they will each face situations and circumstances with a different attitude and expectations than our own.

My Husband Salah

Meeting my husband was a HUGE change in my life.

God has blessed me with a most extraordinary loving husband.

I have to back up a bit...bare with me as I widen the lense alittle to give a better glimpse...

I was 36 years old when I found Jesus. I had grown up in a Methodist home but never knew Jesus. I believed there was something, God or higher power, that kept it all together. I did not feel it was not necessary to go to church, read the Bible, nor to speak or think about Jesus. I had not ever drank or done drugs. When I was in high school, I was the most boring person. I did not date in in my high school days. I did not date in my early adult days either. I had crushes and little sparks of interest. I have to admit something very personal about myself, when I care for someone I care deeply! I would not merely go for the one night stand or just for fun fling. I was searching for the ONE and only. I spent years agonizing in heartache over a missed opportunity. I wasted a lot of time wondering why not "this one". I did not have intimate relations with a man until I was in my mid-thirties. Even then it was only twice until I was blessed with my husband. I was helpful towards others and did the occasional random act of kindness. I went carefree along in my little life doing it “my way” believing that I had gotten this far all on my own. I was a tough little girl. After all isn’t that what the world tells us we are to do? Not to mention, we are not to let on that we are miserable and hurting and might need help. I am amazed just how wrong I was.

My personal and deliberate road to finding Jesus started in the late '90's when I purchased my first computer. I hooked up to the internet and vroooommm I was off. I had posted a personal ad here and there. I met a few men. It was all so thrilling to share thoughts and feelings at first. Then reality would hit and it became clear that their intentions were not the same as mine. This up and down roller coaster adventure of emotions and sharing only added to the already disenchanted heartache I had locked inside of me. I felt doomed to never find 'the one' for me.

It was in January or so of 1998 when the person who would lead me to Christ answered my personal ad. We met and started 'dating'. During the course of conversation, he asked me if I believed in God and Jesus. He had been concerned because I had stated that I believed there was a God but did not have to go to church or anything. I was a arrogant in spirit against God. He mentioned to me that his uncle attended a church in the town I was living in at the time [he actually lived somewhere else]. We talked about church. He asked if I would be willing to attend his uncle's church. I agreed without blinking! So we went one Sunday in February of 1998.

The church was an Assembly of God church. I had never been to a church like that in my life. The music and the sermon were none like anything I had experienced. At the end of the sermon, the pastor invited people down to the altar. I had no idea what that really meant. The man I had come with walked down and knelt before the altar. He stayed there quite awhile as did several others. I walked down to kneel beside him. I was checking on him. He looked up at me and stated that he needed this today. That he was changed and he was glad he had come. I was polite and nodded my head, inside I was thinking, ok whatever.

We went to lunch after the service. He talked about Jesus and the change in his heart. I had no clue what he was referring to and merely acknowledged I was listening. He told me as much as he enjoyed attending the church, he would not be able to continue going since he lived further away. He mentioned to me that I should keep going. He asked me if I would be comfortable going by myself. There was no thought involved, I answered “yes” right away. It never dawned on me to second guess the question or wonder why I would even go. I told him I would go and I did. I went back every Sunday. I even began a member’s class to understand the principles of the church. I did all this BEFORE I was saved.

I was curious as to what “being saved” meant and why these people were so willing to kneel at the altar. In the few times I had attended service at my church; no one ever walked down to the altar let alone kneel down there. The only one who I ever saw allowed in the altar was the minister and the occasional wedding party and baptism. The altar was this forbidden place that only a “special” few were to enter. At least that is my foolish interpretation of how I viewed church. I wanted to understand why people were drawn to walk down and kneel at the altar in front of all these people. It seemed showy and like a drama at first to me. The service and the music was another mystery to me. How could they get away with playing such amazing music in church? They had drums, guitars, keyboards, etc. It was a band. The Pastor talked about the Bible like it was this living book. He made it seem like the people in the Bible were real and sitting right next to me. This was a fascinating concept to me. I had never thought about the Bible, Jesus and church as being real. There I sat Sunday after Sunday listening to God’s Word.

Then it happened, Psalm Sunday 1998. I was sitting in my seat, listening with all my heart and soul. I don’t even remember the message that the Pastor was sharing with us. The only thing I remember was the part where he asked us to bow our heads and pray with him. There in the middle of the prayer, I gave my heart to Jesus. I let go of all the anger, frustration, and the pain I was holding inside. I gave all the memories, all the suffering, all "the whatever" over to God. It has been a daily choice ever since to maintain a personal relationship with him.

It has been a most precious walk learning about Jesus.

In the Summer of 2002, I met my husband after corresponding with him over the internet for two months. I was very skeptical about meeting him after all the other let downs. But oh my, God knew what He was doing when He brought us together. We married in March of 2003 after seeing each other through Salah's double by-pass surgery. We saw each other in our worst and best times. I prayed about it over and over and over again. With all that happened in the short time we had been seeing each other, I would hear God's quiet gentle voice telling me, "Love this man." I did what He asked me to...love this man. It has been a HUGE blessing ever since.

Salah is originally from Iraq. He ventured into Yugoslavia for a few years attending college and was kicked out to go onto Austria for nearly 12 years. He followed his first wife of 8 years to the United States. He returned to Austria to visit his family and she filed for divorice while he was overseas seeing them. He has lived through some of the most heart wrenching circumstances and is very open about sharing those experiences. He returned to the USA in 1996 and went about his life until God placed me into his life in the Summer of 2002.

I am ever grateful for the honor to be his wife. We visited his family in Austria and Holland in 2007. That was a most amazing gift in itself. Salah and I have recently purchased a 14 acre farmette through God's generous hands. Bringing us out to the country has opened even more opportunities to see God's handiwork in action within our lives and deeper relationship with Jesus.

Hello there weary internet traveler…

Have you visited this blog out of curiosity?
What a wondrous choice..
In life, we often have to walk down unfamiliar paths
Paths that may feel threatening.
So how do we do that without making costly mistakes?
We take Someone along who knows the way.
The psalmist recognized that Guide when he wrote,
"Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness...
make Your way straight before my face." ~Psalm 5:8
Does your path today seem unfamiliar?
Ask God our Father to travel the road with you.